Never Event Claims
‘Never Event’ is a term used in healthcare to describe a serious medical negligence incident that should never occur and is wholly preventable. While the NHS has safety measures in place to stop Never Events from occurring, hundreds of people in the UK are, unfortunately, victims of this extreme type of medical negligence every year.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a Never Event, the Medical Law Partnership can help you get the compensation and justice you deserve. Start your Never Event claim today.
What is a Never Event?
A ‘Never Event’ is a serious medical negligence incident that should never happen if the proper safety protocols are followed. It refers to any situation where patients have suffered harm, or even death, that could and should have been prevented.
Despite the NHS’ commitment to preventing Never Events, they do still happen. Between April 2025 and July 2025, the NHS reported 142 Never Event occurrences, including 58 cases of wrong site surgery and 35 cases of foreign objects being left in the body after a procedure.
Patients who have been victims of Never Events are entitled to compensation. At the Medical Law Partnership, we’ll handle your claim with the compassion and sensitivity you deserve, managing the entire process on your behalf, so you can focus on moving forward.
The most common Never Events that our clients come to us with include:
- Wrong site surgery: Such as injections to the wrong body part, removal of the wrong limb or organ, or carrying out a procedure intended for another patient.
- Retained foreign objects post procedure: Such as leaving surgical swabs, instruments, or needles inside the body.
- Wrong implant or prosthesis: Such as placing a knee implant in the wrong knee.
- Administration of medication by the wrong route: Such as giving oral medication intravenously.
- Risk assessment failures: Leading to accidents such as falls from poorly restricted windows or chest or neck entrapment in bed rails.
The NHS provides a full list of Never Events on their website – if you or a loved one has suffered any of these, the Medical Law Partnership can help.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a medical error that should never have happened or otherwise known as a Never Event, you may be eligible to bring a medical negligence claim against the healthcare provider responsible.
In most cases, you must start your claim within 3 years of the date the Never Event occurred (or within 3 years of the date you first found out you or your loved one had been the victim of a Never Event).
If you’re not sure whether you have a valid Never Event claim, or simply need some reassurance about how the process works, get in touch with the Medical Law Partnership – we’ll be happy to provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation and can advise you on the next steps.
No two cases are the same, which means it’s not possible to say exactly how much compensation you may be awarded for a successful claim. That said, compensation claims regarding Never Events can be significant, as the event itself could have been avoided and would have been entirely preventable.
The amount of compensation you receive will typically depend on:
- The extent of your (or your loved one’s) pain and suffering
- The cost of ongoing care and rehabilitation
- The cost of counselling and therapy
- The cost of any necessary changes to your home
- Any loss of earnings as a result of being unable to work
At the Medical Law Partnership, we know how devastating the effects of medical negligence can be, especially when you or a loved one has suffered as a result of an event that was entirely preventable. Our friendly and professional team handles every case with the utmost care, sensitivity, and determination to secure the justice and support you deserve.
We’re one of the only specialist medical negligence law firms in the UK, with a team consisting of both expert solicitors and medical professionals. This means we’re able to understand every aspect of your case inside out, building the strongest possible claim on your behalf.
We believe justice should be accessible to all, which is why we operate on a no-win, no-fee basis. There are no upfront costs, and you won’t pay us anything unless your claim is successful.
Think you may have a valid Never Event claim, or want to find out more about our services? Get in touch with us today.
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