Medical Negligence

When you make the decision to undergo a sterilisation or vasectomy procedure, it is very unexpected that something will go wrong with the operation. Sadly, medical negligence can happen and you could be left with unexpected complications or injuries from your operation. If you are in this tough situation, First Personal Injury can help ensure that you get the compensation that you need.

To assess your claim, contact us on 0800 808 9740 or online.

Medical Negligence And Sterilisation

During a female sterilisation, the fallopian tubes are cut or blocked which prevents the eggs from being able to travel from the ovaries and into the womb. This stops fertilisation from being able to occur. Sadly, sterilisation is statistically less effective than a vasectomy, so the NHS generally advises the male partner in a relationship to get a vasectomy rather than for a woman to seek sterilisation.

However, if you have undergone a sterilisation procedure, you could potentially have been the victim of medical negligence if something has gone wrong. Examples of sterilisation medical negligence include:

• Applying the sterilisation clip to a nearby ligament, nerve or blood vessel instead of the fallopian tube as is intended in the operation.

• Failure to inform your patients about the risks of the procedure or the aftercare that is necessary. For example, patients should not have unprotected intercourse for a fortnight before or three months after sterilisation.

• If an unexpected medical instrument is left inside of the body this could cause serious harm and infection to the victim.

• If the equipment that is being used to preform the medical procedure is not sterilised, this could risk infection.

• You could make a medical negligence claim If you feel that the doctor performing the procedure did not adequately check your suitability for the procedure prior to undergoing it.

• If your doctor has failed to check-up on you after the procedure, to ensure that you are not suffering from an infection or any other complications, you could potentially make a claim for compensation.

Medical Negligence And Vasectomies

When a man undergoes a vasectomy, the vas deferens, which is the tubes that allows sperm to be transmitted inside a man’s ejaculate, is cut and sealed. You can make a medical negligence claim if you have suffered an injury or a complication as a result of your sterilisation procedure. There are certain complications that could occur if your vasectomy is not performed correctly. For example:

• Pain and Discomfort – some men experience chronic scrotal pain after the procedure which would likely require further surgery to fix this problem. If you have experienced this problem you may be able to claim for medical negligence.

• If the vas deferens is cut improperly, sperm can still flow from the epididymis to the vas deferens but it could become backed up due to being unable to leave the body. This could create an inflammation of the gland. Symptoms associated with this condition include pain and swelling.

• Vasovenous fistula – this complication could occur if the blood vessels that are part of the vas deferens are injured during the vasectomy procedure. This can result in a pooling of blood that leads to an abnormal connection between the vas deferens and nearby blood vessels. A symptom of this condition is blood appearing in the ejaculate or in urine. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have these symptoms.

• There is also the risk of infection as there is with a sterilisation procedure. If you believe that your surgeon performed the procedure to a poor standard, resulting in you suffering from an infection, you could be able to claim compensation.

• Persistent welling is another common sign that medical negligence has occurred. It is quite natural for there to be some form of swelling within the genitals area after a vasectomy procedure is performed. However, if this swelling persists then you may be suffering from medical negligence.

Medical Negligence Compensation

There are multiple different complications that you could experience due to a failed sterilisation or vasectomy. The amount of medical negligence compensation that you are awarded is therefore unique to each specific case. The amount of medical negligence compensation that you are awarded will be determined by two categories: general damages and special damages.

General Damages

General damages refers to the physical and emotional damage caused by your injuries. In the simplest terms, it refers to compensation for pain and suffering. This type of compensation also covers any losses of amenity, aka a decrease in ability to function, that has arisen from the injuries sustained in an accident.

In the case of a failed vasectomy or sterilisation,  the amount of medical negligence compensation awarded will be determined by the type of injury or complication you have suffered and the severity of it. To view estimates for personal injury types, visit our compensation calculator.

Special Damages

Special damages compensation refers to compensation that covers the financial losses and expenses incurred as a result of an accident or medical negligence. Special damages could help to reclaim a loss of income if you have been unable to work due to injuries related to your failed vasectomy or sterilisation. Similarly, if you have had to pay to go a medical appointment or if you had to pay to travel to a medical appointment, you could be able to claim these medical costs back.

Making Personal Injury Claims

If you have suffered a personal injury, you may be entitled to receive compensation. First Personal Injury solicitors are available to assist you and ensure that you win the compensation that you deserve.

First Personal Injury work with both families and individuals across England and Wales, leading them on their legal journey and helping them claim compensation after an accident or injury. Contact our specialist team to begin the process, either by phone on 0800 808 9740 or through our online form.