Medical Negligence Case Studies
Pannone Medical Negligence Case Studies
Our specialist medical negligence solicitors have been making a difference to the lives of injured patients and families for over 20 years. We have helped victims secure medical negligence settlements throughout the United Kingdom. Here you can read about some of our successful medical negligence case wins.
If you or a member of your family would like advice on making a medical negligence claim please contact us on 0800 0382 832.
Accident & Emergency (A&E) negligence
Birth injury
Brain injury
Cancer misdiagnosis and late diagnosis
Cerebral palsy
Cosmetic surgery
Eye treatment
Inquest / fatal accidents
Misdiagnosis
Orthopaedic
Pregnancy & maternity injury
Spinal injury
Accident & Emergency claim | £40,000 settlement
Delay in diagnosing and treating meningococcal septicaemia
Pannone‘s medical negligence solicitors settled a case for the mother and the estate of a four year old boy. The claim arose from the delay in diagnosing and treating meningococcal septicaemia.
A mother took her son to the Accident & Emergency department at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary with symptoms including high temperature, non-blanching rash, red spots, fever, aching limbs and sore throat. There was a delay in diagnosing and treating him. He was not transferred to paediatric intensive care at the appropriate time. He was not incubated or ventilated until 3.40 am the following day upon the arrival of a specialist team from another hospital. He suffered a number of cardiac arrests and sadly died on the following day.
His mother was with him throughout and suffered a psychiatric injury as a result. Expert evidence was obtained and we negotiated a settlement of £40,000 to help pay for the mother’s psychiatric treatment.
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 A&E claims and misdiagnosis claims pages.
Birth injury | £3.75m settlement
Our client contacted us after watching a cerebral palsy documentary
We were approached by a young lady with cerebral palsy. She had seen a television programme about a boy with similar injuries to her own who had obtained compensation. After investigating the claim we alleged that the midwife looking after our client’s mother during labour had negligently failed to listen to the fetal heart.
Had the midwife listened to the fetal heart she would have realised that it was showing signs of distress and summoned medical assistance, ensuring that our client would have been delivered before sustaining any injury.
At the trial, on the issue of liability, we were able to secure a settlement (based on obtaining evidence of our client's current and future needs) of £3.75m. This money will go a long way in paying for the client’s treatment and also for necessary equipment to make her home more user-friendly.
If you or a family member have suffered in this way and would like to make a claim against those responsible take a look at our birth injury and cerebral palsy pages.
Brain injury claim | £450,000 settlement
Our client suffered brain swelling for medication did not improve his condition
Our client was suffering from symptoms of vomiting, insomnia, drinking copious amounts of fluid and crying in pain. After some initial investigations, diabetic ketoacidosis was diagnosed. Medication by way of a drip was introduced, but our client’s condition did not improve and he became comatose, stopped breathing and required cardiac resuscitation. As a result of the mismanagement of the diabetic ketoacidosis he had suffered cerebral oedema – brain swelling.
Prior to the negligence, the Claimant had some learning difficulties. Following the negligent treatment, he suffered increased learning difficulties, mood change with outbursts of anger, was hyperactive and craved attention. He had difficulties in unfamiliar surroundings. Damages were agreed in the sum of £450,000 due to the severity of the increased learning difficulties that developed after the initial, incorrect diagnosis.
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 adult brain injury and head injury pages.
Cancer claims | £220,000 settlement
Negligent failure to diagnose bladder cancer
Our client began to experience pain passing water and noticed blood in his urine. He visited a hospital accident and emergency department and was diagnosed with haematuria (blood in the urine). The hospital subsequently wrote to the defendant General Practitioner (GP) advising him of our client‘s condition and instructing him to refer the patient to a urologist.
The GP failed to carry out the referral or advise the patient that he should see a urologist. Our client continued to suffer from haematuria. 18 months after the first presentation our client was eventually referred to a urologist and a cancerous tumour on the right side of his bladder was identified.
He subsequently underwent systemic chemotherapy treatment and a radical cystectomy (removal of bladder, prostate and urethra). He subsequently required a stoma bag. We were able to settle his claim for £220,000 which could help pay for any additional treatment as well as any subsequent amendments to his home. 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 claims against GPs, misdiagnosis and cancer claim pages.
Cancer claim | £215,000 settlement
Negligent misdiagnosis of nasal polypoid tumour
Our client received £215,000 for the misdiagnosis of his nasal polypoid tumour during treatment over a 12 year period. The settlement highlighted the extent of damage to the client’s lifestyle and would help pay for making his home more accessible and safer to suit his subsequent disabilities.
Our client suffered from total left-side blindness, impaired smell and taste and balance difficulties. He also suffered psychological injury and was dependent upon his wife.
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 cancer claims or diagnosing errors and delay claims pages.
Cerebral palsy | £2.5m settlement
Meningitis caused by e-coli infection resulted in cerebral palsy
We have settled a case for a child with cerebral palsy. Our client was born using forceps after several attempts at delivery, resulting in trauma to her head. E-coli infection was transmitted through the laceration on her scalp. She developed meningitis as a result and consequently suffered a serious brain injury.
We obtained independent medical evidence which criticised the doctors for failing to deliver our client by caesarean section. The doctors were further criticised for failing to administer antibiotics and the appropriate time and then transfer our client to the special care baby unit.
As a result our client suffered from a combination of disabilities including cognitive impairment, learning difficulties, epilepsy and impaired mobility. Her life expectancy is reduced by five-10 years and she will have limited intellectual functioning for the rest of her life.
Over £2.5m was the agreed settlement, which included damages to help pay for care, physiotherapy, future loss of earnings and aids and equipment.
