Medical Claim Success Stories

Client awarded six figure sum as a result of wrong diagnosis resulting in a below knee amputation

Justin Goodman, Partner and Head of the Medical Negligence Team at  Pardoes has recovered a substantial six figure sum for a middle aged diabetic who had his diabetic foot sore caused by infection diagnosed as Athletes Foot by an out of hours general practitioner.  As a consequence the GP failed to refer him as a diabetic foot care emergency to a multi disciplinary team in breach of the National Institute for Clinical Excellences published guidelines. 

The client also recovered damages against the hospital trust who attempted to deal with the severe infection in his foot by inadequate surgery which caused him to eventually suffer a below knee amputation of his leg and loss of his livelihood and business interests.

One million pounds recovered on behalf of a teenager who suffered brain damage as a result of a General Practitioner's failure to diagnose

Justin Goodman, Partner and Head of the Medical Negligence Team at Pardoes has recovered one million pounds on behalf of a teenager who suffered moderate brain damages as a result of a General Practitioner's failure over a 36 hour period to recognise that his unusual, intense, sudden onset headaches could have a more sinister cause than just migraines.  He was eventually admitted into hospital and they also failed to adequately investigate his headaches by way of a CT scan. He became very unwell and eventually fitted and started to show early signs of coning. He was transferred to a specialist hospital where an appropriate diagnosis of hydrocephalus caused by a colloid cyst of the third ventricle of his brain was made and he underwent emergency surgery. He is now rebuilding his life.

Dispensing error at Superdrug causes overdose of medication

Mr C was prescribed Lamotrigine to control his epilepsy.  The prescription was for 25mg 4 times per day with a maximum dosage of 100mg per day.  Mr C took the prescription to Superdrug Pharmacy.  Superdrug pharmacy provided a box which contained the correct prescription sticker but contained the wrong tablets.  The tablets were 100mg instead of the prescribed 25mg.  Mr C took 4 tablets a day (being 400mg instead of 100mg) for approximately 2 weeks before he noticed the error.  Thankfully Mr C only suffered minor lethargy and “flu” like symptoms whilst being overdosed and these symptoms subsided shortly after the overdosing stopped.

With the assistance of Daniel Isaac and the Pardoes’ Medical Negligence Team, Mr C put his claim to Superdrug Pharmacy, who conceded liability.  Mr C accepted an out of court settlement within 12 months of the dispensing error.
 

£10,000 compensation awarded for dentist’s failure to treat potentially fatal abscess

Mr C who has requested to remain anonymous attended his dentist and had two fillings and part of one of his teeth removed. Over the course of the following few days, he developed increasing pain in his mouth. Eventually, the pain was excruciating, kept him awake at night and the side of his face had swollen up.

He was advised by his General Practitioner to get an emergency appointment with the dentist, which was refused by his dental practice. Instead he was given an appointment for several days time. During these few days his pain became progressively worse. His mouth became so swollen that he was unable to swallow even saliva. Eleven days after the original treatment, he collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed as having a potentially fatal abscess under the tooth. He was operated on immediately and the abscess was drained. Fortunately, save for some minor facial scarring from where the abscess was drained, he has made a full recovery. He accepted £10,000 compensation.”

If you have been affected by similar circumstances and would like professional legal advice on whether or not you are entitled to make a claim for failure to diagnose, click here to contact a member of the medical negligence team, freephone 0800 862 0442 or submit an online enquiry.

£75,000 awarded to client for failure to treat complex hand injury

Mr C, who has requested to remain anonymous, sustained an injury to his hand during a football game.  Mr C Had suffered a complex compound hand injury.  He was taken to Weston General Hospital where he was seen by an A & E doctor.  An insufficient wash out of the wound was undertaken and Mr C was discharged.  Mr C developed an infection and had to undergo a further operation.  The operation improved function in Mr C's hand although he has been left with reduced dexterity and grip strength in his hand.

It was Mr C's claim, which was supported by expert evidence, that he ought to have been referred to a Special Hand Surgeon.  Had such a referral taken place, a complete wash out would have been undertaken and Mr C would have enjoyed an improvement in his grip strength and dexterity in his hand.

