A teenage girl who was left severely disabled after complications during her birth has been awarded medical negligence compensation.

Charlotte Gillespie, of Ramsbottom, now suffers from cerebral palsy, epilepsy and obsessive compulsive disorder as a result of errors made during her delivery, reports the Bury Times.

Her mother Marilyn was made to walk to theatre during the birth and it was the contention of the Gillespie family that Charlotte should have been delivered by Caesarean section.

The family received an undisclosed amount in medical negligence compensation from Bury Health Care NHS Trust over the delivery at Fairfield Hospital in 1996.

Marilyn Gillespie said: "We can now provide her with all the medical care she needs for the rest of her life."

Earlier this month, 11-year-old Grant Hembry was awarded more than £270,000 in medical negligence compensation after blunders during his birth resulted in nerve damage that has left him unable to use his right shoulder, arm and hand.

A group of women in Lancashire are said to be considering legal action after errors by a doctor led to them mistakenly being given the all-clear for breast cancer.

One radiologist at Accrington Victoria Hospital failed to spot a number of tumours and staff became concerned about previous test results.

They recalled 85 patients from the past three years and discovered that 14 had invasive breast cancer.

It is not clear if the blunders will affect the womens’ chances of survival, but they are all now undergoing treatment.

East Lancashire NHS Trust representative Rineke Schram commented: "I would like to apologise for any distress and anxiety caused."

The 14 woman affected are considering making compensation claims, the Daily Mail attests.

Anyone who has endured pain and suffering as the result of a cancer misdiagnosis may be entitled to claim compensation and should seek the advice of a solicitor specialising in clinical negligence claims.

The pharmacy department of a Burton supermarket has been criticised after an elderly woman became the victim of two prescription errors.

Maria Madera, 81, always collected her Minim eye drops from her local Asda but on the first occasion, she was wrongly given Atropine, a different kind of medication, the Burton Mail reports.

She put the drops in and was temporarily blinded. Her granddaughter Krystine Strama-Rolfe said that she now suffers from depression and is reluctant to leave the house.

Asda then made the same error again a short time later, but Ms Madera’s family noticed and she did not put the drops in.

The supermarket apologised unreservedly for the mistakes and offered the victim £1,500 in compensation, but she has rejected the offer until it is increased to £3,000.

Atropine is a drug obtained from plant extracts that is administered to relax muscles by inhibiting nerve responses, whereas Minims are simply used to reduce dryness on the surface of the eye, Medterms.com attests.

A nurse is taking legal action against the hospital where she works, claiming that she almost died after having treatment there.

Susan Melo, 47, has worked at Whittington Hospital in Highgate for three years and was admitted as a patient for a hysterectomy earlier this month.

However, she alleges that staff ignored a family history of thrombosis and gave her an epidural which meant that she could not move her legs for three days.

Ms Melo went on to develop blood clots in both lungs and claims that if she had not had prior medical knowledge, she would not be alive today.

"If I hadn’t been a nurse I would have died. I wouldn’t have been able to challenge them," she remarked.

Ms Melo is now taking legal action against the hospital. A spokesperson said an investigation is being conducted but did not comment further.

Clinical negligence injuries can occur a result of improper medical treatment, mistakes made during surgery, a delayed medical condition diagnosis, bad medical advice, poor dental care and various other problems. Anyone affected should seek legal advice.

A young mother who was suffering from cervical cancer but who was not correctly diagnosed by medics is to receive compensation for her ordeal.

Cheryl Field, 33, had a smear test in 2001 which proved negative, but by January 2003, she began to suffer pain and bleeding.

Although she was given a referral to a gynaecologist by Dr Shamsh Suleman at Withymoor Village Surgery, it was a non-urgent appointment and it was not until five months later that a tumour was discovered.

"I told my doctor … that I was worried about cancer but he laughed this off and told me not to be silly," said Ms Field.

The tumour was too large to be removed and Ms Field had to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which has left her with permanent damage and unable to work.

Dudley Primary Care Trust has now agreed to pay the victim an undisclosed but "substantial" sum of compensation.

Chief executive of the organisation Mark Cooke said: "We accept that the standard of care which Mrs Field received fell below that which she was entitled to expect."

The reports follow news from last month that a Manchester woman had received compensation from Wythenshawe Hospital after her cervical cancer was also misdiagnosed and she almost died.

A group of soldiers who were injured in Afghanistan in 2006 are to receive compensation payouts from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after an inquest heard that a series of blunders caused the incident.

Corporal Mark Wright, 27, was killed in the Helmand Province after he rescued a colleague in a mined area.

Lance Corporal Stuart Hale, 25, Sergeant Stuart Pearson, 32, and Fusilier Andy Barlow, 21, all lost limbs.

The soldiers and Corporal Wright’s family have launched legal action against the MoD, claiming that it was unsuitable to send helicopters into the area as it could set off further explosions.

Now, defence officials have agreed to a compensation package outside formal legal proceedings and each man is expected to receive upwards of £500,000 and possibly up to £1 million each for crippling injuries, mental trauma and loss of future earnings.

"This will help provide them with state-of-the-art prosthetic limbs as well as compensation for their injuries," said the men’s solicitor.
The MoD has the same obligations as any other employer to make sure that their employees have a safe environment to work in.

This includes proper training for all employees in equipment usage and general job requirements, suitable supervision and safe equipment.

Anyone who feels they have not been given this safe environment may be eligible for compensation.

A family is to be paid compensation by an NHS trust after their child was starved of oxygen at birth.

Holly Nixon, now five, was left quadriplegic after what has been described as "a series of blunders" by hospital staff in Worcestershire.

Although her mother Emma had complained of a lack of foetal movement, this was not investigated until two days later, the Birmingham Post reports.

Holly now suffers from cerebral palsy as a result of a lack of oxygen to her brain during her birth and will need care 24 hours a day for the rest of her life.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has admitted liability and the final compensation to be paid to the Nixon family will be decided next year, although it is expected to be a seven-figure sum.

If sub-standard care during pregnancy or birth can be proved to have caused cerebral palsy, damages can be sought to cover the costs of care to ensure an improved quality of life and financial security for the lifetime of the child.