Despite cost reforms hitting many parts of the personal injury sector, clinical negligence continues to see steady growth in both market value and case complexity. As other areas contract, many law firms are pivoting toward this specialist field—attracted by higher-value claims, increasing client demand, and a need for expert-led litigation.
A Growing Market Despite Challenges
Recent data from IRN Research forecasts steady growth for clinical negligence work:
- UK market value forecast to rise to £1.15 billion in 2025, up from around £1.1 billion in 2024.
- Represents one of the few personal injury sub-markets with consistent, real-terms growth.
Source: Legal Futures, June 2025
Growth drivers include:
- Greater public awareness of medical errors
- More complex healthcare pathways, increasing liability risk
- NHS Resolution’s ongoing backlog and settlement delays
Changing Case Mix
While volume growth is relatively modest, claim complexity is rising. Firms report:
- More catastrophic injury claims (birth injury, brain damage, paralysis)
- Greater need for multi-disciplinary expert evidence
- Longer timelines to investigate, value, and litigate
This trend makes quality medico-legal evidence even more crucial. Reliable, well-structured expert reports can be the difference between fair settlement and protracted litigation.
Cost Pressures and Reform Debates
Growth doesn’t mean it’s an easy market. Clinical negligence faces ongoing scrutiny:
- NHS Resolution reports over £2.6 billion in annual claim costs.
- Repeated calls for fixed recoverable costs in lower-value claims (previously paused for further review).
Source: NHS Resolution Annual Report 2024–25
While no new cost caps were implemented in the April 2025 reforms, government and NHS leaders continue to explore ways to contain costs—suggesting future reform is likely.
What This Means For Solicitors
Clinical negligence will remain one of the most resilient PI segments—but it’s also demanding:
- High upfront case costs
- Long lead times
- Complex liability and causation analysis
Expert evidence is at the heart of this work. Solicitors need partners who can provide:
- Specialist, credentialed experts
- Clear, court-ready reports
- Robust service levels to meet deadlines
At UKExpertMedical, we have invested for years in our clinical negligence capabilities to support this market shift, and are on hand to assist law firms with the ongoing demand in this area.
