Healthcare Law
Hayes solicitors has Ireland’s largest legal team dedicated solely to medical and dental defence litigation. We understand the medico-legal landscape and the complex challenges facing today’s medical indemnifiers and the medical and dental practitioners and other healthcare professionals they serve.
Our team offers specific and unique skills in dealing with medical/dental negligence claims and is also highly experienced in handling inquests, Medical and Dental Council complaints, Tribunal hearings, and in advising medical personnel on medico-legal and ethical issues and contractual/employment matters.
We have been involved in many landmark cases and have lectured extensively on key aspects of medical law.
We are sensitive to the stress that a claim of negligence or complaint to a regulatory body can place on medical practitioners and staff. We provide a hands-on, fast and efficient service to those involved.
In recent years Hayes has taken a leading role in advocating reform to Ireland’s system for clinical negligence litigation with the goal of producing a fairer and more efficient process for all concerned – plaintiffs and defendants.
Services
Our services cover:
- Medical negligence claims
- Catastrophic injury claims
- Medical Council matters
- Dental Council matters
- Alternative dispute resolution, including mediation
- Disciplinary hearings
- Inquests
- Statutory inquiries
- Ethical issues
- Clinical trials
- Consent and confidentiality
- Professional indemnity
- Health and safety issues
- Risk management issues
- Data Protection and Freedom of Information advices.
Experience
Hayes has Ireland’s largest dedicated healthcare team and has been at the forefront of healthcare legal issues for more than 60 years. Our credentials include:
- Solicitors to the Clinical Indemnity Scheme since its inception, defending high value and complex claims taken by patients against a variety of hospitals as well as looking after the interests of clinicians, nurses and hospitals at coroners' inquests
- More than 60 years’ experience of acting for and advising the Medical Protection Society, a key indemnifier of doctors in Ireland. We defend clinical negligence claims in the Circuit Court, High Court and Supreme Court acting on behalf of consultants and general practitioners. We also look after the interests of doctors at coroners' inquests and at fitness to practise inquiries before the Medical Council
- We act for Dental Protection, a key indemnifier of dentists in Ireland, defending clinical negligence claims. We also look after dentists during fitness to practise inquiries by the Dental Council
- Hayes has been involved in the vast majority of the benchmark legal cases and challenges in healthcare in Ireland, particularly in major cases on consent and complex high value cerebral palsy/catastrophic injury claims
- We are leading the way in developing pre-action protocols and developing innovative ideas geared towards early stage and cost-effective resolution. Hayes hosted a major conference on these issues in May 2014 in Dublin. Read more.
- We regularly advise on issues related to consent, record keeping, confidentiality, end-of-life issues, communication and open disclosure
- For the Veterinary Defence Society, an indemnity provider, we deal with clinical negligence claims in the Circuit Court, High Court and Supreme Court acting on behalf of veterinarians, as well as looking after their fitness to practise inquiries before the Veterinary Council
- We act for the Medical Bureau of Road Safety in relation to Freedom of Information requests it receives up to and including submissions to the Information Commissioner.
What clients say: Healthcare Law
"The team provide expert advice in a manner that clinicians understand. They are approachable, non-judgmental and provide clear direction. The service experienced to date has been excellent. It is an excellent firm to work with and I feel we are in good, safe hands."
‘They have a systematic and disciplined approach to case management" and are recommended for their "Organisation and attention to detail, commitment and professionalism."
"A leading medical malpractice firm."
Hayes Solicitors has ‘one of the best healthcare practices in the country’, with the team able to ‘manage complex litigation in a systematic and methodical way’.
Hayes Solicitors has 'particular expertise in the defence of pharmaceutical and/or product liability claims'.
Caroline Crowley focuses on professional negligence in the medical, dental and veterinary sciences. Clients say: "She is very practical, can see the bigger picture and gives great advice and guidance."
"Leading healthcare expert Ciaran O'Rorke is an 'empathetic' lawyer with 'great appreciation for how difficult disputes are for hospitals. He is extremely understanding and supportive of the strains in very traumatic cases and has a great breadth of knowledge.'"
"This firm's performance has been first-class - the strength in depth of the lawyers who do our work and their skill and attention to detail, makes them the best amongst our panel of solicitors."
Hayes solicitors is top ranked in Dispute Resolution for healthcare litigation and professional discipline work.
"Approachable, thorough and quick to respond. This team really stands out in terms of approach and quality of advice - it's a very personal kind of service."
"The lawyers have a very good handle on healthcare issues, and are extremely empathetic towards their clients."
"The team at Hayes solicitors is known for its expertise in clinical negligence defence."
"Always steady, even in the heat of trial, has huge attention to detail and goes the extra mile in terms of the exactness of her approach."