Quick answer
For most medical negligence claims in England and Wales there is a three year time limit, which usually runs either from the date of the negligent treatment or from the date you first knew that your injury was linked to that treatment, whichever is later. The date of knowledge point is important in medical cases,...
Guidance for United Kingdom. General information, not legal advice.
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I think I received negligent treatment from a hospital a couple of years ago that left me worse off. Is there a time limit for bringing a medical negligence claim?
For most medical negligence claims in England and Wales there is a three year time limit, which usually runs either from the date of the negligent treatment or from the date you first knew that your injury was linked to that treatment, whichever is later. The date of knowledge point is important in medical cases, because sometimes it is only later that a patient realises the harm was caused by substandard care rather than by the underlying condition. There are significant exceptions: for a child the three years does not begin until their eighteenth birthday, and for someone who lacks the mental capacity to bring a claim the ordinary time limit may not run at all while that is the case. Courts have a limited discretion to allow a claim outside the three years, but you should never rely on that.
As you think the treatment was around two years ago, you appear to be within time, but medical negligence claims take a long time to prepare because they require independent medical expert evidence both that the care fell below a reasonable standard and that this caused your injury. That evidence gathering is why lawyers encourage people to start well before the deadline rather than close to it. Collect your medical records and a note of what happened, and take advice sooner rather than later. This is general information, not advice on your particular claim.
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