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Possible Unnecessary Hip Surgeries Performed on Hundreds of Children

Published: 21 May, 2025
Author: Ritika
Read Time: < 1 min

If your child underwent hip surgery between 2021 and 2023 and you’re concerned it may have been unnecessary, our medical negligence team can help you understand your legal options and next steps.

Hundreds of Children May Have Undergone Unnecessary Hip Surgeries in Ireland

A preliminary report has uncovered that between 2021 and 2023, hundreds—potentially thousands—of children may have undergone unnecessary hip surgeries that were not medically necessary.

A recent clinical audit has raised serious concerns regarding the appropriateness of surgical interventions for hip dysplasia in children. The draft findings, which examined 561 paediatric hip procedures, revealed that 79% of surgeries performed at Cappagh Hospital and 60% at Temple Street Hospital did not meet established surgical criteria.

These findings suggest that many children may have experienced unnecessary pain, physical trauma, and emotional distress, along with significant strain on their families. This raises critical questions about informed consent—specifically, what information was provided to families regarding the necessity and risks of the procedures—and about the potential long-term health impacts for affected children.

If your child has undergone hip surgery since 2021 and you have concerns, please reach out to our Medical Negligence Department for guidance.

Concerned About Your Child’s Hip Surgery? Contact Our Medical Negligence Team

Contact [email protected] or fill in the form.

Author

  • Ritika Tiwari is a Digital Marketing Executive based in Dublin with over four years of experience in digital marketing, branding, and social media strategy. She began exploring the marketing industry at the age of 17 and has since developed expertise in content creation, social media campaigns, lead generation, and digital storytelling.

Medical Negligence FAQ's

Is there a time limit before engaging with a solicitor.

Legal proceedings must be commenced within two years of the date of knowledge of the injury, subject to certain exceptions. In a lawsuit, the ‘date of knowledge’ refers to the date on which the plaintiff knew or ought to have known that he or she had suffered an injury.

An important exception is in the case of persons under the age of 18, who are described in law as minors or infants. For minors, the Statute of Limitations ‘clock’ does not begin until a child reaches their eighteenth birthday. For more information see Child Injury Claims.

What will compensation cover?

Compensation for a brain injury claim may cover medical expenses, lost wages, future medical bills, future lost earnings, and will take into account the impact of the injury on the individual’s quality of life. Our brain injury solicitors assess each case thoroughly to determine an outcome that is in your best interests.

How do I access my medical records?

A copy of your medical records can be requested from the hospital, clinic, or medical professional that treated you under the Freedom of Information Act. Alternatively, we can arrange to obtain a copy of your records on your behalf; to do so, you will need to sign an authority form that gives us permission to obtain your records.

What does 'No Win, No Fee' mean?

The concept of “no win, no fee” (also known as “no foal, no fee”) is common practice among solicitors in Ireland. Under this type of agreement, the solicitor will take on your personal injury or any other type of case, and if the case isn’t won, the solicitor won’t charge you a fee. The sole purpose of “no win, no fee” is to give you the legal power to pursue a claim regardless of your financial state or legal experience.

How long will the medical negligence claim take?

As a term used in personal injury litigation, general damages refer to the amount placed on the victim’s pain and suffering, which may include psychological trauma, loss of consortium, etc. In essence, general damages relate to non-monetary losses suffered by the claimant and which are not capable of exact quantification.

The term special damages refers to monetary losses that are quantifiable, such as medical treatment expenses or income loss that has been certified. These are consequential financial losses suffered by you which are directly to the negligent treatment and harm caused.

In other words, these are ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses incurred which might also include the cost of corrective surgery or treatment, medication, rehabilitation costs, travel expenses, and so on.

Got Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have concerns or would like to understand your eligibility,get in touch with our expert team for advice [email protected]

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I am writing this review as an absolute necessity as I cannot let the work done by Gibson and associates to go by without acknowledgement. I would recommend this firm to anybody in need of legal assistance. I want to single out Ms Anna O Donoghue for a special thank you for exceptional knowledge and the professionalism needed for the complexity of these cases that we brought to Gibson and associates, Thank you Anna, we would have been lost without you. Also a massive thank you to our amazing barrister Mr John Kerr BL , unbelievable professionalism honestly and knowledge and a great result for us . Thank you all for the hard work you all did for us Sinead Ivory and the team at Gibson and associates.
Michael Waters

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