Oaklands Hospital ACL surgery claims

The Duty of Candour is a legal requirement that obliges healthcare organisations to be open and transparent with patients when something may have gone wrong with their care. If you have received a letter from Oaklands Hospital or Ramsay Healthcare about your ACL reconstruction, it means they have identified a potential concern relating to your treatment and are informing you of this.

Receiving such a letter can feel alarming, particularly if it arrives unexpectedly. It does not automatically mean you have a legal claim, but it may be appropriate to seek independent legal advice to understand your options. We are happy to talk this through with you at no obligation.

You may wish to speak to us if you are experiencing ongoing issues after your ACL reconstruction at Oaklands Hospital, such as persistent knee instability or episodes where the knee buckles or gives way. You may also notice difficulty fully straightening the knee or restricted bending.

These symptoms may indicate that the surgical reconstruction has not achieved the intended outcome, or that the procedure may not have been carried out to the expected standard. A specialist assessment can help establish whether this is the case.

Not necessarily. Complications can occur following any surgical procedure, and not all poor outcomes are the result of negligence. To succeed in a clinical negligence claim, it is necessary to show that the care you received fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent surgeon, and that this caused you harm that would not otherwise have occurred.

Our team will assess your situation carefully, obtain your medical records, and seek independent expert opinion where needed. We will give you an honest view of whether you have a viable claim before any further steps are taken.

In most clinical negligence cases, you have three years from the date of the treatment, or from the date you became aware (or should reasonably have become aware) that something may have gone wrong, to bring a claim. This is known as the limitation period.

Because the circumstances around these Oaklands Hospital cases are still developing, the exact position on time limits will depend on your individual situation. We would encourage you not to delay in seeking advice. Contact us and we will help you understand where you stand.

When you get in touch, a member of our clinical negligence team will take the time to listen to your experience. We will ask you some initial questions about your surgery and your current symptoms, and we will explain your legal options clearly and honestly.

If it appears that you may have a valid claim, we will explain the next steps, including how we would obtain and review your medical records, and what the process of instructing an independent expert looks like. There is no obligation to proceed, and the initial conversation is free of charge.

Building a clinical negligence claim typically involves gathering and reviewing your medical records and surgical notes from Oaklands Hospital. Any correspondence you have received from the hospital about your care can also help in a claim. We will also seek an independent expert opinion from a specialist knee surgeon.

Any evidence of the impact on your life, including loss of earnings or additional treatment costs can help value your claim. Our team will handle the process of obtaining your records and instructing independent experts on your behalf. You do not need to gather this evidence yourself.

No Win No Fee means that if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be charged for the legal work carried out on your behalf. You can pursue your claim without financial risk.

If your claim is successful, our fees will be agreed with you in advance and explained clearly before you commit to anything. We will make sure you understand the arrangement fully before any work begins.