October 14th, 2009
An NHS trust has been ordered to pay out £7.1 million in compensation to a boy who was left brain damaged due to errors surrounding his birth.
Harry Snowdon, now ten, was starved of oxygen after his delivery was delayed for four hours at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital in 1999.
His mother Debra had been given too much of a drug that causes labour and the baby was in distress in the birth canal, but a lack of monitoring led to the devastating errors and Harry was born with brain damage.
He now has no sense of danger and has violent mood swings, meaning that he will never be able to live independently.
This week, Mr Justice Holroyde ruled that the "negligence of the defendants’ medical and nursing staff in the management of his birth" led to his disabilities.
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust admitted liability and has now agreed to a £7.1 million compensation payout.
"We are relieved the settlement has eventually been agreed and we will not have to worry about what will happen to him when we are no longer around," said Ms Snowdon.
According to the Centre for Neuro Skills, over 1,000 children die or suffer permanent brain injury every year in the UK because of shortage of oxygen around the time of birth.
Tags: 1 Million, 1m, Birth Canal, Brain Damage, Brain Injury, Disabilities, John Radcliffe Hospital, Labour, Left Brain, Mr Justice, Negligence, Neuro Skills, Nhs Trust, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals, Oxygen, Sense Of Danger, Snowdon, Time Of Birth, Violent Mood Swings
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July 9th, 2009
A woman who was forced to have her leg amputated after errors occurred during a routine operation is to receive compensation.
Karen Flory, then 37, was admitted to Heath Road Hospital in February 2007 to have some swollen tissue removed from her right knee, the East Anglian Daily Times reports.
However, the blood supply to her leg was not properly monitored and Ms Flory had to have her leg amputated below the knee.
She is now unable to work and continues to feel pain in her leg.
Ipswich Hospital admitted liability and has now agreed to a payout of £1 million, which Ms Flory said will make it easier to overcome the practical tasks that her disability makes hard.
"The size of the settlement reflects the fact that I am not yet 40 and the whole of the rest of my life has been irrevocably changed by the amputation," she added.
Anyone whose operation goes wrong as a result of errors by medical staff may be eligible for compensation and should seek the advice of a solicitor specialising in clinical negligence claims.
Tags: 1 Million, 1m, Amputation, Blood Supply, Clinical Negligence Claims, Disability, East Anglian Daily Times, Flory, Ipswich Hospital, Medical Staff, Rest Of My Life, Routine Operation, Solicitor Specialising, Woman
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June 10th, 2009
A young woman who was left seriously disabled by a hit and run driver has secured over £1 million in compensation.
Katrina Connolly, now 20, was hit by a car she claims was being driven by Andrew Palma in 2004, the Manchester Evening News reports.
He left the scene and although he later admitted that he had no insurance, he denied being the driver of the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Katrina sustained injuries that led to permanent mobility problems, memory lapses and cognitive problems and she now needs daily assistance from carers.
Her mother Patricia took her daughter’s case to the high court and has now secured a payout of £1 million, as well as £40,000 a year to help cover Katrina’s care.
"It means Katrina can get her own flat with carers to help her. She won’t have to worry about money and can concentrate on getting her life back on track," she commented.
According to the Motor Insurers Bureau, three people every hour are injured by uninsured and hit and run drivers across the UK.
Tags: 1 Million, 1m, Cognitive Problems, Hit And Run, Horror, Insurance, Manchester Evening News, Memory Lapses, Memory Problems, Mobility Problems, Money, Mother Patricia, Motor Insurers Bureau, News Reports, Palma, Young Woman
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April 30th, 2009
A man who was left permanently brain damaged after hospital staff did not properly treat him for a head injury is to receive more than £1 million in compensation.
Joseph Neale, now 65, fell from a skip in summer 2002 and was taken to North Tyneside Hospital.
Although he was examined by staff, it was not noticed that Mr Neale had bleeding on the brain and he was placed on a general ward.
It was only when Mr Neale’s condition began to deteriorate overnight that he was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital for emergency treatment.
Unfortunately, it was too late to repair the injury and Mr Neale was left with permanent brain damage and now needs 24-hour care.
His daughter Helen Todd took legal action against Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which has now agreed to a seven-figure payout to cover Mr Neale’s care.
"It is incredibly distressing to see someone you love in that condition, but for it to have happened as a result of someone else’s errors makes it even more galling," she commented.
As with all compensation claims, the clinical negligence (including the misdiagnosis of a medical condition) must cause further injury, pain or suffering in order for the case to be successful and a payout to be made.
Tags: 1 Million, 1m, Bleeding On The Brain, Brain Damage, Clinical Negligence, Daughter Helen, Emergency Treatment, Foundation Trust, Head Injury, Helen Todd, Hospital Staff, Left Brain, Medical Condition, Misdiagnosis, Newcastle General Hospital, Nhs, North Tyneside Hospital, Northumbria, Suffering
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