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Speak to a solicitor ↗Some medical mistakes go beyond human error. They are so serious and preventable that they should not occur in any healthcare setting. Known as never events, these incidents often involve the wrong procedure, the wrong site, or a complete breakdown in basic safety. For those affected, the outcome can be life-altering.
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At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we work with individuals and families across Clare and the wider region who have experienced harm in situations that should have been avoided entirely. These are not routine claims. They often involve a deep breach of trust and raise serious questions about hospital standards, oversight, and patient safety.
We know how difficult it can be to revisit what happened. You may not be looking for a fight. You may simply want honesty, accountability, or reassurance that it will not happen to someone else. That’s where we come in. We’ll give you the space to talk it through, help you understand your options, and act only when you feel ready.
If you believe you were harmed by a never event in a public or private healthcare setting, contact Crimmins Howard Solicitors for clear, straightforward advice. We’re here to help you move forward, not backwards.
“Never events” are serious medical mistakes that should never happen under any circumstances if proper safety protocols are followed. These are not just rare incidents but clear indicators of systemic failure in healthcare delivery. In Ireland, they typically refer to avoidable events such as wrong-site surgery, retained surgical instruments, or administering the wrong type of medication or blood product.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) maintains a formal list of never events to ensure that hospitals and clinics have clear guidance on what is wholly preventable with established safeguards. When one of these events occurs, it often results in severe injury, long-term harm or, in the most tragic cases, death.
What makes never events particularly alarming is that they are almost always linked to breakdowns in communication, inadequate adherence to protocol or human error during routine procedures. Patients and families expect that the basics of safe treatment, checking identity, confirming surgical sites, tracking equipment, are followed without exception. A never event represents a serious breach of that trust.
In the Irish context, the consequences of never events go beyond physical injury. Families are left with unanswered questions, emotional trauma and the stress of trying to find accountability in an often complex system. It is in these moments that legal support becomes essential.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a never event, you’re entitled to seek answers and justice. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we are here to help you do just that.
Never events occur in real Irish hospitals and clinics, often with devastating consequences. Each event listed below reflects a failure in routine safety procedures that should be second nature in any healthcare setting. Understanding the types of incidents that qualify as never events can help individuals recognise when legal redress may be appropriate.
Each of these examples represents more than just an error. They involve the complete breakdown of core healthcare standards. These incidents are supposed to be ‘never events’ precisely because they are entirely preventable with basic safeguards and attention.
If any of these examples sound familiar to you or someone close to you, legal advice may help clarify your next steps.
When a never event occurs, the consequences often extend far beyond the physical injury. Patients and their families are left grappling with confusion, distress, and a deep sense of betrayal. These incidents shake a person’s trust in the healthcare system and can permanently affect their confidence in medical professionals.
Many never events result in immediate and irreversible harm. The physical effects might include:
In the most serious cases, never events can lead to death, leaving families to mourn a loved one lost to an avoidable medical mistake.
The emotional impact can be just as serious:
Many clients tell us they no longer feel safe receiving medical care at all, even for unrelated issues. That level of lasting harm is not easily undone.
In some cases, a family may need to take on full-time caring responsibilities, permanently altering their way of life.
Serious medical harm can lead to stress in marriages, difficulties in parenting, and breakdowns in family life. Where fertility is affected, couples may face long-term grief and difficult decisions about their future.
Never events are not minor slip-ups. They are catastrophic errors that rewrite the course of a person’s life. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we are acutely aware of the ripple effect these events cause within families and communities. That’s why we approach every case with empathy, clarity and the commitment to seek accountability.
In Ireland, not every poor medical outcome gives rise to a legal claim. However, never events fall into a specific category. By definition, they are serious medical errors that should never occur when proper procedures are followed. That means if a never event happens, it typically indicates a clear breach of duty of care.
For a never event to give rise to a valid medical negligence claim, three key elements must be established:
While most never events involve a preventable lapse, legal cases still require proper evidence. There may be rare cases where an unexpected complication mimics a never event but arose despite correct procedures being followed. That’s why medical reports, expert reviews, and full factual timelines are crucial in substantiating a claim.
In these situations, the core question is whether the harm would have occurred but for the error. If the answer is no, then a claim is likely to succeed.
