October 12th, 2009
A soldier who served in Iraq has died after receiving the lungs of a smoker which had a cancerous tumour inside.
Corporal Matthew Millington, 31, developed an incurable lung condition in 2005 and was told he would need a lung transplant in order to survive.
He had the operation at Cambridge’s Papworth Hospital in April 2007, but was not able to breathe as easily as he was told he should.
Almost a year later, it was found that one of the lungs – which had come from someone who smoked up to 50 roll-ups a day – had a cancerous tumour. Despite undergoing cancer treatment, Corporal Millington died in February 2008.
The hospital admitted that use of immuno-supressant drugs after the transplant accelerated the cancer’s growth, but insisted that such incidents are rare.
Although Corporal Millington’s family is not seeking compensation from the hospital, anyone who feels they have not received adequate treatment should seek the advice of a solicitor in order to pursue a clinical negligence claim.
Tags: Adequate Treatment, Cambridge Hospital, Cancer Treatment, Cancerous Tumour, Clinical Negligence, Corporal, Drugs, Iraq, Lung Condition, Lung Transplant, Lungs Of A Smoker, Negligence Claim, Papworth Hospital, Roll Ups, Smoker S Lungs, Soldier, Solicitor, Ups
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August 11th, 2009
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has agreed to a compensation payout of £30,000 for a former soldier who was almost deafened in a training exercise.
Charles Bradlaugh, 22, was ordered to take off his ear defenders during a live firing task in November 2004. His supervisors told him to run to a trench and put on the ear plugs there and to then begin firing back.
Although it was claimed this would make the training more "battle realistic", Mr Bradlaugh was unable to find any ear plugs and his colleagues began firing before he could let them know he had no protection.
He was discharged from the army on medical grounds in 2007 due to the damage he sustained to his ears and decided to take legal action against the MoD.
The £328,941 payout was agreed this week to compensate him for lost earnings and general damages.
Earlier this month, it was revealed by the Derby Telegraph that former Royal Marine Tom Birch is seeking compensation from the MoD after the Land Rover he was driving in Afghanistan plunged 100 feet off a cliff.
Tags: 30k, Afghanistan, Army, Charles Bradlaugh, Colleagues, Derby Telegraph, Ear Defenders, Ear Plugs, Earnings, Ears, Exercise, General Damages, Hearing Loss, Land Rover, Lost, Medical Grounds, Ministry Of Defence, Soldier, Tom Birch
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August 3rd, 2009
A soldier who was left permanently disabled after the Land Rover he was in plunged over a cliff face is seeking compensation against the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Former Royal Marine Tom Birch had been on duty in Afghanistan in November 2006 when he lost control and the vehicle fell 100 feet over the cliff. He suffered brain injuries, a collapsed lung, a fractured jaw and a crushed hip, the Derby Telegraph reports.
The 21-year-old is now suing the MoD for negligence, claiming that the vehicle was in a state of disrepair and that the organisation had turned a blind eye to the fact that he was not in possession of any kind of driving licence.
His mother Gail Birch said: "No amount of money can compensate for his injuries. Nothing may come of this compensation claim but we have to try as the MoD needs to be held accountable."
The news comes as the MoD attempts to recover some of the compensation it paid to two injured soldiers from the Iraq conflict. It claims that some of their disabilities developed after the initial accidents and so they should not be compensated for them.
Tags: Accidents, Amount Of Money, Blind Eye, Brain Injuries, Cliff Face, Collapsed Lung, Compensation Claim, Derby Telegraph, Disabilities, Disrepair, Fractured Jaw, Gail, Iraq Conflict, Land Rover, Ministry Of Defence, Negligence, Plunge, Possession, Soldier, Tom Birch
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July 17th, 2009
A man has been paid what is believed to be a multi-million pound sum in compensation after suffering terrible injuries in a road crash.
David Gratton, now 26, was a soldier in the Coldstream Guards in February 2005 and was travelling in a Land Rover along the M3 in Hampshire.
However, the vehicle was hit by a milk tanker and Mr Gratton was almost killed. He now faces a lifetime of serious mobility and cognitive problems and cannot talk.
With the help of his family, Mr Gratton sued Malcolm Hibbard, the driver of the tanker. His insurers have now admitted liability and have agreed to an undisclosed compensation settlement.
"I am just grateful it is all over. It has taken a long time but it is enough to pay for all his needs for the rest of his life," said Mr Gratton’s father Alan.
According to a survey carried out by the Road Safety Foundation, as many as 25 per cent of motorways fail to rate as safe.
Tags: Cognitive Problems, Coldstream Guards, Father Alan, February 2005, Land Rover, Life Quot, Lifetime, Long Time, M3, Milk Tanker, Road Accident, Road Crash, Road Safety, Safety Foundation, Soldier
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July 3rd, 2009
An officer who was badly hurt when he jumped from a bridge into a reservoir is to receive millions in compensation after a judge deemed that he had been under pressure to do so.
Charles Radclyffe, 30, was an officer in the Irish Guards in 2003 when he was carrying out duties in Germany, the Salisbury Journal reports.
His senior officer told him he should make the 65-foot leap to prove his bravery and that it would be "bad form" if he did not.
Although they were not on duty at the time, Mr Radclyffe felt under peer pressure to do so and made the jump. However, he landed in the shallow water on his knees and was left disabled.
He had to use a wheelchair for several months and still needs crutches.
An appeal court judge this week ruled that the leap was "not solely his own freely made decision" and ruled that he should receive compensation.
This is likely to run into millions of pounds and Mr Radclyffe is also to receive a £200,000 advance damages payment from the Ministry of Defence.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, established in 2005, provides compensation for all injuries, ill health and deaths that occur mostly during service.
Tags: Appeal Court, Armed Forces, Bravery, Compensation Scheme, Court Judge, Crutches, Damages, Deaths, Ill Health, Irish Guards, Knees, Leap, Ministry Of Defence, Peer Pressure, Radclyffe, Salisbury Journal, Shallow Water, Soldier, Wheelchair
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