Specialist Legal Advice For Patients and Families Affected by Medical Errors 
At Bonallack & Bishop, our Andover clinical negligence lawyers act for clients across Hampshire who have suffered harm as a result of substandard medical care. We represent individuals and families in a wide range of clinical negligence claims, helping them secure compensation, answers, and accountability where medical treatment has gone wrong.
Clinical negligence is another term for medical negligence. It describes situations where a doctor, hospital, GP, nurse, midwife, dentist, or other healthcare professional provides care that falls below an acceptable standard, and that failure causes injury, illness, avoidable pain, or long-term consequences.
From our Andover office, we support clients throughout Hampshire and beyond. Whether your treatment took place locally or elsewhere in England and Wales, our specialist solicitors can advise you on your options and guide you through the claims process with clarity and sensitivity.
Live in Andover or elsewhere in Hampshire? Thinking of making a medical negligence claim? For FREE phone advice and a FREE 1st appointment with our solicitors, call now on Andover 01264 364433
Specialist clinical negligence lawyers – in Andover and across Hampshire
Clinical negligence claims are among the most complex types of personal injury cases. They require a detailed understanding of both the law and medical practice, as well as access to appropriate independent medical experts.
Our team only handle medical negligence and personal injury claims. The team is led by an accredited member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel – the Law Society’s own panel of highly specialist injury claim solicitors. Here at Bonallack & Bishop, we are the only Andover law firm with a member of that Accredited panel. 
Our Andover-based lawyers has extensive experience in handling high-value and sensitive clinical negligence claims, including cases involving life-changing injuries, delayed diagnoses, and fatal outcomes. We regularly act for clients across Hampshire, including Andover, Winchester, Basingstoke, Southampton, Eastleigh, Romsey, Alton, and surrounding areas.
We understand that many clients approach us at a very difficult time in their lives. Our role is not only to pursue compensation, but also to explain what went wrong, identify whether standards of care were breached, and help clients feel supported throughout the legal process.
The importance of appointing specialist clinical negligence lawyers
Clinical negligence claims work is highly specialised. To succeed in a claim, your solicitor must be able to prove both legal fault and medical fault, using detailed evidence and expert opinion.
Specialist clinical negligence lawyers will:
- Carefully review your medical records to identify potential errors or omissions.
- Instruct independent medical experts to assess whether the care you received fell below acceptable standards.
- Establish whether the negligence directly caused your injury, worsened your condition, or delayed appropriate treatment.
- Provide realistic advice about the value of your claim and the likely timescale.
- Represent you robustly if the case becomes contested, although most claims settle without a court hearing.
In addition to financial compensation, some clients want reassurance that lessons have been learned.
In fact on more than one occasion, clients have indicated to our lawyers that they probably would not have made a claim if only the doctor or other medical professionals involved had simply apologised rather than denying all responsibility for the mistake.
Clinical negligence claims really can help drive changes in medical practice, improve patient safety, and ensure accountability within healthcare organisations. And that is important.
Local Clinical Negligence Issues: Relevant Inquests And Serious Care Failures In Hampshire
Despite strong national support for the NHS and other medical professionals, when considering clinical negligence claims, it can be useful for potential claimants to understand that healthcare failures can and do occur — sometimes with tragic consequences.
While specific, high-profile medical negligence claims arising directly from Andover War Memorial Hospital are not widely reported in national media, the performance context of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (which includes Andover as well as Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and Royal Hampshire County Hospital) has been the subject of public scrutiny, complaints, investigations and legal compensation claims.
Maternity Care Failings At Royal Hampshire County Hospital
One of the most serious and publicly documented cases relating to care within the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust area involves an inquest report into the death of 32-year-old mother Lucy Howell, who died during labour at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester in March 2021. The Hampshire Coroner’s Court examined how decisions about Ms Howell’s care were made, including advice on mode of delivery following a previous caesarean section and communication between clinicians. The coroner heard evidence of conflicting views about induction of labour, miscommunication among clinical staff, and gaps in documentation and national guidance, all of which were considered as part of the wider context of care that culminated in her collapse and death during labour. The coroner highlighted that these issues had a profound impact on the family.
