Six months ago I received a routine lung operation but I have had severe difficulty breathing ever since, what is the medical negligence* statute of limitations in Ireland?
The medical negligence* statute of limitations in Ireland is generally two years from when you were diagnosed with the injury you sustained because of medical negligence*. You may require compensation for medical negligence* in Ireland to help you readjust to life following your injury, as you may have required assistance in your day to day life or further surgery. Although you may have sustained an injury, this does not automatically entitle you to make a claim for medical negligence* in Ireland and a strong claim may be required. For this reason a personal injury* solicitor should be consulted at the earliest opportunity following your injury from medical negligence* in Ireland for assistance in building a strong claim within the Statute of Limitations.
The medical negligence* Statute of Limitations in Ireland is in place for a number of reasons, one of which is to ensure that a claim can be made while evidence is still available. As evidence may fade over time and memories of witnesses can become less reliable, the Statute of Limitations encourages plaintiffs to make a claim for medical negligence* in Ireland while evidence is still fresh. The Statute of Limitations is also in place in order to protect the negligent party in question from the constant threat of litigation for an injury from medical negligence* in Ireland. It should also be noted that should the time limit pass, you may not be able to claim compensation for medical negligence* in Ireland.
Certain exceptions may apply to the medical negligence* Statute of Limitations in Ireland. For instance, a claim for medical negligence* in Ireland can be delayed if a person has suffered incapacitation because of their injuries and can commence once capacitation has been regained. If a child has sustained an injury from medical negligence* in Ireland, they will only be entitled to initiate a claim upon their eighteenth birthday. However a parent or guardian – acting as a “next friend” – can initiate a claim for compensation for medical negligence* in Ireland at any stage between their child’s accident and eighteenth birthday.
If some time has already passed since you were diagnosed with your injury from medical negligence* in Ireland, you are advised to consult a personal injury* solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Your solicitor may need to gather strong evidence to support your claim to compensation for medical negligence* in Ireland, which may take some time. A medical expert may also need to assess your claim for medical negligence* in Ireland to determine whether your injury was avoidable and – if not – this may further complicate your entitlement to seek compensation. To ensure that your claim can be made within the medical negligence* Statute of Limitations in Ireland, you are therefore advised to contact a personal injury* solicitor at the earliest opportunity.