Daniel Isaac, partner and medical negligence solicitor of Pardoes advised Mr C under a 'No Win No Fee' Arrangement and he accepted damages of over £75.000.

£160,000 damages awarded to Claimant after being wrongfully diagnosed with DVT, when in fact suffering from acquired haemophilia

Ms M, who has requested to remain anonymous was diagnosed as suffering from a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and was treated with anticoagulation treatment, when she was, in fact, suffering from acquired haemophilia.

Anticoagulation treatment was not only unnecessary but was dangerous in such a condition and its use caused Mrs Mr to suffer severe internal bleeding. In particular, she suffered from haemorrhages in her left arm and right leg, which have left her with permanent serve neurological damage. Indeed, the Consultant Neurosurgeon who prepared a Condition and Prognosis Report stated as a result of the Defendant's negligence she had sustained "a significant neurological disability affecting her left upper limb, rendering this limn of little functional use to her".

Guy Eskell, medical negligence solicitor successful settled the claim for over £160,000

£245,000 awarded to Deceased's family following hospital's misdiagnosis of breast cancer

Pardoes recovered £245,000 on behalf of the Estate of a lady who had a lump in her breast, which was diagnosed as clinically benign by her General Practitioner. She was eventually referred to a breast clinic where cancer was diagnosed. She underwent a breast mesectomy, but unfortunately died, leaving a husband and two children. 

£50,000 awarded to Claimant following botched reconstruction surgery

Justin Goodman, medical negligence solicitor and Partner at Pardoes acted for the Claimant, a lady in her late 50's who received £50,000 when she underwent reconstruction surgery to her left breast having not recovered from an open sinus (wound) consequent from an earlier operation to remove a previously infected implant. She suffered a further soft tissue infection, a depressive reaction, pain and numbness in her breast and was left with asymmetrical breasts and scarring. 

Claimant awarded £60,000 following hospital's failure to diagnose appendicitis

The Claimant, a 35 year old woman whose family was complete, received over £60,000 after doctors failed to correctly diagnose that she was suffering from appendicitis, which became acute and resulted in a chronic pelvic infection, resulting in an unnecessary hysterectomy.

The doctors had misdiagnosed her appendicitis as gastroenteritis and one of the main reasons for this was that her pain was localised around the centre of her abdomen, rather than on the right hand side. Most people with appendicitis complain of pain on the right hand side, however, approximately 20% of people will have central pain - which is often misdiagnosed as gastroenteritis. 

£250,000 awarded to Claimant following hospital's continued failed attempts to place epidural catheter resulting in lesion to thoracic spine

The Claimant, an unemployed lady suffered a partial hemi-cord (known as a brown sequard) lesion to her thoracic spine following three unsuccessful attempts to place an epidural catheter, using the little known "hanging drop" as opposed to "loss of resistance" technique. Justin Goodman, medical negligence solicitor at Pardoes recovered over £250,000 on behalf of the Claimant. 

£100,000 awarded to Claimant for Erb's palsy following hospital's negligent use of forceps

Justin Goodman, medical negligence solicitor and Partner at Pardoes represented a female teenage who recovered over £100,000 in damages for mild brachial plexus (Erb's palsy) injury to left shoulder following mismanagement of her delivery at a local hospital. 

£50,000 awarded to Claimant following hospital's failure to diagnose and treat bowel leak and removal of gall bladder

Pardoes' medical negligence solicitor Daniel Isaac settled a case for £50,000 for the Claimant following the hospital's delay in diagnosing and treating a bowel leak following removal of her gall bladder.

Shortly after the Claimant underwent removal of her gall bladder, she developed significant abdominal pains. She was taken by ambulance to the Royal United Hospital, Bath. Despite suspecting a bile leak, the hospital failed to implement appropriate treatment in a timely fashion. As a result of the hospital's delay in treating the bowel leak, the Claimant suffered an extended and complicated recovery. Fortunately, the Claimant has made a good recovery but continues to have some occasional ongoing symptoms. The Claimant agreed an out of court settlement for £50,000.

