When you have a medical emergency requiring an ambulance to be called, you rely on paramedics to arrive swiftly and make the right decision on what treatment is needed. Where there are delays in an ambulance arriving or in paramedics ensuring the right emergency treatment is given, the effects on your health can be devastating, with lifelong consequences for you and your loved ones. Claiming compensation can be the only way to ensure you get all of the help and support you need to deal with the consequences of ambulance delays or paramedic delays.
This can include paying for private medical treatment and care workers, buying specialist equipment, and covering other financial losses, such as lost income, as well as compensating you for your pain and suffering.
The idea of pursuing compensation for an ambulance delay case might seem confusing and intimidating, but our specialist medical negligence solicitors have the experience and expert knowledge needed to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible.
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury to your health due to delays with an ambulance or by paramedics, we can help you get fair compensation while saving you time, money and stress.
How to start an ambulance or paramedic delay compensation claim
Starting a claim for ambulance or paramedic delays with IBB is straightforward. We understand that you have probably never dealt with anything like this before and may never even have spoken to a lawyer before, so we aim to be as approachable and supportive as possible, answering all of your questions in plain English.
Our ambulance negligence claims solicitors offer a free initial consultation, giving you the chance to talk us through what has happened and allowing us to give you an idea of whether we believe your claim has a reasonable chance of success. We will then explain the claims process and give an indication of how much compensation you may be entitled to in your ambulance delay case.
There is no upfront cost to start a claim with us as we offer conditional fee agreements (‘no win, no fee’) for ambulance and paramedic delay claims. This means you will only have to pay our legal fees if we secure compensation for you, so there is no financial risk in starting a claim.
To start a compensation claim for ambulance delays or paramedic delays, call us today on 0333 123 9099. Alternatively, you can email us at enquiries@ibbclaims.co.uk or use our contact form to request a call back.
Our expertise with paramedic delays claims & ambulance delay claims
We are recognised as one of the country’s leading medical negligence teams, having been recognised by the two leading client guides to the legal profession Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, for our exceptional skill in handling clinical negligence claims, with the Legal 500 ranking us Tier 1 for Personal Injury: Claimant.
Our medical negligence solicitors have decades of experience handling ambulance and paramedic delay claims for people throughout England and Wales. They have the specialist knowledge and skills needed to secure the best available outcome, no matter how complex your claim or how strongly the defendant disputes liability.
We are accredited by the Law Society for Personal Injury Law, reflecting our expertise with all types of injury claims, including those involving clinical negligence by paramedics and ambulance negligence claims.
Types of ambulance and paramedic delay claims we deal with
We are able to secure substantial compensation for our clients in relation to issues such as:
- Delays in ambulances arriving to emergency calls
- Ambulances not responding to emergency calls
- Delayed diagnosis by paramedics
- Delays in providing appropriate treatment by paramedics
- Delays in transferring patients to hospital by paramedics
We have particular expertise with conditions that are commonly missed or misdiagnosed by paramedics, including:
So, if an ambulance took too long to help you, please get in touch.
How we handle paramedic & ambulance delay compensation claims
Our goal is to get you the highest amount of compensation, while keeping the claims process as easy as we can for you. To do this, we focus on achieving out-of-court settlements, wherever possible, as this usually allows you to get a fair settlement faster, without the stress and uncertainty of a court hearing.
However, where court proceedings are the best option for your claim, our medical negligence solicitors have the experience and skills needed to give you the strongest available representation, while providing empathetic personal support to make going to court a positive experience for you.
Out-of-court settlements for ambulance & paramedic delay claims
With strong skills in negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), we are able to resolve most ambulance and paramedic delay claims out of court.
Advantages of this approach include:
- Faster resolution of your claim (because you don’t have to wait for a court hearing)
- Lower legal costs
- Less stress for you
- You keep control over the terms of the settlement, rather than leaving the final decisions in the hand of a judge
Court proceedings for paramedic & ambulance delays compensation
Sometimes it is necessary to go to court to resolve a case where an ambulance took too long, causing you harm. Where court proceedings are required, we can guide you through every stage of the process, including:
- Gathering all of the necessary evidence
- Preparing and submitting your claim to the court
- Pre-hearing settlement negotiations
- Preparing you to appear in court
- Representing you in court
- Pursuing appeals where required
We also have strong links with specialist barristers and other key professional experts, so we can provide the very best advice and representation for your ambulance negligence claim.
