September 7th, 2009
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has paid £150,000 compensation to the family of a man who died after staff failed to diagnose a serious heart condition.
David Whittaker, 61, died after suffering a torn artery, a condition known as aortic dissection.
However, staff at Queen’s Medical Centre failed to spot this when he went to the hospital after complaining of chest pains.
Staff carried out some tests on Mr Whittaker, but did not undertake an electrocardiogram – a scan which may have identified the condition and enabled doctors to treat it appropriately.
He was discharged from hospital, but died the following day.
Mr Whittaker’s widow pursued a medical negligence claim against the trust, which admitted there had been shortcomings in his treatment and agreed a settlement, which included the six-figure compensation payout.
"[The settlement] accepts that an inappropriate failure to diagnose and treat her late husband’s aortic dissection on July 24th 2006 and that, had appropriate treatment been provided, her late husband would probably have survived," a spokesman for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said.
News of the payout comes just weeks after the NHS Litigation Authority revealed the NHS spent £807 million to settle compensation claims in 2008-09.
Tags: Aortic Dissection, Chest Pains, Compensation Claims, David Whittaker, Doctors, Electrocardiogram, Failure, Hospitals Nhs Trust, July 24th, Litigation, Medical Centre, Medical Negligence Claim, Nhs Litigation Authority, Nottingham University, Queen, Serious Heart Condition, Shortcomings, Spokesman, University Hospitals Nhs Trust
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August 11th, 2009
An offshore oil worker is seeking compensation from NHS Grampian, claiming that a ‘botched’ operation on his knee ruined his life.
Davie Jamieson, 54, went into Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen to have an artificial joint fitted into his knee in February 2008, the Press and Journal reports.
However, doctors wrongly fitted the joint to the outer side of his left knee, when he should have been given a full knee replacement.
Mr Jamieson claims this has left him crippled and depressed. He is unable to sit down for long periods and has difficulty sleeping.
The victim claims that the operation was a disaster due to human error and that it would have been fine if he had the correct procedure in the first place. He is seeking a payout from the NHS for the pain and suffering he was caused.
"I feel very angry about what happened to me because doctors ignored me when I told them the pain was coming from the inner side of my knee," he commented.
Earlier this month, the same publication reported that surgical teams at north and north-east hospitals made 1,200 clinical errors between 2004 and 2008.
Tags: Aberdeen, Disaster, Doctors, Grampian, Hospitals, Human Error, Jamieson, Knee Replacement, Left Knee, Long Periods, Nhs, Offshore Oil, Oil Worker, Pain And Suffering, Worker Compensation
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July 31st, 2009
A young man who was the victim of a medical blunder at his birth has been awarded compensation that will cover his long-term care needs.
The unnamed victim was deprived of oxygen at birth due to errors by health professionals. Had he been delivered 25 minutes earlier, his brain damage could have been avoided, Conscious.co.uk reports.
Now, however, he cannot walk or talk and is reliant on others for his care. His family were wrongly told that they could not claim compensation because their son is now over three years old, but they recently found that this is not the case and lodged a claim against the NHS trust involved.
Indeed, although those over 18 must seek compensation within three years of clinical negligence occurring, the families of children affected by it can make a claim until they are 18 years old.
The NHS trust admitted liability for the victim’s brain injuries and agreed to a £3.8 million payout that will enable him to move to a specially adapted house.
Claims for clinical negligence can be brought against a range of health professionals, including doctors, private healthcare practitioners, dentists, nurses, occupational therapists and plastic surgeons.
Tags: 18 Years, Brain Damage, Brain Injuries, Clinical Negligence, Dentists, Doctors, Health Professionals, Healthcare Practitioners, Left Brain, Long Term Care, Medical Blunder, Nhs Trust, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Oxygen, Private Healthcare, Young Man
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July 14th, 2009
A woman whose bowel was accidentally stitched up when she went into hospital to have a routine hysterectomy is seeking compensation from the hospital she holds responsible.
Lynn Main, 55, was admitted to Horton General Hospital in Oxfordshire on May 7th for a three-day stay.
However, during surgery, a doctor mistakenly stitched up her bowel.
Ms Main was left in agony, but was told by hospital staff that she was simply constipated and should eat more.
On May 22nd, her bowel burst and she developed peritonitis. Doctors had to repair the internal injuries with staples in an emergency operation and drained the contents of her bowel manually.
Ms Main and her partner Alan Scott are now suing those responsible for Horton General Hospital for clinical negligence.
"Alan and me both knew that something was seriously wrong but none of the doctors or nurses would listen," she pointed out.
A spokesperson for the hospital said the case is under investigation.
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 who has suffered as a result of this should seek a solicitor specialising in clinical negligence claims in order to increase their likelihood of receiving a payout.
Tags: Agony, Burst, Clinical Negligence Claims, Doctors, Emergency Operation, General Hospital, Grandmother, Health Service, Hospital Staff, Hysterectomy, Injury Death, Internal Injuries, Likelihood, Nurses, Oxfordshire, Solicitor Specialising, Spokesperson, Staples, Woman
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