Compensation Settlements Following Maternity Mistakes
Outside of inquests, there is also publicly available information that Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has agreed settlements in clinical negligence claims related to maternity care, including cases involving severe birth injuries such as cerebral palsy. Such settlements reflect situations where expert evidence demonstrates that the standard of care fell below what was reasonably expected and that lifelong harm resulted.
Systemic Concerns Raised After Avoidable Harms
Clinical negligence issues at NHS hospitals are not confined to individual birth injury cases. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been required to respond formally to coroner concerns about failures in follow-up and discharge processes after patient deaths, illustrating broader safety and communication issues within emergency departments. For example, following the death of a patient whose elevated blood test results were not escalated appropriately, an Assistant Coroner raised concerns about how abnormal results were communicated to general practitioners. The Trust’s response outlined changes to procedures and computer systems to help avoid similar mistakes.
Broader Hampshire Related Inquests And NHS Failings
Although not directly about the Andover area itself, wider Hampshire and local health service failures highlight the kinds of clinical safety issues that can lead to negligence claims:
- Mental health care failings: In Wickham, Hampshire, the inquest into the death of a 49-year-old woman named Samantha Young found that local NHS mental health services failed to act on her repeated pleas for urgent care, despite clear risks to her safety. The coroner criticised the service for inadequate risk assessments and communication failures, and issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report calling for improved procedures. This case is a stark example of how deficits in healthcare can contribute to patient deaths and may form the basis for legal claims compensation.
- Historic but significant scandals in Hampshire: Back in the 1990s, Gosport War Memorial Hospital was the focus of one of the UK’s most notorious NHS scandals, where hundreds of patients died after being given inappropriate doses of opioid drugs. An independent panel later concluded that up to 650 deaths may have been prematurely caused by unsafe prescribing practices and systemic failures to act on warnings. While this case predates the NHS structures in place today, it remains one of the most significant examples of systemic clinical negligence to emerge from a Hampshire hospital.
Clients considering clinical negligence claims often ask whether they are “one of a few cases” or part of a broader pattern. Reviewing inquests, settlements, regulator reports, and quality inspections can help establish whether systemic issues may have contributed to harm. These public records and outcomes — whether individual legal settlements or coroners’ reports — underscore why specialist legal advice is essential if you believe that substandard care at any NHS or private provider has caused you or a loved one avoidable harm.
Our Expertise In Clinical Negligence Claims
Our Andover clinical negligence lawyers have experience across a wide range of claims, including complex and high-value cases. While every claim is different, we regularly act in matters involving:
- GP errors, including missed diagnoses and prescribing mistakes
- Surgical errors and avoidable complications following operations
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of serious conditions
- Cancer misdiagnosis or delays in cancer treatment
- Women’s health claims, including gynaecological errors
- Children’s health and paediatric negligence claims
- Birth injury and maternity negligence claims
- Spinal injury claims resulting from negligent treatment
- Brain and head injury claims
- Residential care and nursing home negligence claims
If you are unsure whether your situation amounts to clinical negligence, we can review the circumstances and give you clear, practical advice.
How We Can Help You With Your Clinical Negligence Claim
Our Andover clinical negligence lawyers act for clients throughout Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset. Most of these claims are handled on a no win no fee basis. That means there is no financial risk for you in seeking legal advice from our specialist about a possible compensation claim.
When you contact us, our lawyers can offer:
- A free initial telephone assessment to discuss what happened
- A free initial appointment, face-to-face or by video if you prefer, where we assess whether your claim is worth pursuing
- Clear advice on likely compensation and next steps
- Your case will be personally run by 1 of our 3 local, experienced and specialist solicitors, not an unqualified claims handler
- No win no fee funding is usually available for these kind of medical error compared to claims
Click here to find out more about how no-win no-fee claims could work for you - Home and hospital visits throughout Hampshire are available if travel is difficult – and video call appointments are always available
Our specialist lawyers take time to explain the process in plain English, so you understand what is involved at every stage.
