Belfast Trust Negligence Claims: Dr Watt's Patients
3,200 patients were recalled by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust amid fears of misdiagnosis under the treatment of Neurology Consultant Doctor Michael Watt. The recall was initiated after concerns were raised by a GP about the diagnosis and treatment of patients under Dr. Watt. If you were affected by the work of Dr. Watt you could be entitled to claim compensation.
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Dr Watt conducted NHS work in the Royal Victoria and City Hospitals in Belfast. He also conducted private work in the Ulster Independent Clinic and Hillsborough Clinic, primarily treating patients for brain conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s, Stroke and Motor Neurone Disease.
Concerns were raised about misdiagnosis in May 2016, however, Dr. Watt was allowed to treat patients up until June 2017 and the patient recall wasn’t initiated until May 2018. This has raised serious questions about the Trust’s handling of the matter which may have exposed patients to avoidable misdiagnosis and mistreatment.
The Department of Health has commissioned an inquiry to investigate the matter, while hundreds of former patients face an anxious wait to be told if they have been misdiagnosed or mistreated.
A compensation scheme has been set up to award damages to former patients who have been misdiagnosed or mistreated. Dr Watt treated patients for serious neurological problems, therefore the consequences of misdiagnosis or mistreatment could be life-altering.
Our expert medical negligence solicitors will help you to recover damages for the pain and suffering you have suffered as well as compensation to cover any medical expenses or other expenses you may incur.
Contact us for an initial enquiry. Speak to our medical negligence solicitors in Dungannon, Belfast and Dublin. call us on 028 8772 2102 (UK) or 01 533 7860 (IE). We will talk through your situation with you and discuss what the first steps are in bringing a medical negligence compensation claim. We can also answer any questions you may have.
Alternatively, you can fill in our online Contact Form and we will ring you.
FAQs
How do I make a Claim: Dr Watt Patients?
If you believe you or a loved one have been affected by medical negligence involving Dr Michael Watt and the Belfast Trust, and you wish to make a negligence claim, you are advised to speak to a solicitor as soon as possible.
If you ask us to represent you, we will start by taking the event's details and assessing what has happened and who is responsible. We will assemble evidence supporting your claim and contact the relevant health trust to advise them of the claim.
We will ask our medical experts to carry out examinations and write a report about the injuries you or your loved one have suffered. This will form the basis of your case.
If the other side admits liability, we will negotiate with them to agree on the amount of compensation to be paid to you. Where they deny liability or the amount of compensation offered is not sufficient, your case will go to court. We will ensure that you have our support throughout.
We have identified the most common areas where Dr. Watt’s diagnosis has previously been negligent. These include the incorrect diagnoses of:
Epilepsy
Stroke (and afterwards, in many instances, post-stroke epilepsy)
Parkinson’s disease
MS
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension which in turn has led to an unnecessary and invasive procedure known as an epidural blood patch (blood taken from the patient is injected into the patient’s spine).
How much compensation will I receive?
The size of medical negligence compensation payments varies widely depending on the severity of what has happened and the specific facts of each case.
If you speak to us about your case, we will be able to give you an initial idea of the range of compensation that is generally awarded for the type of injury you or your loved one have sustained.
How can I finance a medical negligence claim against Dr Watt and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust?
We know that funding a compensation claim might be a worry, so we offer a range of options. These include:
Legal Aid
Legal expenses cover
After the Event insurance (ATE insurance)
Private payment
What is the time limit for bringing a medical negligence claim against Dr Watt and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust?
There is a three-year time limit for bringing a medical negligence claim. This is known as the limitation period. It runs either from the date of the negligent incident or the date that you became aware of the injury you suffered. And so, anyone involved in the 2018 Recall Process should commence proceedings as soon as possible.
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