If you, or a member of your family, have suffered as a result of surgical, medical or dental treatment, firstly, you will probably try to seek an explanation for what has happened. In some cases there is a reasonable explanation as to why things seem to have "gone wrong" and this involves no blame on anyone.

There are some cases where you will remain dissatisfied and unconvinced or sometimes no explanation has been given at all.

It may be that you are seeking an explanation; it may be an apology; or, the consequences in terms of serious harm to your health may be so great that you require financial compensation for future support.

Charles Lucas & Marshall have been practising as solicitors for over 100 years. For more than 10 years, the firm has been helping victims of medical accidents to come to terms with what has happened to them and, where appropriate, pursuing compensation cases for them.

There are specialist, dedicated lawyers in the firm who will deal with your concerns in a sensitive, understanding and professional manner.

We receive referrals from AVMA (Action for Victims of Medical Accidents,) the Community Health Councils, Citizens' Advice Bureaux and other non-specialist solicitors.

We have lawyers with memberships of the AVMA Solicitors' Referral Panel and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

We can also call upon specialist medical advice to assist in responding to your concerns.

Sometimes our task will be to obtain your medical notes and provide you with an independent explanation of your treatment; sometimes we may recommend that you should commence a complaint through the statutory complaints procedures; in some cases, compensation claims are necessary and merited.

In order to help you reach the right decision as to how to go forward, we will meet with you to discuss your concerns. This may be at one of our offices or at your home, wherever is most convenient for you. We will appraise your situation and give you initial advice. We undertake to do this free of charge.

If legal action is the best way of responding to your situation, we will work with you through the legal process and obtain the services of other specialist professionals and medical experts to present your case in the best possible way which is likely of success. At all stages we will ensure that you understand the process so that you can make properly considered and informed decisions about how to proceed, with our help.

We can advise on the availability of rehabilitation and put you in touch with victim support organisations; we work with the CHSs in assisting you through the complaints procedures; we can help you find out what State Benefits might be available; we can access other legal services within our firm to help you.

For work involved beyond our initial interview, we can act for you under the Legal Aid Scheme. We hold a quality accreditation Legal Aid Franchise as specialist clinical negligence solicitors. We can advise you whether you are eligible for legal aid.

We can also discuss with you other means of funding, such as Conditional Fee Agreements (no win - no fee) and acting under any existing legal expense insurance policy you may have. We can agree with you terms for "pay as you go" arrangements.