At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we ensure that each potential case is carefully assessed with the help of independent medical experts. We understand that behind every file is a person or family seeking answers. Our role is to provide calm, practical advice while protecting your rights.
A successful claim for a never event begins with a thorough, methodical investigation. Because these errors are considered preventable, the focus lies in establishing exactly what went wrong, who was responsible, and how the harm could have been avoided. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we approach every never event case with careful precision and deep respect for the individuals affected.
Unlike other medical negligence cases that may hinge on subtle diagnostic issues or clinical judgement, never events tend to involve black-and-white procedural failings. The strength of the case often rests on demonstrating that standard safety protocols were ignored or not implemented. Our team ensures no detail is overlooked and that every question is answered before proceeding.
When patients come to us after a never event, they’re often seeking more than compensation. They want truth, transparency, and the assurance that the same thing won’t happen to someone else. That begins with a meticulous and honest investigation.
The consequences of a never event are rarely limited to the initial error. Patients often face a cascade of physical, emotional, and psychological effects that continue long after the hospital stay ends. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we understand that the true cost of medical negligence lies in its lasting disruption to a person’s health, dignity, and everyday life.
Each of these consequences is a valid part of a medical negligence claim. We take the time to understand the full impact on your life, not just what’s written in the hospital report. The harm caused by a never event can be profound, but with the right legal support, it can be acknowledged, addressed, and compensated appropriately.
In Ireland, the law gives you a specific window of time in which to bring a medical negligence claim. For never event medical errors, the standard time limit is two years less one day from the date the injury occurred or from the date you first became aware that the harm was caused by substandard care.
This date of knowledge rule can be especially important in never event cases. A surgical instrument left behind, for example, might only be discovered during follow-up care months after the operation. In other cases, like a medication mix-up or wrong-site surgery, the injury may be immediately obvious. Once a person knows, or ought reasonably to have known, that their injury was caused by medical error, the clock starts running.
If the person affected is under the age of 18, the time limit does not begin until their 18th birthday. A parent or guardian can bring a claim on their behalf before that point, but if they do not, the injured person has two years from when they turn 18 to act.
While the time limit might seem generous, it is important to act quickly. Medical negligence cases require detailed evidence and expert input, which take time to gather. The longer you wait, the harder it may become to access records, find witnesses, or trace the decision-making chain behind the incident. Early legal advice helps protect your position and ensures the strongest case can be made.
The purpose of compensation is to help restore a person as closely as possible to the position they would have been in had the never event not occurred. While no amount of money can undo the damage, it can provide financial relief and recognition of what was lost.
Compensation may include:
Every case is assessed individually, based on expert medical opinions, long-term prognosis, and the consequences of the error. At Crimmins Howard Solicitors, we work with medical consultants and forensic accountants to ensure all relevant aspects are fully valued. If liability is accepted early, we may also seek interim payments to cover urgent expenses while the full claim is progressing.
A well-prepared claim gives you a voice in holding healthcare providers accountable, while securing practical support for your recovery and future.
Yes. An apology does not prevent you from pursuing a claim. In fact, many hospitals issue apologies as part of internal investigations. If harm was caused by negligence, you’re still entitled to seek compensation.
No. Claims can be brought against both public and private healthcare providers. What matters is whether the provider owed you a duty of care and failed to meet the required standard.
Yes. An independent medical expert will usually be needed to review what happened, explain whether the care fell below standard, and confirm whether the injury could have been avoided. This is a crucial step in supporting your case.
No. Consent does not cover negligent treatment or errors that should never occur. A signed form does not excuse a retained surgical item or a procedure on the wrong limb, for instance.
Yes. In cases where a family member has passed away due to a never event, a dependent or next of kin may bring a claim on their behalf. These cases are sensitive and legally complex, but we will guide you through every step with care.
It depends on how contested the case is and whether liability is admitted. Some claims resolve in under a year, while others, especially involving serious injury or death, may take longer. We aim to move every case forward without delay.
If you or someone close to you has suffered because of a never event, it’s important to know your rights. Crimmins Howard Solicitors offers clear guidance, local insight, and committed legal support. Reach out today for a confidential consultation. We’ll listen, advise, and help you take the next step towards justice and recovery.
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