August 13th, 2009
GlaxoSmithKline could face dozens of clinical negligence claims amid fears that one of its drugs causes birth defects.
A number of cases are currently being heard in the US which claim that women who took Seroxat went on to have children with birth defects.
Although GlaxoSmithKline began to issue warnings with the antidepressant in 2005, it is alleged that the pharmaceutical company knew about the potential problems long before and did nothing.
If this is found to be the case, it could open the floodgates for similar compensation claims in the UK.
A spokesperson for GlaxoSmithKline denied the allegations, commenting: "Tragically, birth defects can occur whether or not the mother was taking medication during pregnancy."
Anyone who suffers as a result of prescribed drugs may be able to claim compensation if it can be proven that the medication caused injury or illness and should seek the advice of a solicitor.
Tags: Allegations, Antidepressant, Birth Defects, Clinical Negligence Claims, Compensation Claims, Dozens, Face, Fears, Floodgates, Glaxosmithkline, Medication, Pharmaceutical Company, Pregnancy, Prescribed Drugs, Solicitor, Spokesperson
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January 7th, 2009
A woman is taking legal action against the operators of a chain of care homes after her father died in one of its branches due to the negligence of its staff.
William Taylor, 79, moved to Beechwood Park care home in Scotland after his Parkinson’s progressed and rendered him unable to live in sheltered accommodation, the Wee County News reports.
However, only six weeks after being admitted, he was taken to hospital with a blood infection resulting from bedsores and he died ten days later.
Mr Taylor’s family requested an investigation by the Care Commission and its subsequent report upheld all 15 of the complaints made against Beechwood.
It was found that Mr Taylor had not been given his Parkinson’s medication for several days at a time and that his assistance buzzer was consistently left out of his reach.
His daughter Moira Begg, 50, is now suing the care home in order to make sure the same thing does not happen to others.
"We [want] to highlight this for other families. I’d be really surprised if he’s the only person to suffer neglect in there," she commented.
Clinical negligence can occur in any environment where care is provided, not just hospitals. Anyone who has suffered as a result of this should seek legal advice as they may be eligible for compensation.
Tags: Bedsores, Beechwood Park, Begg, Blood Infection, Buzzer, Clinical Negligence, Hospitals, Legal Advice, Medication, Moira, Mr Taylor, Neglect, Parkinson, Scotland, Sheltered Accommodation, Six Weeks, Subsequent Report, Wee County News, William Taylor, Woman
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December 10th, 2008
A young girl who was starved of oxygen at birth is to receive compensation to pay for her future care needs.
Chloe Ellen Faulkner, now eight, was born at King George Hospital in Goodmayes in 2000, but suffered brain damage during her delivery which led to cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia, the Ilford Recorder reports.
As a result, she can only communicate by moving her eyes, needs to be fed through a tube and requires medication throughout the day.
Her mother Maria Farquarson helped her to sue the hospital’s managers – Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust – on the grounds of clinical negligence for delaying her delivery. It has now agreed to pay compensation.
Although the exact amount is unspecified, the payout is believed to run into millions of pounds when the annual payments for the rest of her life are taken into account.
Compensation for brain damage will often be more substantial than that for other injuries since it must cover care for the remainder of the person’s life in most circumstances.
Tags: Barking Havering And Redbridge Hospitals, Barking Havering And Redbridge Hospitals Nhs Trust, Brain Damage, Cerebral Palsy, Chloe, Circumstances, Clinical Negligence, Farquarson, Faulkner, Future Care, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Ilford Recorder, Led, Medication, Mother Maria, Oxygen, Remainder, Spastic Quadriplegia, Young Girl
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October 17th, 2008
The widow of a BBC film-maker has been paid compensation after it was ruled that doctors were negligent in failing to spot a potentially fatal condition.
Nick Rossiter, 43, visited three doctors between 2001 and his death in 2004, but none of them discovered his hypertension.
Mr Rossiter – whose television producing credits include Newsnight and Heart of the Matter – saw medics again two months before his death, but again, his hypertensive condition was not identified.
Doctors Pearl Chin, Cathy Benson, and Sharon Alikhani admitted to failing to diagnose his condition, but claimed that Mr Rossiter may not have completed a course of medication had it been prescribed and may still have died.
This week, Mr Justice Foskett ruled that the doctors were liable and ordered tham to pay an undisclosed sum of compensation to Bea Ballard and the couple’s children.
He wished Ms Ballard well and said he hoped a line could "now be drawn".
Tags: Ballard, Bbc, Bbc Film, Bea, Cathy Benson, Doctors, Film Maker, Heart Of The Matter, Hypertension, Medication, Medics, Mr Justice, Newsnight, Nick Rossiter, Substantial Compensation, Television, Tham, Undisclosed Sum
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July 31st, 2008
A pharmacist is facing possible suspension as a result of a mistake he made when giving out medication.
Achmat Rossier gave 71-year-old Anthony Peckham a dose of morphine ten times stronger than it should have been, the Cambridge Evening News reports.
Mr Peckham was found collapsed at his home in June 2006 and subsequently died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
In a new development, his family has called on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society – which aims to regulate, develop, lead and represent the pharmacy profession – to take action in order to prevent a similar incident occurring in the future.
The organisation has now launched an investigation which could potentially result in the suspension of Mr Rossier.
Earlier this year, coroner David Morris stated during an inquest that Mr Peckham would not have lost his life unless he had taken more than the prescribed dose of morphine.
He also alleged that the pharmacist had attempted to shift the blame on to his assistant.
Tags: Cambridge Evening News, Coroner, Inquest, Medication, Mistake, Morphine, Pharmacist, Pharmacy Profession, Rossier, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, S Hospital
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