October 13th, 2009
An NHS trust has paid a substantial sum in compensation to a couple whose baby died due to errors during his birth.
Johanne Rees went into a ward at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff when her waters broke at 18 weeks in 2005, but medics managed to stave off the birth until 32 weeks.
However, when the patient began to go into labour, the doctor who checked her said it was simply stomach ache and advised her to go to the toilet.
Ms Rees said she was screaming in agony and knew she needed an emergency caesarean, but was not taken for one for another two-and-a-half hours.
By the time he was delivered, baby Arun was brain dead. Ms Rees and her partner Krishna Govekar made the decision to switch off his life support on November 29th 2005.
Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust admitted liability and has now agreed to pay the couple £650,000 in compensation.
Earlier this month, a patient lodged a complaint with the Health Service Ombudsman alleging that delays in getting her to hospital led to her baby being stillborn.
Tags: Agony, Arun, Brain Dead, Brain Trust, Cardiff And Vale Nhs Trust, Doctor Who, Health Service Ombudsman, Johanne, Krishna, Labour, Led, Medics, Rees, Stomach Ache, Substantial Sum, Toilet, Two And A Half Hours, University Hospital Of Wales, Vale Nhs Trust
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September 23rd, 2009
A family is seeking compensation from a Manchester hospital after a woman bled to death during treatment.
Sally Thompson, 20, had a rare blood disorder and had gone into Manchester Royal Infirmary in August 2005 complaining of weakness in her legs.
She was taken to intensive care after beginning to suffer from seizures and medics decided to insert a central venous catheter into her neck to aid with getting medication in.
However, the doctor who inserted the equipment hit Ms Thompson’s jugular vein. Although a request was made for a blood transfusion, it did not come for almost two hours.
By then, the patient had lost three-and-a-half pints of blood and doctors could not save her.
Ms Thompson’s family is to sue the hospital after it was discovered that ultrasound should have been used to ensure the vein was not punctured.
Clinical negligence occurs when a professional in the health service provides care that is deemed to be below standard and this causes physical injury, death or distress. Victims may be eligible for compensation and should seek legal advice.
Tags: Blood Disorder, Blood Transfusion, Central Venous Catheter, Clinical Negligence, Doctor Who, Half Pints, Health Service, Injury Death, Intensive Care, Jugular Vein, Legal Advice, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Medics, Ms Thompson, Pints Of Blood, Rare Blood Disorder, Sally Thompson, Seizures, Ultrasound, Woman S Hospital
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May 8th, 2009
The family of a man who died after being given too much diamorphine are taking legal action against the NHS and the doctor who was responsible for his death.
David Gray, 70, died after being injected with ten times the recommended dose of the painkiller by Dr Daniel Ubani in February 2008.
Dr Ubani was on his first shift in the UK, working for the out of hours service Take Care Now. He is now under investigation by the Care Quality Commission and is facing a possible manslaughter charge.
Mr Gray’s family is pursuing civil legal action against Dr Ubani, NHS Cambridgeshire and Take Care Now, claiming that the medic did not have suitable training and that the victim would still be alive had he been treated by someone with British medical training or a student nurse.
NHS Cambridgeshire has insisted Mr Gray’s death was an isolated incident.
Clinical negligence occurs when a professional in the health service provides care that is deemed to be below standard and this causes physical injury, death or distress.
Anyone affected should seek legal action as they may be eligible for compensation.
Tags: Cambridgeshire, Care Quality, Clinical Negligence, Damages, David Gray, Doctor Who, Dr Daniel, Family Man, Health Service, Injury Death, Manslaughter Charge, Medic, Medical Training, Mr Gray, Nhs, Painkiller, Quality Commission, Student Nurse
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February 2nd, 2009
A child who developed cerebral palsy after his birth was poorly managed has been awarded compensation to cover care for the rest of his life.
Oscar Riches, now seven, was born at the Eastbourne District General Hospital, but delays in his birth left his brain starved of oxygen, the Press Association reports.
As a result, he now has little mobility, severe learning difficulties and epilepsy. He is not expected to live beyond his 20s.
His mother sued the East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which admitted that the locum doctor who delivered Oscar was responsible, admitted that a Caesarean should have been performed immediately and agreed to a compensation payout.
Oscar will now receive a lump sum payout of £1.11 million, as well as annual payments for as long as he lives.
According to Scope, one in 400 children in the UK suffers from cerebral palsy. Around ten per cent of cerebral palsy compensation claims are due to complications at birth.
Tags: Cerebral Palsy, Child Birth, Child Brain, Clinical Negligence, Compensation Claims, District General Hospital, Doctor Who, East Sussex Hospitals Nhs Trust, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Epilepsy, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Learning Difficulties, Left Brain, Locum Doctor, Lump Sum Payout, Oscar, Oxygen, Scope, Sussex
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January 26th, 2009
A doctor who narrowly avoided serious injury after plunging headfirst down a bakery’s delivery shaft has been paid compensation by the firm.
Doctor Mohan Gopal, 55, had gone into Le Pain in Kensington shortly after opening time in July 2007 with his wife and daughter, the Telegraph reports.
However, he fell 12 feet down the open shaft, hitting a lift mechanism on his way down and landing on his face. Fortunately, he suffered only ligament damage to his knee.
In a new development, Judge Daniel Worsley ordered the Le Pain to pay Mr Gopal compensation of £7,500 after finding that the company had ignored safety guidelines by not putting out signs about the open shaft to warn customers.
He remarked: "What was lacking here was the most basically obvious protection against a customer coming in. It was appalling for an accident like this to be allowed to happen."
Anyone who is injured due fall because of the negligence of the occupier of a shop or other public area may be entitled to make a no win, no fee compensation claim and should seek the advice of a solicitor specialising in personal injury compensation claims.
Tags: Bakery, Doctor Who, Kensington, Ligament Damage, Mohan, Mr Gopal, Negligence, No Win No Fee Compensation Claim, Occupier, Open Shaft, Opening Time, Personal Injury Compensation, Personal Injury Compensation Claims, Plunge, Quot, Safety Guidelines, Solicitor Specialising, Telegraph Reports, Worsley
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