Optician Negligence Claims

What is optician negligence?

For most of us, going to see an optician is routine and we would never expect anything to go wrong. But if your optician fails to provide the right level of care, and you suffer harm as a result, they could be held accountable for optician negligence.

Some examples of opticians acting negligently include:

• Failure to examine patients properly
• Failure to refer you to a specialist
• Low hygiene standards
• Misdiagnosing or failing to diagnose an eye condition
• Prescribing the wrong lenses

Negligence can also occur during laser eye surgery, with potentially life-changing consequences.

If your eyesight has worsened as a result of an optician’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation and support.

Can I sue an optician for negligence?

Opticians have a duty of care towards you. This means that they must provide treatment that is of a continuously high standard. And if this hasn’t been the case, you could be entitled to make a claim against them.

We understand that compensation may not be your only concern after suffering optician negligence. By making a claim, you could help stop what happened to you from happening to anyone else.

Whether your treatment was private or NHS-funded, we can put you in touch with expert solicitors who are experienced in these types of claims. They’ll work on your behalf to build a strong case and secure compensation that reflects what you’ve been through.

How First4Lawyers can help

If you’ve been affected by an optician’s negligence, we could help you make a medical negligence claim for compensation.

We aim to take some of the stress out of the claims process, helping you to focus on your recovery at what can be an emotionally and financially difficult time.

For these types of claims, we work on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that you will have nothing to pay upfront. And if your case isn’t successful, you won’t pay any legal fees.

How do I prove optician negligence?

Proving that negligence has taken place can become complicated, depending on the nature of your case. But this is where an experienced solicitor can help you.

To support your claim, your solicitor will collect evidence on your behalf. This will include:

• Your memory of what happened
  One of the first things your solicitor will ask you for is any details you remember from your appointment. This will help them to build an initial overview of what took place.
• Witness statements
  This will usually be someone who came with you to your appointment or any employees who were present. Their testimony will be used to support your own, and may be helpful in filling any of the gaps in your memory of what happened.
• Medical records
  These will help your solicitor to demonstrate how the negligence you suffered has affected your vision or overall health. Any records from the optician themselves could also shine a light on the level of care and attention they provided.
• Prescriptions
  If your optician gave you a prescription that was wrong, having a copy of this could go towards supporting the strength of your claim.

Throughout the claims process, your solicitor will be there to help you at each stage. So you don’t need to worry about finding all this information yourself.

Optician negligence claims FAQs

How much compensation will I receive for an optician negligence claim?

This will depend on a number of factors, so it’s difficult to say exactly how much compensation you will receive.

Usually, compensation is split into two sections – general damages and special damages.

General damages will reflect the pain and suffering you’ve been through as a result of the negligence you experienced. And special damages will consider any financial losses related to the negligence, such as lost earnings or the cost of corrective medical treatment.

For a rough idea of how much compensation you could be entitled to, you can use our compensation calculator. But your solicitor will be able to give you a more accurate figure after speaking to you about your case.

How long do I have to make an optician negligence claim?

There is usually a three-year time limit on when you can make an optician negligence claim. This may sound like a long time, but we would recommend starting the claims process as early as you can.

The sooner you bring a claim, the easier it will be to gather evidence surrounding your case. As we’ve mentioned, this could include your own memories of what happened, your medical records and any witness testimonies.

Starting your claim early can also take away some of your financial worries. This is because you could be entitled to interim payments while your claim is ongoing. These payments can be extremely helpful for covering immediate expenses like medical treatment and household bills.

I’ve been affected by optician negligence – what should I do?

The most important thing is that you seek medical advice. Your health should be put before anything else, so we would encourage you to speak to your GP about what happened. They will be able to refer you to a specialist so you can get the care you need.

Next, you may want to consider making an optician negligence claim. We offer a free phone consultation, so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch. We’ll speak to you about the circumstances surrounding your case and let you know if we think you have a strong claim.

It will then be up to you to decide if you’d like to be put in touch with one of our experienced solicitors. We’ll never pressure you to go forward, and there is always the option to call us back if you need more time.

To get in touch, just call the number at the top of the screen or request a callback. You can also reach out to us online by filling in our quick and simple claims form.