Can I Bring A Clinical Negligence Claim Against A Private Doctor?
Yes. You can bring a clinical negligence claim against both NHS and private healthcare providers if their treatment fell below an acceptable standard and caused you harm.
The legal test is the same in both cases. Your solicitor must show that:
- The healthcare professional owed you a duty of care
- That duty was breached
- You suffered injury or loss as a result
Claims involving private doctors are usually pursued through their professional indemnity insurers rather than directly against the individual clinician. The process of investigating the claim, obtaining expert evidence, and seeking compensation is broadly similar.
What Is The Time Limit For Bringing A Clinical Negligence Claim?
In most cases, clinical negligence claims must be started within three years. This is known as the limitation period.
The three-year period usually runs from:
- The date of the negligent treatment, or
- The date you first became aware that something had gone wrong
There are important exceptions:
- For children, the three-year period does not start until their 18th birthday
- For individuals who lack mental capacity, time limits may not apply unless capacity is regained
Because limitation rules can be complex, it is important to seek advice as early as possible.
Can I Claim On Behalf Of Someone Who Has Died?
Yes. If a loved one has died as a result of clinical negligence, it may still be possible to bring a claim.
These claims are usually brought by:
- The executor or administrator of the estate
- Close family members such as a spouse, partner, or children
Compensation may cover pain and suffering before death, funeral expenses, and financial losses suffered by dependants. In some cases, the fatal injury claim may run alongside or follow an inquest into the death. Our lawyers have extent experience of both giving legal advice about and representing clients at inquests in Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.
How Do I Prove Clinical Negligence?
To succeed in a clinical negligence claim, two key elements must be proven:
- Breach of duty – that the medical care fell below a reasonable standard expected of a competent professional.
- Causation – that the breach of duty caused harm or made your condition worse.
Our clinical negligence lawyers will usually obtain independent medical expert reports to assess what should have happened and whether different treatment would have led to a better outcome. Medical records, witness evidence, and clinical guidelines all play an important role.
Protecting Compensation With A Personal Injury Trust
Clinical negligence compensation awards can be substantial, particularly where long-term care or support is required. Receiving compensation directly can sometimes affect entitlement to means-tested benefits.
A personal injury trust can ring-fence your compensation so it can be used for your needs without interfering with benefits. Our firm has specialist trust expertise and can advise you on whether this option is appropriate, as well as set up and manage the trust for you.
Click here to read more about how a Personal Injury Trust could help to safeguard your benefits if you win clinical negligence compensation
Early Legal Advice Can Make A Crucial Difference
Strict time limits apply to clinical negligence claims, and evidence can become harder to obtain as time passes. If you believe you or a family member has suffered due to negligent medical treatment, early advice can protect your position and improve the chances of a successful claim.
Our Andover clinical negligence lawyers are here to help you understand your options and take the next step with confidence.
FAQ
What is clinical negligence?
Clinical negligence occurs when medical treatment falls below acceptable standards and causes injury, harm, or avoidable suffering.
Is clinical negligence the same as medical negligence?
Yes. Clinical negligence and medical negligence mean the same thing and are used interchangeably.
Can I sue the NHS for clinical negligence?
Yes, claims can be brought against NHS trusts where negligent care has caused harm.
Can I bring a claim against a private doctor?
Yes, clinical negligence claims can be brought against private healthcare providers and are usually handled through their insurers.
What is the time limit for a clinical negligence claim?
In most cases, claims must be started within three years of the negligence or date of knowledge.
Can I claim if a family member has died?
Yes, claims may be brought on behalf of the estate and dependants following a death caused by clinical negligence.
Do you offer no win no fee funding?
Yes, most clinical negligence claims are handled on a no win no fee basis.
