April 29th, 2009
The parents of a teenager who died in hospital after being given drugs that were later described as inappropriate have been awarded damages by an NHS trust.
Alexander Newton, 18, had Duchenne muscular dystrophy and was being treated at the Royal United Hospital in Bath in 2005.
However, he was given the strong painkiller cocodamol and the sleeping drug Zopiclone and went on to suffer hallucinations and three respiratory arrests.
Alexander died after 16 days in hospital.
His parents Barrie Newton, 60, and Pamela, 58, took legal action against the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust for clinical negligence after a coroner ruled that the drugs "took their toll" on their son’s health, although they did not kill him directly.
Although the NHS trust did not admit liability, it has agreed to a "considered sum of money" to compensate for the distress caused to Alexander before his death.
Zopiclone is a hypnotic sleeping drug and a side effect listed by RDS Alert is palpitations in some patients.
Tags: Alexander, Barrie, Clinical Negligence, Cocodamol, Coroner, Damages, Drugs, Hallucinations, Health, Muscular Dystrophy, Newton 18, Nhs Trust, Painkiller, Pamela, Parents, Royal Trust, Royal United Hospital, Sum Of Money, Teenager, Zopiclone
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
February 19th, 2009
A Welsh teenager who suffers from Erb’s palsy as a result of an injury sustained during her birth is to receive compensation.
Harriet Frobisher, now 15, was born at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan in 1994, the BBC reports.
However, during the delivery, Harriet became stuck in the birth canal. The family claimed that hospital staff had not followed correct procedures to resolve this and had instead tried to pull Harriet free.
Consequently, the nerves in her neck were stretched and she developed Erb’s palsy, which is a preventable birth defect that affects the shoulder, arm and hand. Her right arm now has severely limited movement.
Her parents, Gerry and Sharon Frobisher, launched legal action on her behalf in 2007 and the North Wales NHS Trust has now agreed to a settlement without admitting liability.
The exact sum of compensation is not known, but it is believed to be six figures.
Tags: Bbc, Birth Canal, Birth Defect, Erb S Palsy, Hospital Staff, Nerves, Nhs Trust, North Wales, Parents, Right Arm, Shoulder Arm, Six Figures, Sufferer, Teenager, Welsh
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February 16th, 2009
A teenager is taking legal action against Disney after being left brain damaged by a heart attack she claims was caused by repeatedly riding the Tower of Terror ride.
According to the Daily Express, Leanne Deacon went on the thrill ride seven times during a family holiday in Orlando in 2005.
After the last ride, her heart stopped and she suffered a stroke which left her confined to a wheelchair and in need of constant care.
She is now seeking legal action through her mother June in a bid to claim over £10,000 from Disney, claiming that the company was negligent and did not provide the appropriate restraints for people on the ride.
Disney has declined to comment on the case.
Anyone injured in an accident at a theme park may be eligible to claim compensation if it can be proven that the owners or operators were at fault and should seek legal advice in order to investigate their options.
Tags: Constant Care, Daily Express, Disney, Family Holiday, Heart Attack, Leanne Deacon, Left Brain, Legal Advice, Restraints, Seven Times, Stroke, Suffering Heart, Teenager, Theme Park, Thrill Ride, Tower Of Terror, Wheelchair
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January 12th, 2009
The parents of a 16-year-old girl who died when staff failed to give her a brain scan have been paid compensation after a three-year legal battle.
Jenna Lester collapsed on her bathroom floor in 2006 after suffering from months of severe headaches and vomiting.
She was taken to hospital, but was not classed as a priority case and so a brain scan was not performed.
However, she was eventually given one when her condition deteriorated further and a rare brain condition was discovered.
Doctors said to her parents Mark, 42, and Sonia, 40, that they should have done a scan "days ago", but it was too late and Jenna died.
The Medway NHS Foundation Trust admitted it should have adequately assessed the teenager’s condition and her parents will now receive £10,000 in compensation.
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.
Victims of such failures may be eligible to claim compensation and should seek legal advice.
Tags: Bathroom Floor, Brain Scan, Doctors, Failure, Foundation Trust, Legal Advice, Medway, Negligence, Nhs Trust, Old Girl, Parents, Priority, Rare Brain Condition, Severe Headaches, Sonia, Suffering From, Teenager
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December 29th, 2008
A young woman who was hurt in a bus accident has been awarded compensation for the pain and suffering she was caused.
According to reports in the Manchester Evening News, Kayleigh Summers, 16, was travelling on an Arriva bus in Manchester when the steering wheel suddenly came off in the driver’s hand.
Ms Summers was thrown from her seat as he lost control of the vehicle and she suffered a twisted spine, whiplash and a chipped bone in her knee.
Commenting on the injuries, she said: "The whiplash and soreness lasted and I had to have physiotherapy and exercises. I still get pains sometimes and it has stopped me doing things."
She has now been paid £1,700 in compensation from Arriva, but a company spokesperson said the incident was a one-off.
Anyone who is injured as a result of a bus accident or from the driver braking too hard may be entitled to compensation and should seek legal advice.
Tags: Arriva Bus, Bus Accident, Chipped Bone, Company Spokesperson, Freak Bus, Legal Advice, Manchester Evening News, Ms Summers, Pain And Suffering, Physiotherapy, Spine, Steering Wheel, Teenager, Wheel, Whiplash, Young Woman
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
