Diabetes claims for compensation can be made if there has been delayed diagnosis or where diabetes treatment has fallen below a reasonable standard. If care falls below a reasonable standard, then that it is considered to amount to Medical Negligence.

When can diabetes claims be made?

A diabetes compensation claim can be made when a patient suffers an injury, or a worsening of their condition, because of negligent failures. This can be failing to manage diabetes reasonably, or the failure to diagnose diabetes promptly.

Failures in management of diabetes can be as follows:

Failures by a GP in misdiagnosis or to failure to pay attention to worsening symptoms. Doctors can also overlook necessary tests, or fail to refer a patient to a specialist in diabetes (a physician).

Sometimes, care under a physician is poor. We have also handled cases where there was poor communication between a GP practice and a hospital physician, leading to patients being neglected.

Failure to reach a diagnosis of diabetes over several years which can lead to multiple issues such as:

  • Sight loss
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Neuropathy (develops in about 30 percent of patients)
  • Charcot Foot
  • Amputation

A not uncommon scenario is the mismanagement of toe ulcers. For example, if a GP prescribed antibiotics for a toe ulcer and only referred a few weeks later this can lead to amputation. Ulcers won’t heal if a vascular supply is not good. It is a breach of duty in accordance with national guidelines if patients aren’t referred within 24 hours but there is no causation in all likelihood, in the presence of severe vascular disease.

NICE foot guidelines 2004 (updated 2015) state that patients should be referred within 24 hours referral in relation to new ulceration, swelling, discolouration. Failure to monitor in hospital resulting in brain injury.

Tragically, a teenage girl lost her life to diabetes when, instead of receiving a timely diagnosis, she was given sleeping tablets by her GP. This heartbreaking case sheds light on the critical importance of prompt and accurate medical care, especially in cases of diabetes.

Why Choose Us?

We’ve handled many different types of medical negligence cases and provided expert advice for over 30 years.

  • We offer FREE, no obligation legal advice all throughout
  • Our processes are hassle free & we handle all the paperwork
  • We won't charge you a penny until your case has been settled

Our diabetes claims expert:

Sonia Parkes

Senior Litigator

We can also help with claims for Charcot Foot deformity as a result of diabetes mismanagement

Why are diabetes negligence claims common in the UK?

Dibetes figures provided by the NHS state there are 3.9 million people living with diabetes in the UK. That’s more than one in 16 people in the UK who has diabetes (diagnosed or undiagnosed). This figure has more than doubled since 1996 when there were 1.4 million. By 2025, it is estimated that five million people will have diabetes in the UK.

Clearly, the fact that people are living longer has contributed, and the rising population number. However, poor lifestyle choices - being sedentary and consuming processed sugar etc - are major contributing factors.

The sheer volume of diabetes patients in the UK means that inevitably there are diabetes claims as a result of poor care.

In the most severe cases, a patient can lose their eyesight, or a kidney, or a limb (through having to have an amputation). Clearly, such severe injuries have permanent life-changing consequences. Victims of this type of medical negligence for failure to manage diabetes will need compensation to help them to cope for the rest of their lives.

Is diabetes curable?

Unfortunately, once a person has developed diabetes, it is generally not a curable condition. Some patients may find it goes into remission if they start to look after themselves properly by exercising, eating healthily, and managing their weight. Some patients can see their Type 2 diabetes improve after bariatric surgery. However, for others, management has to be by either taking medication every day in tablet form, or by way of insulin injections.

It is extremely important that health care providers properly monitor patients who are clearly at risk of developing diabetes, and those who have already been diagnosed. This is because the condition of diabetes can worsen, leading to more aggressive treatment being required (such as moving from diet control to diet control and tablets or moving from tablets to injections) and failure to pick up on this can have the most serious consequences, even sudden death.

This is not scare-mongering. A high blood sugar level is actually poisonous to the human body. This can be particularly damaging to small blood vessels, for example, supplying eye-sight. Badly controlled diabetes can also lead to problems in the outer parts of a person’s limbs, which is why diabetic patients are at higher risk of amputation than the ordinary population. This can start with a simple case of a cut, or blister that refuses to heal. This is because there is no longer a good blood supply to the outer extremities.

Elderly patients are particularly vulnerable

We have acted in various cases where elderly patients have been neglected, leading to cuts, or blisters on their toes. These eventually turned into gangrenous wounds. The patients end up being rushed to a hospital. By this stage, it is usually too late to save them from having to undergo an amputation. This may be of a toe or even all of the toes and part of their foot. For patients suffering serious injuries, clearly it is important they have access to justice. They should bring a diabetes negligence claim.

Doctors are under a reasonable duty of care to pay proper attention to injuries suffered by diabetic patients and to take into account their risk of poor healing, to avoid further complications occurring.

Practical advice to avoid diabetes claims

Of course, patients should also be educated by their doctor in how to monitor their own blood glucose levels. They should also be educated about the importance of monitoring their own blood glucose levels every day.

If you, or a loved one, is diabetic, don’t allow yourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security just because all seems to be well and then stop seeing to the daily monitoring. You will just never know when things may change, and by then it may be too late to avoid an irreversible injury. Such injuries can lead to an inability to drive, work, or even to look after yourself on a daily basis without care from someone else. No one wants to end up in that position!

Please don’t miss your regular GP check-ups and blood tests and please don’t forget your annual visit to the opticians. Your optician should be advised about your diagnosis of diabetes and should monitor the tiny vessels in your eyes for any early signs of change that need to be acted upon to ensure your eyesight is preserved.

Support for Diabetes

In addition to compensation, you may require various forms of support for your diabetes, such as emotional, practical, or even financial assistance. If that's the case, our web page provides crucial information on where to find the support you need.

Choosing a solicitor to make a claim for diabetes mismanagement

Do contact our friendly team of specialist lawyers at Medical Solicitors. We conduct most of our Clinical and Medical Negligence claims under ‘No Win, No Fee’ agreements, also known as Conditional Fee Agreements. Our clients do not have to worry about the cost of diabetes compensation claims. You have nothing to lose in speaking to us.

How Medical Solicitors Can Help You

We have been supporting and winning compensation for our clients for over two decades. Operating throughout the UK, we have a team of 15 friendly staff, made up of qualified solicitors, legal executives, legal assistants and administrative staff who are here to listen and guide you through your clinical and medical negligence claim.
  • We offer FREE, no obligation advice

  • We can help determine if you have a claim

  • We help you get your claim started and guide you throughout

  • We offer help, advise, get answers and secure justice for our clients

  • We offer No Win, No Fee agreements

Want to learn more about how we can help you? Get in touch

What’s Our Process

Medical Solicitors operates very differently from most other law firms. We won’t ask you to sign a contract straight away. First, we will take the time to understand your case, gather information, advise on the way forward, and if we believe you have a claim, offer a No Win, No Fee agreement.
  • Talk to us

    A claim starts with a no-obligation chat. We want to understand your case and if we can help. This can be done by email or telephone whichever you prefer.
  • We Advise

    We will advise you on the way forward. Whether that is raising a complaint with the health provider initially, or proceeding straight to obtaining medical records.
  • We Investigate

    A senior member of our team will review your case and decide if we can further investigate your claim for you.
  • We Take Action

    If we believe there is a case to investigate. We will offer you a NO Win, No Fee agreement.
  • We Keep you Informed

    As we progress your claim, we will keep you informed every step of the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are our most frequently asked questions about diabetes claims claims: