# VDS Veterinary Defence Society, Vets negligence Insurers ???



## treacle86 (23 April 2009)

Has anyone had any kind of positive outcome via VDS ??? 
Success stories ???? and any not so successful stories too ???

Thanks Guys xxx


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## dressagecrazy (23 April 2009)

Short answer is No, in fact in there last letter to me despite saying they had collected all evidence they still where very in-acurate in what actually happend &amp; the state of the animal due to Vet Negligence. 
I can't relay the case in question as it's still in progress, it's also not a horse but a dog, the whole thing has been really traumatic &amp; the VDS havent helped as they are defence for the Vets.


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## Mrs_Wishkabibble (23 April 2009)

I have!
I had a horse 5 stage vetted and passed. Horse turned out to be a mild shiverer. 
My vet was very apologetic that he missed it (in his defence it was a mild case.)
The VDS had to get involved obviously and they sent an independent vet to come and examine the horse and he then confirmed the diagnosis.
I found them extremely professional.
I got the full amount back from my vet that I paid for the horse.


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## VRIN (23 April 2009)

Well I had a similar situation .. shiverer +passed 5 stage vetting!!

I found the whole thing a nightmare -glad you had a better time.

Eventually they did pay out the whole amount... they are not the nicest organisation to deal with..


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## treacle86 (23 April 2009)

mrs_wishkabibble   wow !!!!! U actually won and the vds sent independent vet out ??!!!
Thats great , thats what they are meant to do , but in this case , they would never even think of doing that , although that is what they should have done !!! 

Im pleased you have a happy ending for your story . 

xx


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## treacle86 (23 April 2009)

what kind of time scale did everyone have to wait before any success???
x


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## star (23 April 2009)

the VDS are our lawyers - they are there to defend us and sort things out if we make a mistake - NB - big difference between a mistake and negligence.  Everyone makes mistakes at some point, even vets.  Unfortunately someone is normally on the other end of that mistake and that's when the VDS can get involved.

I have been on both sides of the coin.  I had a 5stage vetting on my horse last year, passed with flying colours, 5days later i noticed a sarcoid. yes, i am a vet and perhaps i should have noticed it but i didn't actually do a full exam on him myself, and relied on the vetting to do this for me.  I most likely wouldn't have bought him if I'd known about it as he's a totalyl green youngster and could well grow more.  I made the vets aware, they referred it to the VDS who asked me for an expert opinion that it was a sarcoid - I provided them with an e-mail from Derek Knottenbelt who I'd e-mailed a pic to.  They offered me £500 compensation, I told them that was a joke, they offered me £1500 and I accepted.  It was all done in a matter of weeks.  Not sure if it helped that I am a vet, or not?


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## cariad (24 April 2009)

I am a specialist medical negligence lawyer and have been so for nearly 20 years. In that time, there have been great changes in the way human medical negligence cases have been dealt with;  there is greater expertise on both sides, a greater willingness to accept that sometimes things do go wrong and  a more hands on approach to compensation. I fully accept that that if there is a sensible argument for the defence, then that should be put foward and the doctor/vet defended to the hilt if that is the case. The comment that there is a big difference between mistake and negligence is correct. We do not pursue claims where there has been a genuine and reasonably held but wrong clinical diagnosis; we do pursue claims where diagnosis and treatment has been such that no reasonable practitioner would have followed that course of action.   I do equine law as well in case you're wondering.

However, I do believe- and this is a personal opinion - that veterinary negligence has a way to go to catch up with the way human medical negligence claims are dealt with, hence the perceived hostility from the VDU. They do their best for their members, which is their job, but sometimes their resistance is unfounded and they would do better to just give in and pay up. It is no fun for either side to be involved in litigation. I think there is much to be said for communication and mediation in these disputes and particularly at an early stage before both sides get too entrenched and dig their heels in and any sort of compromise becomes impossible. I am not saying that vets or doctors should just roll over and pay out at the first sign of a possibly spurious complaint; that would be entirely wrong, but I do think there is room for improvement in the way veterinary negligence claims are dealt with at the moment. But as I say, that is just my experience and any VDU representatives here are welcome to put their point of view.


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## wishfulthinking (24 April 2009)

If someone wished to seek an investigation into a vetting, for example, how would they go about it? Contact the vet first expressing their concern I guess? Also is there a fixed statute of limitations on cases such as this?


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## treacle86 (24 April 2009)

Lots of different stories, Im hoping that my friend can get this sorted with Vet or VDS as It has dragged on for her for soo long now . 

xx


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## treacle86 (24 April 2009)

The VDS had said they would have an independent vet examine horse , then this never happened and after months of being asked to follow through on their stated intention, they then changed their mind and said provide evidence from another vet , but another wont go against vds and thenthe comprehensive reports they did receive from a couple of top vets and then VDS turned round and said they wouldnt be counting them as the exam reports were after the fact of the original vetting !!! obviously , but then still wouldnt get their independent vet to see horse !! and they just get kept writing mis mash letters to my friend saying they wouldnt be corresponding any further blah blah. 

xx


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