76 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
First Floor, Wessels & Smith Building, 26-28 Heeren Street, Welkom
+27 (0)57 391 9800
20 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
Ground Floor, Law Centre, 4-6 Heeren Street, Welkom+27 (0)57 352 5301
11 years in practice
Welkom, Free State
1st Floor, Wessels & Smith Building, 26 - 28 Heerenstreet, Welkom, 946005739198003 of the 4 firms in our Welkom directory list medical negligence as one of their practice areas (75%). By years in practice, the most experienced are Wessels & Smith Attorneys (76 years), Steyn De Kock Inc (20 years) and Wessels & Smith Inc (11 years). All of them have a full profile on our site, with their people, history and the courts they use. Languages spoken across these firms include Afrikaans and English.
Medical negligence happens when a doctor, nurse or hospital fails to meet the standard of care expected and you are harmed as a result. These claims rely heavily on expert medical opinion, so it helps to work with a lawyer who handles them regularly. Claims against public hospitals require notice to the provincial health department within six months.
Claims of up to R200,000 can go to the district magistrate's court and up to R400,000 to the Regional Court. Larger claims are brought in the High Court. For Welkom that is the Free State Division of the High Court, which sits in Bloemfontein (about 135 km away). The Welkom Magistrate's Court at Cnr Heeren and Buiten Streets, Welkom serves Welkom.
You need to show that the care fell below a reasonable standard and that this caused your harm. A lawyer will usually get your records and an expert opinion before advising you.
Claims generally prescribe after three years from when you knew of the harm and who caused it. For public hospitals, notice must be given within six months.
Ask about the firm's experience with medical claims and how expert costs are handled. Use the list above to compare firms in Welkom.
Larger claims from Welkom go to the Free State Division of the High Court, which sits in Bloemfontein.
