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 29th, 2009
A woman who was left brain damaged due to errors at her birth has been awarded compensation to cover her long-term care.
Lucy Jones, now 24, was born at the former Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon in February 1984, the Swindon Advertiser reports.
Although her mother was suffering problems, staff did not make the decision to carry out a Caesarean until 04:15 GMT, by which time Lucy had been starved of oxygen.
A subsequent investigation found that the operation could have been performed by 01:30 GMT in order to make the situation safer for the baby.
Lucy’s family took legal action against the Avon, Gloucester & Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority, which has now admitted liability and agreed to pay a seven-figure sum that should pay for Lucy’s care needs for the rest of her life.
According to Scope, approximately one in four children is born with cerebral palsy in the UK.
Tags: Advertiser Reports, Amp, Avon, Brain, Cerebral Palsy, Figure Sum, Former Princess Margaret Hospital, Gloucester, Gmt, Long Term Care, Lucy Jones, Negligence, Oxygen, Princess Margaret Hospital, Scope, Strategic Health Authority, Subsequent Investigation, Swindon Advertiser, Woman
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July 13th, 2009
A man who was left tetraplegic in a cycling accident four years ago is to receive compensation from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).
Graham Gregory, 48, had been riding his bicycle in West Swindon in 2005 when he was hit from behind by a car.
He was thrown from the bike and sustained serious spinal injuries. Despite spending weeks in intensive care, Mr Gregory was paralysed and is now unable to care for himself.
The victim sued the driver who hit him, but it was discovered that he was not in possession of the correct insurance and the MIB took over the case.
In a new development, it has now admitted 90 per cent liability for the crash and is to pay Mr Gregory compensation that could amount to £4 million in order to cover his long-term care.
According to the MIB, three people every hour are injured by uninsured or hit and run drivers in the UK.
Tags: Bicycle, Crash, Insurance, Intensive Care, Long Term Care, Mib, Motor Insurers Bureau, Mr Gregory, Possession, Spinal Injuries, West Swindon
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July 6th, 2009
A woman whose twins were born brain damaged after poor treatment on an army base has secured compensation after a 13-year legal battle.
Lynne Steele, 41, was staying in Germany where her then husband was on active service in 1991.
After suffering pains in her stomach, the pregnant woman feared she was going into early labour and went to see the on-site medic, Dr Ian Anderson.
However, he refused to see her and attempted to give a diagnosis over the phone.
When Ms Steele did go into premature labour four hours later, she had passed the point where the birth could be delayed and her twins were born brain damaged and permanently disabled.
Although the Ministry of Defence (MoD) denied liability, arguing that the boys would have been disabled wherever they were born, Ms Steele disagreed and took the organisation to court.
In a new development, it was ruled this week that the MoD was negligent and that Shane and Dean should receive £1.65 million and £1.9 million respectively in compensation to cover their long-term care.
Last year, it was reported that the MoD had a shortage of 2,065 medical staff across the services and had employed 184 private medical staff on British bases since 2004 to meet the demand.
Tags: Active Service, Army Base, Brain, Dean, Diagnosis, Dr Ian, Early Labour, Germany, Long Term Care, Medical Staff, Ministry Of Defence, Pregnant Woman, Premature Labour, Shane, Stomach, Twins
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