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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October 8th, 2008
A young woman who was seriously hurt in a car crash is to sue the man who was driving the car.
Stephanie Stratton, now 21, was a passenger in the Honda Civic being driven by Adam Roberts of Campbell Crescent in 2006.
However, he lost control of the vehicle after pulling the handbrake at 55 miles per hour, the East Grinstead Observer reports.
The car overturned and Ms Stratton suffered facial injuries and fractures.
She had to have brain surgery and a titanium plate implanted into her skull. She is also nearly blind and has epilepsy.
Since the accident, Ms Stratton needs supervision as she still has cognitive and communication problems.
Through her father Anthony, Ms Stratton is now suing Mr Roberts for an unspecified sum of compensation.
A common misconception when it comes to claiming compensation after an accident is that a person who was in the car that caused the accident cannot make a claim for injuries suffered.
This is untrue, as long as the person making the claim was not the one behind the wheel at the time of the accident.
It is perfectly legitimate to claim against the driver, as it is their responsibility to drive safely.
Tags: Adam Roberts, Brain Surgery, Car Crash, Claiming Compensation, Common Misconception, Communication Problems, Crescent, East Grinstead Observer, Epilepsy, Facial Injuries, Fractures, Handbrake, Honda, Honda Civic, Miles Per Hour, Skull, Stephanie, Stratton, Titanium Plate, Young Woman
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
September 24th, 2008
A woman who launched legal action after her son was prescribed the wrong medicine has been awarded £1,400 in compensation.
Joshua Donnelly, three, needs to take the anticonvulsant medicine Topamax for his epilepsy, the Evening Gazette reports.
However, after he had been taking the medicine for several days, he became unwell and had to be taken to hospital.
His mother Shirley Holt, 45, noticed after breaking a capsule up that there seemed to be too much powder and it emerged that the pharmacist at Harry Hill chemist in Billingham had mixed up his usual 15mg capsules with 50mg ones.
Although Joshua has now fully recovered, Ms Holt took legal action against the chemist and won a payout, although the firm did not admit liability.
Commenting on the episode, Ms Holt said: "If I hadn’t noticed when I did, who knows what would have happened? It is scary. I am very angry over it. I will never go back into his shop again."
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.
Tags: Chemist, Clinical Negligence, Donnelly, Epilepsy, Evening Gazette, Hadn, Health Service, Injury Death, Joshua, Medical Claim, Medical Negligence Claim, Medicine, Pharmacist, Shirley Holt, Topamax, Woman, Wrong Medicine
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August 18th, 2008
The parents of a young girl who was starved of oxygen at birth are claiming clinical negligence against the hospital that delivered her.
Amelia Rayner, who is now six years old, was born in June 2002 at Calderdale Royal Hospital, the Halifax Evening Courier reports.
Medical staff noticed that her heart rate had slowed considerably and, over four hours later, delivered her by caesarean section.
However, she subsequently had to be resuscitated and was left with a form of cerebral palsy – a physical condition which affects movement.
She suffers from epilepsy, has difficulty communicating and has severe learning disabilities.
Her mother, Lorraine McIntyre, said: "There are, of course, financial implications and although we have been helped by the local authorities we have accepted that we won’t get everything we need provided for us this way."
According to the family’s solicitor, earlier intervention by doctors would have meant Amelia would have been born without problems.
Tags: Caesarean Section, Calderdale Royal Hospital, Cerebral Palsy, Clinical Negligence, Doctors, Epilepsy, Financial Implications, Halifax Evening Courier, Heart Rate, Learning Disabilities, Local Authorities, Lorraine, Medical Staff, Oxygen, Parents, Rayner, Resuscitated, Six Years, Solicitor, Young Girl
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June 3rd, 2008
A young girl who received brain damage as a result of clinical negligence by a Suffolk hospital will learn today (June 3rd) how much compensation she is to be awarded.
Holly Goodwyn was born in January 1997. However, delays in her delivery left her with brain injuries and she was subsequently diagnosed with athetoid cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Ipswich Hospital admitted clinical negligence although they were unable to agree a compensation figure with lawyers acting for the girl, according to the East Anglian Daily Times.
Lawyer Sarah Coles said that Holly needs to use an electronic communication device and requires 24 hour care, which is currently provided by her parents and paid carers.
Holly’s mum, Lynne Goodwyn, commented: "Whilst we were reluctant to take legal action in this matter, we felt that the extent of the help Holly requires would not be available otherwise."
In other news, the Ipswich Evening Star reports that new matrons have begun patrolling wards at Ipswich Hospital in an effort to cut MRSA and Clostridium Difficile infections.
Tags: Brain Damage, Brain Injuries, Cerebral Palsy, Clinical Negligence, Clostridium, Coles, Communication Device, East Anglian Daily Times, Electronic Communication, Epilepsy, Goodwyn, Holly, Hospital Negligence, Ipswich Evening Star, Ipswich Hospital, Matrons, Mrsa, Star Reports, Wards, Young Girl
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