We take on GP negligence claims where a missed or delayed referral or diagnosis caused serious or lasting harm. This page explains how those claims are judged, who pays, and where to go if you were unhappy with your GP but not seriously harmed.
A GP negligence claim is a medical negligence claim against a family doctor whose care fell below the standard of a reasonably careful GP and caused serious harm.
The Dunne test compares your GP with other GPs, not with hospital consultants. A GP is not expected to diagnose everything at the first visit, but is expected to recognise warning signs and refer urgently when they appear.
We take on GP claims where the error had serious or lasting results, such as:
GP services are not covered by the State Claims Agency's Clinical Indemnity Scheme, except where a GP provides a service on behalf of a State authority covered by it.
A GP carries their own professional indemnity, so the claim is brought against the GP and defended by their indemnifier. That indemnity is what pays any settlement or award.
Causation is often the harder part. The claim depends on showing that the delay itself, not the illness, caused serious harm.
The claim covers what the delay added, so the independent medical evidence has to separate it from what the illness would have done anyway.
Contact us through our enquiry form, phone, or email. We’ll review your situation, answer your questions, and explain what to expect next. There’s no upfront fee to begin your claim.
Your case will be carefully reviewed by our legal team.
We assess the strength of your claim, advise on the documentation needed, and guide you through key steps such as attending an independent medical examination and preparing the information required for the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB).
Once you decide to move forward, we take care of everything. This includes gathering evidence, contacting the other party or their insurer, submitting your claim to the IRB, managing settlement discussions, and handling any court proceedings if needed.
Paul Kearney founded the practice and leads its medical negligence work in Ireland. He is regulated by the Law Society of Ireland. Read Paul's profile.
Every medical negligence claim needs independent expert evidence. We instruct independent medical experts in the relevant field to report on the care you received and on what difference it made.
We get your medical records and go through them with you, so that you know where you stand before any claim is started.
There are no upfront fees. Before you go ahead, we set out in writing how legal costs work, as section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 requires. No Win No Fee explained.
A legal claim is only worthwhile where a serious error caused serious or lasting harm. For poor communication, rudeness or a minor mistake, raise it with the practice first.
That is usually the quickest way to get an explanation. Serious concerns about a doctor's conduct can go to the Medical Council.
No. The Medical Council deals with complaints about a doctor's conduct and fitness to practise, and can advise, admonish, censure or restrict a doctor's registration. It cannot pay compensation or help you claim it. Compensation needs a separate legal claim.
No. Many serious conditions start with symptoms that are common and usually harmless. The question is whether there were warning signs, or a pattern over several visits, that a reasonably careful GP would have acted on.
It can be. If your symptoms called for an urgent referral and the routine one meant a long wait, an independent GP expert can say whether a reasonably careful GP would have marked it urgent, and a consultant can say what the wait cost you.
The GP's own professional indemnity. GP services are outside the State Claims Agency's Clinical Indemnity Scheme unless the GP was acting on behalf of a State authority covered by it.
No. Under Part 4 of the Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 2017, an apology given in open disclosure is not an admission of liability. The claim is proved from the records and independent medical evidence.
Two years from your date of knowledge, under the Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 1991. This is often when a hospital diagnosis made you aware that the delay may have harmed you, which can be long after the GP visits.
Yes. You can move to another practice at any time, and the claim does not depend on staying with the same GP. Tell us if you move, so we request records from both practices.
No. There are no upfront fees. Before you go ahead, we give you clear written terms explaining how legal costs work, as section 150 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 requires. Read No Win No Fee explained.
Regulated by the Law Society of Ireland
Kearney Law handles only personal injury and clinical negligence claims.
We act for clients across Ireland, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Letterkenny. See all the areas we cover.
Contact us to talk to a solicitor about your claim, or request a case review.
Email: [email protected]
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday 8am – 8pm
Friday 9am – 5pm
