April 30th, 2009
A couple are suing the NHS for failing to pick up their son’s physical abnormalities in the womb and therefore robbing them of their chances to have an abortion.
The parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a 20-week abnormality scan at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, but claim that the sonographer performed in too light-hearted a manner and did not properly look for problems.
The child was born with severe mental and physical disabilities, but the couple claim that had they found out about this at the scan beforehand, they would have aborted the foetus, the Daily Mail reports.
As a result, they are suing Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust for the ‘wrongful birth’ of their son, now 14, in the hope of being awarded a payout for his long-term care.
The trust denies liability and a hearing into the case is continuing.
According to BabyCentre.co.uk, about half of all major abnormalities will be seen on the 20-week scan. If a problem is found or suspected, an appointment will be made with a foetal medical specialist and options such as abortion or operations in the womb will be discussed.
Tags: Abortion, Appointment, Babycentre, Daily Mail, Foetus, Fylde, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Long Term Care, Mail Reports, Medical Specialist, Parents, Physical Abnormalities, Physical Disabilities, Sonographer, Suing The Nhs, Victoria Hospital, Womb, Wrongful Birth, Wyre
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January 22nd, 2009
A child has been awarded £8 million in compensation after she was left with cerebral palsy due to an injury in the womb.
The eight-year-old, who has not been named, was still in her mother’s womb when the car the pregnant woman was travelling in was involved in a head-on collision, according to reports in the Sheffield Telegraph.
Due to the force of the impact, a placental abruption occurred and the child was born with acute cerebral palsy, a non-progressive disorder that affects movement and communication.
She will need care for the rest of her life and her mother launched legal action against the other driver in order to be able to pay for this.
After the insurers of the other car admitted liability, a judge at the high court ordered a payout of £8 million.
According to Scope, one in 400 children born in the UK has cerebral palsy.
Tags: 8m, Cerebral Palsy, Damages, Head On Collision, Placental, Pregnant Woman, Progressive Disorder, Scope, Sheffield Telegraph, Womb
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January 5th, 2009
A child who was born severely disabled is to be awarded compensation by the hospital his mother always claimed was responsible.
Stephen Loraine was born in August 2000, but was starved of oxygen in the womb and developed spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, the Liverpool Echo reports.
This is a condition which affects all four limbs and is categorised by symptoms including jerky movements and difficulties in walking, speaking and sitting unaided.
His mother Pauline claimed that staff at Arrowe Park hospital should have checked records of her previous births, which would have showed a fibroid in her womb and would have resulted in Stephen being delivered more quickly.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust has reconsidered plans to appeal against a high court decision to award compensation and it will now pay Stephen a significant amount to cover his long-term care.
"This will make such a difference to Stephen’s life and that’s all I want. We have no ramps and to be able to move him from room to room or get him out in the garden will be brilliant," Ms Loraine commented.
Tags: Arrowe Park Hospital, Births, Cerebral Palsy, Court Decision, Fibroid, Hospital Nhs Trust, Jerky Movements, Liverpool Echo, Long Term Care, Loraine, Mother Pauline, Oxygen, Ramps, University Teaching Hospital, Womb
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September 10th, 2008
A woman who was admitted to hospital for a minor operation is to sue the hospital after she was left unable to have children.
Lynn McGuigan, then 36, was admitted into hospital for a kidney infection and septicaemia and discharged.
However, the day after, she began to feel unwell and returned to the hospital, reports the Telegraph.
Although staff suspected a bowel perforation, it was discovered that her womb had actually been perforated during the initial treatment and it would have to be removed.
Ms McGuigan is to claim damages from the hospital, alleging that staff misdiagnosed her illness.
"I want to make more women aware of the possible risks related to this type of procedure," she remarked.
A spokesperson for the hospital was unable to comment while the case is pending.
Clinical negligence occurs when a professional in the health service provides care that is deemed to be below standard and this causes physical injury, death or distress.
Tags: Bowel Perforation, Clinical Negligence, Damages, Health Service, Initial Treatment, Injury Death, Kidney Infection, Mcguigan, Septicaemia, Spokesperson, Telegraph, Woman, Womb
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July 21st, 2008
A child who was starved of oxygen while being born has been awarded a significant compensation payout, it has been reported.
Stephen Loraine, seven, from Rock Ferry now requires 24-hour care after suffering spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and impaired sight as a result of the blunder, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Medical staff at the hospital failed to notice that Stephen’s mother, Pauline, had a "fibroid" in her womb and had endured a previous breech delivery.
The high court ruled on Friday (July 18th) that had Ms Loraine been kept in hospital, the massive bleeding that starved Stephen of oxygen could have been prevented.
Ms Loraine, who has given up her job to care for her son, commented: "We are so relieved. A court case is stressful enough, but when the future of your child is at stake, it is the most important thing in the world."
Unite members at Arrowe recently voted to take industrial action following changed to the way wages are paid.
Tags: 24 Hour, Blunder, Breech Delivery, Cerebral Palsy, Court Case, Job, July 18th, Liverpool Echo, Loraine, Medical Staff, Mother Pauline, Oxygen, Rock Ferry, Stake, Wages, Womb
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