August 24th, 2011
* Richard* sustained an injury to his Achilles tendon which required a plaster cast to be fitted. He complained to his local hospital in Newcastle of suffering from a hot, itchy and painful leg so his plaster was then changed. At this stage it was noted that his leg was bruised and extremely swollen. Richard requested that the hospital perform a scan of his leg but he was reassured that there was no need as his symptoms were normal for Achilles injuries.
Unknown to Richard, he had at this point developed a DVT which went undiagnosed for nine days until he collapsed and was rushed to his local hospital. As a result of the hospital’s failure to diagnose the pulmonary embolism (PE), he had to have a filter inserted for fourteen months and suffered with ongoing shortness of breath.
In September 2008, Richard approached Pryers Solicitors and investigations were commenced. Then in October 2009, Laura Turner, a solicitor specialising in clinical negligence, sent a letter to the Defendant’s setting out the allegations of negligence. In the Letter of Response, the Defendant admitted a breach of duty for failing to diagnose the DVT. However, the Defendant denied that there was any significant injury caused by this failure as Richard had a contra indication to anticoagulation.
Laura Turner undertook research into this area and discovered that some people with contra indication to anticoagulation can be preventively treated for a PE developing. She also found medical evidence to support the argument that at the very least all patients should be admitted and monitored carefully.
In 2011 these further allegations were put to the Defendant followed by an offer to settle the case for £5,000 plus costs, which was accepted.
Tags: Achilles Tendon, Allegations, Anticoagulation, Breach Of Duty, Clinical Negligence, Defendant, Dvt, Failure, Investigations, Laura Turner, Local Hospital, Medical Evidence, Newcastle, Nine Days, Painful Leg, Plaster, Pulmonary Embolism, Shortness Of Breath, Solicitor Specialising, Solicitors
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September 21st, 2009
A man died from a brain haemorrhage after being sent home from hospital three times, an inquest has heard.
Stuart Foley, 30 began to suffer severe headaches on December 13th 2007 and went to the casualty department at Wythenshawe Hospital, the Manchester Evening News reports.
He was sent home with paracetamol after being told his symptoms were due to a migraine. However, he continued to suffer stabbing pains in his head and returned nine days later, only to be told the same thing.
Mr Foley went back to casualty after collapsing on December 27th, but was still not given a brain scan. He finally collapsed again on January 8th and was found to be suffering from massive brain injuries caused by an aneurysm. The victim died two days later.
Nicholas Todd, a consultant neurosurgeon, told the inquest that had Mr Foley received a brain scan, it is likely that he could have been saved.
A spokesperson for University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust commented: "We sincerely regret that there were missed opportunities to diagnose and treat Mr Foley."
It is not yet clear if the victim’s family is to take legal action against the hospital.
Earlier this month, the Daily Mail reported that a group of women in Lancashire are considering compensation claims after they were wrongly given the all-clear for breast cancer.
Tags: Aneurysm, Brain Haemorrhage, Brain Injuries, Breast Cancer, Casualty Department, Compensation Claims, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Daily Mail, Foley, Foundation Trust, Group Of Women, Inquest, Manchester Evening News, Massive Brain, Nhs Trust, Nine Days, Paracetamol, Severe Headaches, South Manchester, Wythenshawe Hospital
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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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December 9th, 2008
The wife of a man who was given the all-clear for cancer but later died from the disease is to sue the medical centre she claims is responsible.
Steven Davies, 47, went to see medical professionals in January 2007 and had two bowel examinations, but was told he did not have cancer, the Telegraph reports.
However, in September 2007 he returned to hospital in severe pain and surgeons found tumours that had been in his bowel for up to four years.
He died nine days later and Tracey Davies, 43, said she is to take legal action against Shepton Mallet Treatment Centre.
Ben Mak, the surgeon who carried out the initial checks on Mr Davies, has been suspended by the General Medical Council and later resigned from his position.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: "The General Medical Council has been informed about this surgeon’s work and a full independent investigation is being carried out."
Negligence may occur from delay or failure to diagnose a condition, delay or failure to treat a condition, when a treatment goes wrong, use of the wrong treatment, or failure to obtain consent.
Anyone who has suffered as a result of suspected negligence should seek the advice of a solicitor.
Tags: Cancer, Checks, General Medical Council, Independent Investigation, Medical Centre, Medical Professionals, Mr Davies, Negligence, Nine Days, Severe Pain, Solicitor, Spokesperson, Telegraph, Treatment Failure, Tumours, Woman
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November 28th, 2008
Nottingham University Hospitals has paid £10,000 to the family of four-month-old Ellie Behan, who died from a rare bowel condition less than two weeks after being discharged from Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC).
The Nottingham Evening Post reports that Ellie had shown signs of being seriously ill when she vomited green liquid in front of nurses, but the information was not passed on to doctors and the family were told they could take her home later that day.
She then became critically ill and died nine days later.
Ellie had initially been admitted for vomiting green liquid, but she vomited clear liquid in front of the doctor who first saw her, which indicated that her ailment was not as serious. Her case was then passed on to another doctor.
"We are deeply sorry that there were shortcomings in the care she received," commented trust spokesman Stephen Fowlie.
"Ellie should not have been discharged when she first came to the QMC."
The news comes as the Southport Visitor revealed that medical payouts by Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust increased by 60 per cent over the last 12 months.
Tags: 12 Months, Ailment, Behan, Doctor Who, Ellie, Fowlie, Hospital Trust, Medical Centre, Nine Days, Nottingham Evening Post, Nurses, Ormskirk, Qmc, Shortcomings, Southport And Ormskirk Nhs Trust, Southport Visitor, Spokesman, University Hospitals, Wrongful Discharge
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