If you or a member of your family have suffered in this way and would like to make a claim against those responsible take a look at our Error and Delay in Diagnosis page.

£200,000 awarded to Deceased's family following hospital's delay in diagnosing and treating cancer

The husband and children of the deceased recovered £200,000 as a result of Musgrove Park Hospital's failure to diagnose and treat her breast cancer. The deceased was referred by her GP to Musgrove Park Hospital after she had noticed a breast lump. The hospital identified abnormal cells and an unexplained lump. However they failed to arrange for a further biopsy. Approximately 20 months later, after further referral from her GP, the hospital diagnosed the deceased's breast cancer. The deceased underwent chemotherapy but unfortunately as a result of the delay, the cancer had spread into her lymphatic system and sadly she passed away. The deceased had a very difficult time dealing with the emotional impact of living with a terminal illness, the side effects of the aggressive treatment, along with the illness itself.

£130,000 awarded to Claimant following a substandard ablation procedure resulting in the Claimant requiring a pace maker

The Claimant experienced heart palpitations and was advised to undergo radiofrequency ablation. The Claimant underwent two unsuccessful ablation attempts at Bristol Royal Infirmary. On the third attempt, which also proved to be unsuccessful, the doctor misplaced the catheter used to deliver the radiofrequency energy. The catheter delivered energy to the wrong area of the heart causing significant damage. This necessitated the insertion of a permanent pace maker. The Claimant was subsequently awarded £130,000 in compensation.

Smith v Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust
£50,000 awarded to Claimant as a result of injuries suffered during a radical hysterectomy operation

Guy Eskell, Medical Negligence Solicitor acted for Terry Smith the Claimant with regard to a medical negligence claim arising out of injuries she suffered during a radical hysterectomy operation.

W v Taunton & Somerset NHS Trust 
£114,000 recovered on behalf of Claimant as a result of Hospital's failure to diagnose fractured fibula

Our client suffered a complex ankle fracture involving a posterior malleolar fracture which was appropriately treated by surgical fixation and a fracture of the fibula and associated disruption of the inferior tibio-fibular joint which was missed on both admission to hospital, during her inpatient stay at the time for her initial injury and subsequently in outpatients despite clear evidence of the missed fracture on subsequent X-rays. Our client went on to develop post-traumatic osteoarthritis with some evidence of a complex regional pain syndrome culminating in two unnecessary surgical procedures and eventually an ankle fusion operation.

Proceedings were issued and the case settled for in excess of £114,000.

£240,000 recovered on behalf of Claimant as a result of substandard surgery

The Claimant received £240,000 in damages as a result of substandard surgery which left her with bowel incontinence and a permanent colostomy. She was aged 24 at the time of settlement.

£50,000 damages recovered on behalf of Claimant when hospital failed to diagnose cervical cancer

The Claimant, Mrs J Was aged 36 when her local hospital failed to diagnose cervical cancer. She eventually received appropriate treatment and made a full recovery. She recovered £50,000 in settlement of her claim.

Miss D

Who was aged 52 had sub standard knee surgery and required several revision procedures within a very short period of time. She had previously worked as a cardiac nurse and was unable to continue in the role that she loved. Her case was successfully settled.

Deceased's wife recovered £140,000 in damages after hospital failed to prescribe the correct medication

The wife of the deceased, received £140,000 as a result of the death of her husband after he suffered a heart attack immediately following surgery. Although the surgery was successful, the hospital failed to provide prescribed medication, which he had been taking for more than 10 years due to a pre-existing medical condition. The lack of medication caused the fatal heart attack.  Frances Letchford, Medical Negligence Partner at Pardoes, whose previous career was that of an intensive care nurse, successfully settled this claim.  

£160,000 awarded to mother on behalf of her daugther after hospital's failure to diagnose appendicitis

A mother, pursuing the claim on behalf of her daughter received damages of over £160,000 following the substandard care received in hospital. The child was admitted to hospital with appendicitis, but due to the hospitals delay in making an appropriate diagnosis and providing treatment, her appendix burst. As a result she was admitted to Intensive Care suffering blood poisoning and heart and kidney failure. She fortunately recovered but is now most likely infertile.