TSSA member receives compensation for hospital negligence
Stephen developed Pneumonia and had to be admitted to hospital. Ten days later he was discharged from hospital despite feeling no better.
“Initially I was told that the doctors had planned to carry out further tests but these were never done. I was not coping well at home and when I went back to the hospital, struggling to breathe, I was again discharged without treatment.”
Three weeks later Stephen collapsed at home. He was rushed to hospital and tests showed that he had suffered a severe left-sided stroke. Stephen nearly died, and as a result, he was left brain damaged and paralysed down his left side. If the initial tests had been undertaken when Stephen was first admitted to hospital, doctors would have discovered an infection on his heart which would have been easily treated.
“I spent 11 months in various hospitals undergoing rehabilitation. The severity of my injuries left me dependent on others. I had to learn to walk again,” says Stephen. “We began to struggle at home. My wife did the best she could to care for me with the support of family and friends but we had very little help from outside agencies. The difficulty of living at home with inadequate support came to a head when I fell and fractured my hip as I was getting up from a chair one day. I spent another 9 months in hospital. Any of the limited mobility I had so painstakingly worked to regain was lost – now I can only walk a few steps. My home was no longer suitable: there was not enough room for a wheelchair and I could not get upstairs. We had to rent accommodation.”
Stephen managed to return to work briefly, but had to eventually retire because of the severity of his brain injury. One of his colleagues suggested he contact TSSA’s legal experts, Morrish Solicitors, to bring about a medical negligence claim against the authority.
“I was put in touch with Jane at Morrish Solicitors, who used my case notes and evidence from independent medical experts to establish that I had a claim. At first the authority denied that were at fault and it was only after Jane filed Court Proceedings and had instructed Counsel that they admitted that they had been negligent.”
Through investigations, it became clear that Stephen’s stroke arose from the failure of hospital staff to carry out further tests at the outset. It was also established that proper management would have prevented Stephen’s brain injury.
“Jane recovered substantial compensation for me, transforming our lives. It has enabled me to buy a new home adapted for disabled living. Where I used to be confined to the downstairs I can now use a lift and I can get into all the rooms in our home and can enjoy the garden. After my stroke I had to make weekly trips to a charitable centre for a bath. Now I have the right equipment to shower safely at home and I have carers who can look after me 24 hours a day. I have a wheelchair-adapted vehicle and I can go on holiday with my family again. These may seem like little things but they have made such a difference to my life.”
I am very grateful to my Solicitor Jane who has fought for justice for me. I would not have known where to turn to get help. Thankfully TSSA has fantastic lawyers.”
Based on a real life case. Certain details have been altered to protect the identities of the victims.
Morrish Solicitors LLP provides expert legal advice for medical negligence cases, accidents and injuries. For further information, contact the medical negligence team, call 033 3344 9600, or complete our online claim form.
