1st Claims

• Home
• Free Claim Enquiry
• Accident Questions
• Free Benefits
• Why Choose Us

• Medical Negligence Claims
• Birth Injury & Cerebral Palsy Claims
• Brain Injury
• Cauda Equina Syndrome
• Cancer Misdiagnosis
• Cerebral Palsy Guide
• Dental Negligence UK
• Epilepsy
• Erbs Palsy Case
• Hospital Acquired Infections
• C Difficile
• Obstetric Cholestasis
• Sterilisation/Vascectomy
• What is Medical/Clinical Negligence
• Clinical Negligence Guide
• Clinical Negligence Costs
• 7 Questions You Must Ask Guide?
• Medical Negligence Questions
• Free Benefits
• Case Studies
• Testimonials
• Why Choose 1stclaims
• News/Articles
• Free Claim Evaluation
• 1stClaims Home
• Contact Us

C Difficile Claims

Recently there has been a vast increase in the prevalence of hospital bugs or 'super bugs'. If you or a member of your family have suffered you will understand the stress and anxiety that they cause.

One of the most recent and deadly of these is C Difficile, which, if you or a member of your family should contract whilst receiving treatment at a hospital, could lead to a hospital negligence claim.

"Clostridium Difficile", known as "C Difficile" or "C Diff" is a new strain of hospital super bug, which came to public attention in 2003 after 41 pensioners were killed by the bug in Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which was later discovered to have been unhygienic and as such seen as directly responsible for the outbreak.

"C Diff" is a naturally occurring bacterium found in the gut often in bowels of young babies, which will multiply when the natural balance of bacteria is altered, usually after a course of antibiotics. Of course many patients in hospitals are treated with antibiotics and so are particularly vulnerable to the bug, as are the elderly and people recovering from surgery.

Initial symptoms are mild diarrhoea and this may pass in a couple of days, however it may lead to more dangerous diseases, severe dehydration and even death.

The bug is so dangerous because it has become immune to the effects of antibiotics and is able to survive outside the body for up to 70 days, very often on dirty floors and around toilets.

It is even said to be resistant to some cleaning products. Statistics from the Health Protection Agency show that in 2005, 51, 690 cases were recorded among patients aged 65 and over and also 13,000 cases among the young. It is thought that patients being shifted from ward to ward because of the shortage of hospital beds and unsanitary hospital facilities are responsible for the prevalence of the bug.

If C Difficile has affected you or your family you need to consider the following factors to determine whether you might be able to make a claim for compensation:

• Was the hospital clean and hygienic whilst you or a family member was a patient there?
• Was there any evidence of steam cleaning at the hospital -thought to be the most effective way of killing CD
• Did doctors and nurses wear disposable gloves and aprons, discarded after treating each patient?
• Were any patients showing symptoms isolated to prevent further spread of the bug?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you could be eligible to compensation for medical negligence as a result of the hospital not fulfilling its responsibility to you and your family's health.

Of course this is an extremely complex issue but at 1st Claims, our highly qualified specialist solicitors are on hand to guide you through the legal process and ensure that you are duly compensated if you have been the victim of negligence.

If you would like 1stClaims' expert Medical Negligence Solicitors on your side please call us free on 0800 2888 693 or complete our Free Claim Enquiry form now and we will be in touch with you very soon.

Remember, all initial enquiries are completely free of charge and we will investigate all funding options for you.

We are here to help you from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday,
8.30am to 6pm on Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sundays.

1stClaims is regulated by the Ministry of Justice in respect of regulated claims management activities: Number CRM1552. This registration is recorded on the website www.claimsregulation.gov.uk

“We comply with the Solicitors' Introduction and Referral Code published by the Law Society, and any solicitor [or registered European lawyer] to whom we may refer you is an independent professional from whom you will receive impartial and confidential advice. You are free to choose another solicitor [or registered European lawyer]"

1stClaims is a Trading Division of Samson Internet Marketing Limited - Registered in England and Wales - Reg. Co. No. 5270325. Registered Office Address: First Floor Offices, 119 Station Road, Nailsea, Bristol BS48 1TA - VAT Reg. No. 850 3336 47