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A mental health injury is more than just a clinical diagnosis – it is a profound disruption of a person’s life, safety, and stability. If you or a loved one suffered due to substandard mental health care, you aren’t just looking for a lawyer.
You are looking for a path to secure the long-term treatment, specialized therapy, and financial support needed to rebuild a life after a preventable tragedy.
Common Mental Health Negligence Claims If you or a family member has experienced any of the following, and you suspect a breach in the duty of care, you may have a claim:
Our 3-stage process is designed to help you learn if you have a good case, put you in touch with a specialist attorney firm, and assess your options.
Our team completes a high level review of the merits and potential of your claim
A specialist legal firm will contact you to discuss in more detail, answer any questions, and outline your options
Most law firms handle “personal injury,” but very few have the specialised knowledge or the financial capital required to successfully litigate a psychiatric negligence claim in South Africa.
These cases are exceptionally complex because:
The Burden of Proof: You must prove that a clinician’s failure to assess risk or a deviation from standard psychiatric protocols directly caused the patient’s injury or death.
The Cost of Evidence: Proving a case requires a “team of experts” – psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, neurologists, and pharmacology experts. These specialist reports can cost hundreds of thousands of Rands.
The Scale of the Claim: A successful claim must often cover lifelong psychiatric support, intensive rehabilitation, loss of employment, and potentially 24-hour supervised care.
We bridge the gap. We connect families with the few elite South African law firms that specialise exclusively in high-value medical negligence on a “No-Win, No-Fee” basis.
A psychiatric negligence claim is calculated to cover the patient’s recovery and support for the rest of their life. In South Africa, these claims are divided into specific categories:
– Lifelong Specialist Support: Covers ongoing psychiatric consultations, private nursing, or placement in assisted living facilities where necessary.
– Medical & Therapy Costs: Future costs for intensive psychotherapy, occupational therapy, trauma counseling, and long-term medication management.
– Loss of Earning Capacity: Compensation for the income the individual has lost or will lose due to their inability to return to work or maintain a career.
– General Damages: Financial compensation for the significant emotional distress, pain, suffering, and the loss of the amenities of life.
In South Africa, psychiatric negligence claims can range from R2 million to over R15 million. These values cover specialized mental health care, intensive rehabilitation, and lifelong support.
Each settlement ensures the patient receives the dignity, clinical oversight, and financial security required to manage their recovery and well-being for the rest of their lives.
☝ Indicative values only. Actual claim amounts will depend on the nature and circumstances of each specific claim.
It’s tempting to choose the lawyer closest to home, the one your neighbor recommends, or the firm with the flashiest office. While these feel reassuring, they are rarely the right choice for a medical negligence claim.
It is nearly impossible to judge an attorney’s technical ability from a quick meeting. Medical negligence is an elite specialty. A firm that excels in general litigation or even surgical errors may lack the deep expertise and massive financial capital required to litigate a complex psychiatric case.
To secure your future, you don’t need the most convenient lawyer — you need the right specialist.
Connect with an elite medical negligence specialist now.
Following a medical negligence incident, one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is which attorney (lawyer) to appoint to represent your case.
The attorney and law firm are the team that will take your claim from beginning through to cash in the bank.
>>> An expert lawyer will fight for you and your family to get the biggest possible payout in the shortest period of time
Winning requires elite specialists with High Court experience and medical expert panels. The best lawyers provide a legal path to secure your lifetime care fund.
We connect you with ethical, insured specialists. Experience transparent communication and no-win-no-fee representation from trusted experts dedicated to your family’s dignity and justice.
We believe that justice should not be reserved for the wealthy. Through our partner firms, you will be able to access high-court litigation on a deferred or contingency basis.
The law firm pays for all medical experts and court fees.
If the case is not successful, you owe the firm nothing.
Our partners are vetted for their track record in the High Court of South Africa.
*Disclaimer: To respect the privacy and confidentiality of the individuals involved, names and certain identifying details in these testimonials have been changed. These accounts were developed in consultation with the claimants and represent their authentic experiences, however, they were prepared with the professional assistance of a scribe and editor to ensure clarity and readability.
There is one decision you need to make regarding your Medical Malpractice claim that will make the biggest difference to your family’s pocket and the financial outcome of your claim.
👉 Which attorney firm to appoint to run your claim
Did you know that there are thousands of attorneys (lawyers) in South Africa, and picking the wrong one could cost you millions of Rands and delay your claim by months or even years?!? We can help you find the needle in a haystack and pick the right attorney for you and your family.
👉 No Win, No Fee
In South Africa, psychiatric negligence payouts vary based on the severity of the injury, often ranging from R2 million to R15 million+. These amounts are calculated based on the cost of lifelong therapy, medication, and the significant loss of future earning potential.
Mental health institutions often claim that events like patient self-harm or sudden relapse were unavoidable. Our partner firms work with independent psychiatrists and safety experts to audit clinical records, proving where protocols were ignored or risk assessments were neglected.
Yes. Generally, you have three years from the date the negligence occurred (or when you became aware of it) to file a claim. However, if the claim is against a Public Mental Health Facility, a formal legal notice must often be sent within 6 months of the incident. Do not delay!
medneg.co.za is an educational and referral platform. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. We connect potential claimants with qualified legal practitioners in accordance with South African law.
