Unhappy patients are turning to the courts in increasing numbers after suffering alleged medical negligence.

Brighton-based solicitors Wynne Baxter has produced a web site to explain the legal possibilities available to anyone who has had a medical accident at the doctors or in hospital.

Melanie Minter, associate solicitor in the clinical negligence department, said: "We deal with all sorts of cases, from faulty breast implants to children who were brain-damaged at birth.

"Anyone living with these kinds of problems is already very upset and often needs space to decide what to do about the cause.

"People think, quite wrongly in most instances, that as soon as they walk into a solicitors' office they will get dragged into a lengthy legal process when all they want to do is know their options.

"Our web service gives people the chance to think about whether they might have a case before having to speak with a solicitor about their personal circumstances."

The site covers what types of medical accident constitutes negligence.

Often there are reasons why an institution is not liable.

For example, if the problem occurred due to faulty equipment there might be a case against the manufacturer but proving the user was negligent could be difficult.

The site looks at costs and time-scales to give people a better understanding of the long-term impact of beginning litigation.

Mrs Minter said: "We know from experience how complicated it is to establish medical negligence in a court of law and the subject can be bewildering for the public.

"People may not take any action simply because they do not understand their rights.

We designed the site around the questions we are asked at the first stages of a claim."

www.medical-accident.com