Results tagged “medical negligence” from LDP - The Legal Week

IT WOULD seem that we are hearing on a daily basis worrying information about the standard of our hospital care.

Only recently did we read about the Health Chief's enquiry into the trauma surgeon, Toby Branfoot, who worked at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust as a consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon.

Bosses at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust have ordered a review of treatment by the cdonsultant trauma surgeon and the Trust is already facing legal action from one of his patients who suffered catastrophic complications and had his lower left leg amputated six months after he underwent major reconstruction surgery.

I READ last week in the Daily Post that scores of Liverpool women are dying needlessly from breast cancer every year because their condition is diagnosed too late.

The city was found to have one of the worst survival rates anywhere in England, with almost 7% of women dead within one year of being told they have the condition.

Health experts believe the high death rate is explained by a failure to diagnose the cancer early enough.

NEW FIGURES from the NHS Litigation Authority show that pay-outs made in clinical negligence cases rose to £807m in 2008/2009.

The amount paid out was up around 20% on 2007/2008 when £661m was paid in compensation and solicitors' fees.

Last year, legal fees accounted for £143m of the £807m paid out.

I AM often consulted by clients wishing to investigate a potential medical negligence claim due to their frustrations at the failure of medical staff to listen to their concerns they have regarding the care they are or their family are receiving.

I have a client who was in hospital for 3 months and from the 3rd week to the 8th week, he continually complained of pain in his behind.

He was ignored by the medical staff and when someone did listen to him, it was too late, in that he had developed a large pressure sore which he is still being treated for two years later.