November 10th, 2009
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.
Tags: Blunders, Brain Damage, Bury Times, Caesarean Section, Cerebral Palsy, Contention, Epilepsy, Fairfield Hospital, Gillespie Family, Health Care Nhs Trust, Medical Care, Medical Health, Medical Negligence Compensation, Nerve Damage, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Ramsbottom, Shoulder Arm, Teenage Girl, Wins
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June 17th, 2009
A woman who claims that her daughter was incorrectly treated in hospital, leading to a string of medical problems, is continuing to seek compensation for clinical negligence.
Lynne Jones claims that her daughter Claire, now 27, had an operation for an eye infection that went wrong when she was 11, the Flintshire Evening Leader attests.
The mother alleges that as a result of the operation, Claire now suffers from depression, epilepsy and obsessive compulsive disorder.
"Even after all this time my daughter cannot live her life. It’s been taken away. To watch your daughter suffer is just heartbreaking," she commented.
Ms Jones is now organising an appeal against an earlier decision to dismiss the case and said she is determined to get compensation for her daughter.
A spokesperson for Glan Clwyd hospital declined to comment.
Patients may have grounds for compensation where an injury or death was caused by or contributed to by a breach of a duty of care by medical staff.
Tags: Breach, Clinical Negligence, Compensation Claims, Daughter Claire, Depression, Duty Of Care, Epilepsy, Eye Infection, Flintshire Evening Leader, Lynne Jones, Medical Problems, Medical Staff, Ms Jones, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Spokesperson, Woman
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May 15th, 2009
A girl who was left severely brain damaged after she was starved of oxygen has secured a compensation payout of £4.8 million.
Jodie Stock, now 19, was born at the Royal Free Hospital but her mother suffered a placental abruption in the hours leading up to her birth. However, doctors did not perform an emergency Caesarean section, the BBC reports.
Consequently, Jodie was left with learning difficulties, epilepsy and motor problems and will need care for the rest of her life.
Through her mother Janet Taylor, Jodie took legal action against the North Central Strategic Health Authority.
It admitted 80 per cent liability for the injuries Jodie sustained and agreed to a payout of a £1.45 million lump sum and £106,160 a year for the rest of her life.
The family’s solicitor said the compensation will give Jodie’s parents "peace of mind" that she will be adequately cared for after they are gone.
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: Bbc, Bbc Reports, Brain Injury, Caesarean Section, Doctors, Epilepsy, Janet Taylor, Learning Difficulties, Left Brain, Lump Sum, Mother Janet, Neuro Skills, Oxygen, Parents, Peace Of Mind, Placental Abruption, Solicitor, Strategic Health Authority, Time Of Birth
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May 11th, 2009
Compensation has been secured for a man who was left brain damaged after an accident at work.
The 39-year-old, who did not want to be named, was working for A&P Falmouth in 2004 when he was hit on the head by welding equipment while painting a ship, the Shields Gazette reports.
He now suffers deafness, memory loss and a lack of concentration, as well as epilepsy and headaches, as a result of the brain damage he sustained.
The victim – with the assistance of his mother – took legal action against A&P Falmouth and an out-of-court settlement has now been agreed via the company’s insurers.
"This money will help cover his daily living costs, now that he can no longer earn a wage," remarked his mother.
Employers must deal with any hazards that are likely to arise and might cause serious injury to their workforce.
A compensation claim can be made if it can be proved that employers breached this duty of care and that this resulted in accident or injury.
Payouts for brain injuries will usually be more substantial since they must cover the costs of the victim’s long-term care.
Tags: Accident Compensation, Amp, Brain Damage, Brain Injuries, Compensation Claim, Court Settlement, Duty Of Care, Epilepsy, Falmouth, Headaches, Lack Of Concentration, Left Brain, Long Term Care, Memory Loss, Money, Shields Gazette, Welding Equipment, Work Compensation, Workforce
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March 27th, 2009
The standards of care at an NHS hospital have been called into question after it was revealed that it paid out more than £1 million in compensation for clinical negligence cases last financial year.
Ipswich Hospital on Heath Road paid out £1,047,262 from 2007-08, however, this did not include one individual case in which a child was paid a substantial sum for brain damage, the Ipswich Evening Star reports.
Holly Goodwyn was left with brain damage, cerebral palsy and epilepsy after her birth in 1997 and the hospital paid her damages for inadequate care in 2008, but this came under the figures for the following financial year.
Jan Rowsell, spokesperson for Ipswich Hospital, denied that the standards of care fall below what can be reasonably expected by patients.
"Patient safety is our top priority and we work very hard to ensure incidents are as rare as they possibly can be," she stressed.
This follows reports earlier this month which showed that Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust paid £3.6 million in compensation to a family in 2007 after admitting liability for an incident in which a child was left disabled.
Tags: 1m, Brain Damage, Cerebral Palsy, Clinical Negligence, Epilepsy, Goodwyn, Holly, Inadequate Care, Ipswich Evening Star, Marlborough, Negligence Cases, Nhs Hospital, Nhs Trust, Patient Safety, Rowsell, Spokesperson, Substantial Sum, Swindon, Top Priority
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