June 26th, 2009
A mental patient who tried to commit suicide by throwing himself under a train is to receive £400,000 in compensation.
Noel Dawson, 48, had admitted himself to Waterlow Psychiatric unit on Highgate Hill for his own protection in January 2004.
However, he went ‘absent without leave’ on January 13th and threw himself under a Highgate station tube nine days later.
Mr Davison suffered head injuries and a broken pelvis, but survived the attempt on his life.
He sought compensation from Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, claiming that hospital staff had failed to assess his mental state and had failed to protect him from himself by providing a secure unit.
Although the trust refused to admit liability, at a high court hearing this week, it agreed to a compensation payout as an out-of-court settlement.
Marjorie Wallace, founder of the mental health charity Sane, commented: "We hope this will make psychiatric units much more careful in protecting the lives of their patients."
Earlier this month, Get Reading reported that the parents of a man who hung himself after escaping from a supposedly secure medical facility are to seek compensation for their loss.
Tags: Absent Without Leave, Broken Pelvis, Court Settlement, Dawson, Foundation Trust, Head Injuries, Highgate Station, Hospital Staff, Islington, January 13th, Marjorie Wallace, Medical Facility, Mental Health Charity, Mental Patient, Nhs, Nine Days, Psychiatric Unit, Psychiatric Units, Suicide Bid
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May 14th, 2009
A woman is considering taking legal action on behalf of her father after he fell down a hospital escalator while visiting his wife.
Len Conway, 84, had been to an osteoarthritis clinic and had visited his wife at Barnsley Hospital when he stepped onto the escalator, the Yorkshire Post reports.
He slipped and fell, causing severe cuts to his face, ear, hands and legs. He also broke his cheekbone.
Carole Conway said her father had lost his independence and said the hospital should not have dangerous facilities on the premises.
"It doesn’t make sense to have people who are already ill trying to use this escalator. It’s just too dangerous," she commented, adding that she is thinking of suing the hospital for the injuries her father sustained.
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating.
Figures published by the HSE show that fatalities and serious injuries arising from slips, trips and fall incidents cost British society an estimated £700 million last year.
Tags: Cheekbone, Conway, Dangerous Facilities, Fall Incidents, Foundation Trust, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hse, Legs, Len, Lost, Nhs Trust, Osteoarthritis, Premises, Slips, Woman, Yorkshire, Yorkshire Post
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
May 12th, 2009
A hospital has paid a five-figure sum in compensation to a woman who was left with bladder damage after an operation.
Kerry Jones underwent a hysterectomy at Birmingham Women’s Hospital in Edgbaston in September 2004, but was left with a series of problems with her bladder afterwards, the Birmingham Post reports.
She claims that a blunder during surgery perforated the organ, but that an operation was not carried out to repair it until 2007.
Although Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust initially denied that the surgery was carried out incompetently, it has now agreed to a payout as part of an out-of-court settlement.
A spokesperson apologised to Ms Jones and said: "Birmingham Women’s Hospital accepts the care given to Kerry Jones fell short of the hospital’s normal high standard."
According to its website, Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of healthcare services to women and men across the West Midlands and beyond, including pregnancy care and gynaecology. It cares for over 50,000 patients a year.
Tags: Apologised, Birmingham Post, Birmingham Women, Bladder, Blunder, Court Settlement, Damages, Edgbaston, Figure Sum, Foundation Trust, Healthcare Services, Hysterectomy, Kerry Jones, Ms Jones, Nhs, Pregnancy Care, Spokesperson, West Midlands, Women And Men, Women S Hospital
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May 7th, 2009
A man has received £4,000 in compensation after a piece of medical equipment was left inside him following an operation.
David Bould, 54, went into the University Hospital of Hartlepool in April 2008 to have his hip replaced due to general wear and tear.
Originally, it was thought that the operation had been a success. However, an x-ray revealed that the guide pin had been left inside Mr Bould’s body.
He had to go for another operation to have the equipment removed, which he claims caused him unnecessary suffering.
"To be told that they had made a mistake and would have to operate again was a huge shock," he commented.
Mr Bould took legal action against North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and has now secured £4,000 in compensation. A spokesperson said procedures have now been changed to avoid such incidents happening in the future.
Anyone who has suffered as a result of a medical practitioner not exercising what is seen as a normal standard of care and skill may have good grounds for a clinical negligence claim.
Tags: April, Clinical Negligence, David Bould, Foundation Trust, Guide Pin, Hartlepool, Medical Equipment, Medical Practitioner, Mistake, Negligence Claim, North Tees And Hartlepool Nhs, Quot, Shock, Spokesperson, Wear And Tear, X Ray
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May 5th, 2009
Compensation is to be paid to the family of a woman who died after falling from her hospital bed.
Joan Wheel was taken to York Hospital in November 2007, suffering from ulcers on her legs because of insect bites.
However, during her stay, she fell from her bed at least three times after being left in a bed without side railings.
Ms Wheel sustained serious head injuries after the last fall and died after six days.
After an inquiry, York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted that the standard of care provided to Ms Wheel had been "below that to be reasonably expected" and agreed to an undisclosed civil compensation payout.
It apologised for the impact the death has had upon the family.
Clinical negligence occurs when a professional in the health service provides care that is deemed to be below par and this causes physical injury, death or distress. Compensation may be claimed as a result.
Tags: Clinical Negligence, Damages, Foundation Trust, Head Injuries, Health Service, Injury Death, Insect Bites, Least Three Times, Legs, Nhs, Pensioner, Quot, Side Railings, Six Days, Suffering From, Ulcers, Wheel, Woman, York Hospitals
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