Medical Negligence Glossary

For the uninitiated, the legal terminology surrounding medical negligence can be daunting and confusing. Our glossary aims to demystify the key concepts, offering clear explanations and practical examples for each term. Simply click the links on this page to explore the topics that interest you.

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Medical Negligence Glossary header image - surgeons at work in a hospital

A

Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR)
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Anaesthesia Error
Assessment of Damages

B

Breach of Duty
Burden of Proof

C

Case Law
Causation
Comparative Negligence
Continuity of Care

D

Delayed Diagnosis
Diagnostic Test Error
Differential Diagnosis
Duty of Care

E

Error of Judgement
Error Reporting System
Expert Witness

F

Failure to Diagnose
Failure to Monitor
Failure to Refer
Future Care

G

Gross Negligence

H

Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs)

I

Improper Treatment
Informed Consent
Intraoperative Complications

J

Joint Liability

K

L

Litigation
Loss of Chance
Loss of Consortium
Loss of Earnings
Loss of Function

M

Medical Council of Ireland
Medical Damages
Medication Error
Misdiagnosis

N

National Clinical Guidelines
Never Event

O

Open Disclosure
Outpatient Negligence

P

Pain & Suffering
Patient Safety Incident
Precedent
Preventable Adverse Event
Proximate Cause

Q

R

Reckless Disregard
Rehabilitation Costs
Res Ipsa Loquitur

S

Standard of Care
Statute of Limitations

T

Therapeutic Privilege

U

Urgent Care Negligence
Unlicensed Practitioner

V

Vicarious Liability

W

X

X-ray Misdiagnosis

Y

Yield of Diagnostic Tests

Z