October 29th, 2009
A girl who went blind after doctors failed to spot a brain tumour has been awarded £1.5 million in compensation.
Tatum Rock, now 16, went into King George Hospital in Essex after banging her head in a fall in 1999.
She had X-rays, but was sent home when the radiologist missed a large brain tumour. Although the condition came to light four months later and she had corrective surgery, it was too late to save her sight.
An investigation revealed that had the X-ray been read properly, the victim would have had surgery immediately and her sight would most likely have been saved.
Tatum took legal action against Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which has now admitted liability for the misdiagnosis and agreed to the payout.
Hospital bosses apologised for the failings and wished Tatum well for her future at university.
Research from Imperial College London recently revealed that as many as one in six NHS patients are being misdiagnosed by either GPs or hospital staff.
Tags: 5 Million, 5m, Barking Havering And Redbridge, Brain Tumour, Corrective Surgery, Doctors, Essex, Four Months, Gps, Havering, Hospital Staff, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Imperial College London, Misdiagnosis, Nhs Patients, Radiologist, University Hospitals Nhs Trust, X Ray, X Rays
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September 7th, 2009
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has paid £150,000 compensation to the family of a man who died after staff failed to diagnose a serious heart condition.
David Whittaker, 61, died after suffering a torn artery, a condition known as aortic dissection.
However, staff at Queen’s Medical Centre failed to spot this when he went to the hospital after complaining of chest pains.
Staff carried out some tests on Mr Whittaker, but did not undertake an electrocardiogram – a scan which may have identified the condition and enabled doctors to treat it appropriately.
He was discharged from hospital, but died the following day.
Mr Whittaker’s widow pursued a medical negligence claim against the trust, which admitted there had been shortcomings in his treatment and agreed a settlement, which included the six-figure compensation payout.
"[The settlement] accepts that an inappropriate failure to diagnose and treat her late husband’s aortic dissection on July 24th 2006 and that, had appropriate treatment been provided, her late husband would probably have survived," a spokesman for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said.
News of the payout comes just weeks after the NHS Litigation Authority revealed the NHS spent £807 million to settle compensation claims in 2008-09.
Tags: Aortic Dissection, Chest Pains, Compensation Claims, David Whittaker, Doctors, Electrocardiogram, Failure, Hospitals Nhs Trust, July 24th, Litigation, Medical Centre, Medical Negligence Claim, Nhs Litigation Authority, Nottingham University, Queen, Serious Heart Condition, Shortcomings, Spokesman, University Hospitals Nhs Trust
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July 16th, 2009
A couple are seeking legal action against an NHS trust after their baby was delivered so forcefully that part of his scalp detached.
Charlene Steel and Robin Heslop – the baby’s parents – claim they had pleaded with staff at Cumberland Infirmary to perform a Caesarean section following two hours of difficult labour, the News and Star reports.
However, medics continued to try to use a ventouse cap to pull the baby out.
When baby Bobbie was born, his head was bleeding and his parents fear he may have brain damage.
"The midwife was pulling so hard the veins on her arms stuck out," commented Mr Heslop.
Ms Steel believes that doctors should have recognised the traumatic labour and should have given her a Caesarean section. They have now taken legal action against North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust for negligence.
The trust declined to comment while the case goes through the appropriate legal channels.
According to BabyCentre.co.uk, rates of Caesarean delivery in the UK vary from place to place; in some locations it is as low as 13 to 15 per cent, while in others it may be 25 to 30 per cent.
Tags: Baby Bobbie, Babycentre, Brain Damage, Caesarean Delivery, Caesarean Section, Charlene, Cumberland, Cumberland Infirmary, Heslop, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Labour, Legal Channels, Medics, Midwife, Ms Steel, Negligence, North Cumbria, Star Reports, University Hospitals Nhs Trust, Veins
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December 17th, 2008
A woman who worked as an NHS nurse has received damages after the court of appeal ruled that her former employers were partly responsible for an injury she received.
Donna Jane Egan, 39, was a senior nurse at Manchester Royal Infirmary in June 2003, where she was using a hoist to lift a patient into the bath.
However, Manchester Evening News reports, the hoist became jammed and stopped suddenly, causing Ms Egan to seriously hurt her back.
She was off work for two years and although a previous hearing ruled that her employers were not responsible, she took further legal action.
Now, Lady Justice Smith has overturned that verdict, stating that the Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust was 50 per cent liable because it should had measures in place to avoid the accident.
Ms Egan will now be paid compensation that is likely to amount to tens of thousands of pounds.
There is legislation in place to ensure employers provide protection against workplace injuries. Anyone who has been injured should speak to a legal representative as time limitations apply on the claims process.
Tags: Central Manchester, Court Of Appeal, Damages, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Jane Egan, Lady Justice, Legal Representative, Legislation, Manchester Children, Manchester Evening News, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Measures, Nhs Nurse, S University, Tens Of Thousands, Time Limitations, University Hospitals Nhs Trust, Wins, Woman, Workplace Injuries
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September 18th, 2008
A widow has issued a high court writ against an NHS trust following the death of her husband.
Yolanda Arnold from Brighton launched the legal action against the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust – which claims to treat over half a million patients a year – following Albert Hodge’s death in 2005.
Mr Arnold, 38, had become ill with an eye inflammation in February 2004 and was treated; however, he contracted chickenpox in August 2005, the Argus reports.
He was admitted to and discharged from hospital, but continued to suffer pains in his chest and stomach and began to cough up blood.
Although he was later readmitted to hospital, Mr Arnold had developed blood clots and renal failure and died on August 28th.
Mrs Arnold claims that the hospital should have realised his immune system had been weakened by steroids prescribed for the eye inflammation and was therefore negligent in that it did not provide anti-viral drugs.
The high court writ is for compensation of up to £300,000, which Mrs Arnold claims should be paid by the trust because it previously admitted a breach of duty.
A spokesperson for the NHS declined to comment.
Tags: Anti Viral Drugs, Argus, Blood Clots, Breach Of Duty, Brighton, Chickenpox, Eye Inflammation, Half A Million, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Immune System, Mr Arnold, Renal Failure, Spokesperson, Steroids, Stomach, Sussex, Sussex University, University Hospitals Nhs Trust, Writ
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