Pressure sores and wound care: when might poor care be negligent?
How risk assessments, repositioning, equipment, wound monitoring and escalation may be reviewed when a pressure sore causes avoidable harm.
Read article →
Hospital & treatment
Anticoagulant Medication Error Claims
Anticoagulants require careful prescribing, administration and monitoring. A claim may require investigation where an avoidable error or failure caused bleeding, clotting, stroke or another injury.
SRA regulated solicitorsConfidential initial enquiryEvidence-led assessment
Quick check
Could this apply to you?
1
Wrong medicine or dose prescribed
2
Anticoagulation omitted or delayed without good reason
3
Monitoring results not obtained or acted on
Last updated 9 October 2026
Understanding the claim
When might a claim be investigated?
A poor outcome alone does not prove negligence. The investigation considers what a reasonably competent healthcare professional should have done and whether any failure made a material difference to the outcome.
Wrong medicine or dose prescribed
This can justify investigation depending on the clinical circumstances, available evidence and harm caused.
Anticoagulation omitted or delayed without good reason
This can justify investigation depending on the clinical circumstances, available evidence and harm caused.
Monitoring results not obtained or acted on
This can justify investigation depending on the clinical circumstances, available evidence and harm caused.
Interactions, kidney function or bleeding risk not considered
This can justify investigation depending on the clinical circumstances, available evidence and harm caused.
Poor management before or after a procedure
This can justify investigation depending on the clinical circumstances, available evidence and harm caused.
Medication changes not communicated during transfer or discharge
This can justify investigation depending on the clinical circumstances, available evidence and harm caused.
Why anticoagulant errors are assessed separately
Anticoagulants are used to reduce harmful clotting, but treatment can also increase bleeding risk. The appropriate medicine, dose and monitoring depend on the indication and the individual patient.
Prescribing, monitoring and communication
An investigation may consider weight, kidney function, other medicines, test results, procedural plans and communication between hospital, primary care, pharmacy and anticoagulation services.
Causation requires specialist evidence
An error alone is not enough. Medical evidence must address whether it probably caused or materially contributed to the bleeding, clotting or other avoidable injury.
Evidence
What evidence may help?
Relevant evidence depends on the circumstances. Common sources include:
01
Prescription and medication administration records
The evidence is considered alongside the chronology and appropriate independent expert opinion.
02
Anticoagulation-clinic and blood-test results
The evidence is considered alongside the chronology and appropriate independent expert opinion.
03
Hospital, GP, pharmacy and discharge records
The evidence is considered alongside the chronology and appropriate independent expert opinion.
04
Independent expert evidence on prescribing, monitoring and causation
The evidence is considered alongside the chronology and appropriate independent expert opinion.
Useful next steps
Guidance related to anticoagulant medication errors
Anticoagulant medication errors
Read about prescribing, monitoring, communication and causation.
General medication error claims
Explore other prescribing, dispensing and administration errors.
Check your circumstances
Begin with a short initial enquiry.
The process
What happens after an initial enquiry
- 01
Initial enquiry
Tell us what happened, when the treatment took place and how you were affected.
- 02
Early assessment
The key facts, limitation position and whether further investigation may be appropriate are considered.
- 03
Records & evidence
Relevant medical records, chronology and evidence of any financial losses may be obtained.
- 04
Expert review
Appropriate independent experts may address breach of duty, causation, condition and prognosis.
- 05
Claim & negotiation
Where the evidence supports a claim, the relevant defendant can be notified and liability or settlement discussed.
- 06
Resolution
The matter may conclude by agreement or, where necessary, through the court process.
Compensation
What can compensation take into account?
There is no reliable generic calculator for medical negligence. Where liability is established, compensation can reflect the individual injury and financial consequences supported by evidence.
- Pain, suffering and loss of amenity
- Past and future loss of earnings
- Care and assistance
- Rehabilitation and treatment
- Equipment, travel or accommodation needs
- Other reasonable losses caused by the injury
Start an enquiry
Tell us what happened.
Questions answered
Anticoagulant Medication Errors FAQs
Does an abnormal anticoagulation result prove negligence?
No. The reason for the result, required response, monitoring arrangements and effect on the patient all need assessment.
Can a missed dose form part of a claim?
Potentially, where the omission fell below a reasonable standard and caused avoidable harm. The clinical reason for treatment and likely effect of the omission matter.
What if several organisations managed the medicine?
Records can be used to reconstruct prescribing, monitoring and communication across the hospital, GP, clinic and pharmacy.
Is this different from a general medication-error claim?
This page focuses on anticoagulants and their particular monitoring and bleeding or clotting risks. Other medicine concerns are covered by our general medication-error guidance.
Related guidance
Useful medical negligence guides
Unsafe hospital discharge: warning signs, evidence and next steps
A practical guide to discharge decisions, pending results, medication, follow-up, safety-netting and avoidable harm after leaving hospital.
Read article →
Vaginal mesh complications and medical negligence claims
What a vaginal mesh claim may examine, including informed consent, surgical care, recognised complications and specialist evidence.
Read article →Related claim types
Use the claim checker if you are unsure where to start.
Free initial enquiry
Talk to us about your concerns.
Tell us what happened and our team can explain the next steps.