Our no win no fee paramedic & ambulance negligence compensation claims service
We want to ensure every victim of medical negligence has the opportunity to claim compensation, so we represent the majority of our clients on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis.
With a no win, no fee deal (formally known as a ‘conditional fee agreement’), you do not need to pay anything towards our legal fees at the outset and will only need to contribute to those costs if we secure compensation for you.
This means there is no financial risk to you to start a claim and gives you confidence that we are only taking on your claim because we believe you have a strong chance of winning.
We will clearly explain our fee structure and any third-party costs (such as court fees), so you have complete transparency over the costs involved in pursuing a claim for ambulance delays or paramedic delays.
Am I eligible for compensation for delayed ambulance or paramedic care?
To be entitled to compensation for the delayed arrival of an ambulance or delays caused by paramedics, we will need to show:
- Medical negligence occurred, i.e. the treatment you received fell below acceptable medical standards.
- This substandard treatment led to a worse outcome for your health than would likely have been achieved with appropriate care.
Can you sue an ambulance for taking too long?
The NHS is under a lot of pressure, and response times for ambulances can range from a few minutes to several hours, depending on how serious the emergency call is assessed to be.
If an ambulance takes too long because of negligence, then you may be able to sue for compensation.
For example, if a serious medical emergency is miscategorised as low priority and the ambulance takes a long time to reach you, resulting in harm, this could entitle you to make an ambulance negligence claim.
How much compensation can you get for paramedic & ambulance delays?
This will depend on a number of factors, including:
- The impact on your health of the ambulance or paramedic delays
- The effect on your life
- Any financial losses incurred as a result of your injuries
- Any future financial losses you expect to experience due to your injuries
- Your pain and suffering
Damages for paramedic and ambulance delays fall into two main categories:
Financial Losses and Expenses – Covering specific financial losses such as the cost of private treatment, care support, buying specialist equipment and lost income.
General Compensation – Covering non-financial losses you have experienced, such as pain, suffering and lifestyle changes.
Our ambulance and paramedic delays solicitors can provide a highly accurate valuation for even the most complex claims, ensuring nothing is overlooked and that you have the chance to secure the highest possible compensation for your injuries.
What is the time limit to claim compensation for ambulance delays and delayed paramedic treatment?
The standard time limit for medical negligence claims is three years; however, you may have longer to claim under certain circumstances.
If you are claiming for someone under 18 – You will have until their 18th birthday to make a claim. The claimant can then potentially bring their own claim until they turn 21.
If you are claiming for someone who lacks mental capacity – There is no time limit to do so.
If you are making a claim for someone who has died – You will generally have three years from the date of death to bring a claim.
How long does it take to get compensation for paramedic or ambulance delays?
Medical negligence claims commonly take around 18 months to 2 years to settle, but this can vary significantly depending on the circumstances.
Factors that will affect how long your claim takes include:
- The severity of the damage to your health (it usually takes longer to assess the full impact of more serious injuries)
- When the negligence took place (the more recent the incident, the longer you may have to wait for the full impact to become clear)
- Whether the defendant admits liability (claims can usually be resolved much faster if liability is not disputed)
Will my benefits be affected by receiving compensation for ambulance or paramedic delays?
Compensation payouts can be considered as part of your assets for means-tested benefits unless you take the right steps to avoid this. Setting up a Personal Injury Trust to hold your compensation can allow you to use the funds while ensuring they are ‘ring fenced’ so they are not taken into account for means-testing.
There is a 52-week grace period after you receive compensation before it will start being considered for any means-tested benefits, so it is important to move quickly to ensure you do not risk losing out.
Get in touch with our expert ambulance and paramedic negligence claims solicitors today
To arrange your free consultation on starting a compensation claim for ambulance and paramedic delays, please call us on 0333 123 9099, email us at enquiries@ibbclaims.co.uk or use the contact form on the right to request a call back.
