October 28th, 2009
The parents of a girl who was left paralysed after having an operation on her back are suing the hospital where she was treated.
Laura May, now 15, had begun to develop a curvature of the spine when she was 11, the Lancashire Evening Post reports.
The girl’s parents agreed that surgery was necessary and Laura was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital in February 2005.
However, surgeon Roger Battersby Smith got too close to the spinal cord during the procedure and now Laura is unable to move from the chest down.
Christine and William May have taken legal action against Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, alleging that the surgeon did not adequately monitor the distance between his tools and the girl’s spine and was therefore negligent.
The hospital claims it took "reasonable care" to ensure Laura was safe.
Earlier in 2009, the Telegraph reported that three NHS patients every month are now receiving compensation of over £1 million each because of failures in their care in hospital.
Tags: 1 Million, Battersby, Curvature Of The Spine, February 2005, Foundation Trust, Lancashire Evening Post, Nhs Patients, Parents, Reasonable Care, Spinal Cord, Teaching Hospitals, Telegraph
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
September 9th, 2009
A recycling worker from Wiltshire is in line for a seven-figure compensation payment after a botched neck operation left him severely disabled.
Michael Hart underwent surgery to remove a compressed disc at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in September 2008, in what should have been a routine procedure.
However, an error by surgeons led to complications which caused irreversible damage to Mr Hart’s spinal cord.
As a result, he is now confined to a wheelchair, with only limited movement in his hands.
Following his release from hospital in April this year, he began a medical negligence claim against Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust, which has now admitted full liability for the mistake made by its staff.
A compensation figure is still to be agreed, but it is almost certain to be more than £1 million, as it will take into account loss of earnings and the cost of long-term care for Mr Hart.
The news comes after the NHS Litigation Authority’s annual report revealed the health service spent £807 million to settle compensation claims in the 2008-09 financial year.
Tags: Compensation Claims, Compensation Payment, Health Service, Hospital Nhs Trust, Irreversible Damage, John Radcliffe Hospital, Litigation, Long Term Care, Loss Of Earnings, Medical Negligence Claim, Michael Hart, Nhs Litigation Authority, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Nhs Trust, Recycling, Routine Procedure, Spinal Cord, Wheelchair, Wiltshire
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
September 3rd, 2009
A man who was left permanently disabled because a medical condition was left untreated is to receive compensation for his suffering.
Anthony Venner was admitted to Eastbourne District General Hospital in February 2005 with suspected compression of the nerves in his spinal cord, the Rye and Battle Observer reports.
Despite the condition, also known as cauda equina syndrome, being classed as an emergency, Mr Venner was not transferred to a hospital with MRI facilities until 20:30 GMT the following day.
The scan was then delayed until the day after. By the time the victim was diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome, he had already suffered permanent back damage, urinary and bowel difficulties and loss of sensation in his legs.
Mr Venner took legal action against the NHS trust responsible for both hospitals. Although they denied liability, a settlement of £72,500 has now been reached for the patient to cover his long-term care.
According to e-MedicineHealth.com, cauda equina syndrome is considered a surgical emergency and should be treated as soon as possible.
Tags: District General Hospital, Eastbourne District General Hospital, February 2005, Legs, Long Term Care, Loss Of Sensation, Medical Condition, Mri Facilities, Nerves, Nhs Hospitals, Nhs Trust, Observer Reports, Spinal Cord, Suffering, Surgical Emergency, Venner
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May 14th, 2009
A horse rider who was left paralysed from the neck down when her horse was spooked by a motorbike is suing the rider of the vehicle.
Shelley Brown, 46, was riding in a country lane when the bike, ridden by Ian Surry, came towards her at speed.
She claims that although she waved at Mr Surry to slow down, he did not and pulled into a gateway right in front of her.
The horse bolted and fell, landing on top of Ms Brown and causing severe spinal injuries.
She is now suing Mr Surry, alleging that he was negligent in failing to slow down for horses and because he only held a provisional licence, meaning he should not have been on the road.
Mr Surry declined to comment.
According to a paper published in the medical journal Spinal Cord, serious injuries to the nervous system are the most dangerous type of injury to horse riders and many people affected by them never recover.
Tags: 300k, Dangerous Type, Horse People, Horse Rider, Horse Riders, Horses, Many People, Medical Journal, Motorbike, Motorcyclist, Ms Brown, Nervous System, Shelley Brown, Spinal Cord, Spinal Injuries
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
April 17th, 2009
A woman who claims that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was at fault for an accident which caused her horse to kick her in the head is claiming compensation from the government department.
Jane Holloway, 62, was visiting the horse that she owns in Devon when a Chinook helicopter flew past.
She alleges that the vehicle was flying too low, at an estimated nine metres, and that this frightened the horse.
It reared up and kicked her, leaving her with a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain.
Ms Holloway is claiming compensation for the accident in the hope that she can avoid it happening to anyone else.
"I could easily have died, or been left in a vegetative state," she commented.
An MoD spokesperson said the accident is currently under investigation.
Statistics from the British Horse Society, published in the medical journal Spinal Cord, show that a third of accidents involving horses in the UK result in head injuries.
Tags: Accidents, Brain, British Horse Society, Chinook Helicopter, Claiming Compensation, Devon, Fractured Skull, Government Department, Head Injuries, Holloway, Horse Woman, Horses, Medical Journal, Ministry Of Defence, Spinal Cord, Spokesperson, Statistics, Vegetative State, Woman Horse
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