If you or a family member have suffered in this way and would like to make a claim against those responsible take a look at our birth injury and cerebral palsy pages.
Cerebral palsy claim | £3m settlement
Our client's hypoglycaemia diagnosis delay resulted in cerebral palsy
We acted for a baby boy who became ill, soon after delivery, with hypoglycaemia which was not diagnosed. He went on to develop cerebral palsy with visual difficulties, epilepsy and learning difficulties.
While the case was being pursued, interim payments were obtained from the Defendant which helped to pay for adapted accommodation, a car big enough for his wheelchair, leveled decking for the garden and a specially adapted bike. Most of the damages however, related to our client’s need for one to one supervision by a team of four carers. We agreed final settlement of his case in the sum of £3m to help with the funding of these necessary alterations.
If you or a family member have suffered in this way and would like to make a claim against those responsible take a look at our birth injury and cerebral palsy pages.
Cosmetic surgery claim | £ six figure settlement
Our client Denise Hendry was desperately ill after negligently performed liposuction
We acted for Denise Hendry, wife of the former Manchester City and Blackburn footballer and Scotland captain Colin Hendry, against Mr Gustaf Aniansson, who performed her liposuction operation.
During the course of surgery Mr Aniansson perforated the bowel and small colon on no fewer than nine separate occasions and as a result Mrs Hendry became desperately ill having to receive extensive treatment in the intensive care unit of Royal Preston Hospital.
We were able to obtain a significant sum in compensation for Denise, believed to be the highest award ever in a cosmetic surgery case in this country.
In addition, Denise was one of a considerable number of women who lodged formal complaints to the General Medical Council alleging that cosmetic surgery undertaken by Mr Aniansson had been performed negligently. After seeing the evidence against him Mr Aniansson voluntarily asked to be removed from the medical register which means that he is no longer able to practice as a surgeon in the UK. A six figure settlement was agreed due to how serious the complications had been.
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 cosmetic surgery claims page.
Eye treatment claim | £12,500 settlement
Failure to diagnose glaucomatous material in eye and operating on wrong eye
Our client was diagnosed with glaucoma but following treatment she was advised to discontinue anti glaucoma medication. She developed glaucomatous material in her right eye which was not diagnosed for two years.
When it was diagnosed the surgeon then operated on the wrong eye. As a result of the operation Mrs A sustained an intraocular haemorrhage in her left eye and then had to undergo surgery to her right eye to correct the original problem. The claim settled for £12,500 due to the unnecessary suffering our client went through on both of her eyes.
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 eye surgery claims page.
Inquest / death following cardiac surgery | settlement £115,000
We acted on behalf of the family of a lady who died following cardiac surgery
The patient underwent an angioplasty to treat angina. During that treatment, her artery was pierced. The surgeon failed to notice that this had happened.
The patient was unwell following the procedure but nursing staff failed to realise the seriousness of her condition.
She suffered a cardiac arrest, irreversible brain damage and died as a result. We were able to settle the claim on behalf of her husband and three children, securing damages of £115,000 as a result of how serious the surgeon’s mistake had been.
If you and your family have suffered in this way and would like to make a claim against those responsible take a look at our inquest and surgery claim pages.
Misdiagnosis claim | £425,000 settlement
Failure to diagnose calcaneal fracture
We acted for a patient who suffered a significant fracture to her ankle. She was seen by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who failed to diagnose a calcaneal fracture which was apparent on x ray. The claimant remained undiagnosed until around two years later by which time arthritic changes had taken place and remedial surgery was impossible. She therefore required a fusion of her ankle (sub talar arthrodesis). She was left in constant pain and with restriction on mobility which was likely to be permanent.
If you or a member of your family have suffered in this way and would like to bring a claim against those responsible take a look at our orthopaedic claims or misdiagnosis claims pages.
Misdiagnosis claim | £1.2m settlement
Above knee amputation following misdiagnosis
Our client was diagnosed with a malignant bone tumour leading to chemotherapy and surgery involving a knee replacement with a titanium implant. Less than a year later she was advised that the original diagnosis had been incorrect and the growth had in fact been benign. Most of her treatment had been unnecessary.
Ultimately, as a result of significant problems with the implant our client decided to undergo an above knee amputation of her right leg to put an end to the pain she was coping with daily. Damages of £1.2m were recovered to help pay for adaptations to the client’s home, necessary after such extensive surgery.
Orthopaedic claim | £200,000 settlement
Treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip
Our client was born with dislocatable hips. This was diagnosed correctly during the neonatal period. The treatment involved placing the hips in a von rosen splint to hold them in a reduced position to encourage normal development.
The paediatric orthopaedic surgeon failed to take X-rays during treatment to ensure that the hips were in fact being held in the correct position. An X-ray after six weeks demonstrated that in fact the splint was holding the left hip in an unreduced (dislocated) position but the treatment was not altered. This meant that the blood flow to the hip had been disrupted, causing avascular necrosis.
Our claimant required surgery aged four months and he underwent further surgery as a teenager. He has been left with a permanent discrepancy in leg length and a vulnerable hip which will need replacement around age 30 with subsequent revision surgery.
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 birth injury and orthopaedic claim pages.
Orthopaedic claims | £100,000 settlement
Negligent treatment of MRSA infection
Our client underwent a total hip replacement. 12 days later she was diagnosed with MRSA. The hospital treated her with antibiotics (flucloxacillan) over a period of around eight months.
She sustained permanent damage to her hip and severe mobility problems as a result. We alleged that after four months of treatment the infection was very likely to be present in the hip. Continuing with antibiotics was inappropriate and our client should have been advised to undergo surgery to remove the hip to remove the infection with cover from a more suitable antibiotic (vancomycin), following which she would have been able to undergo surgery within three months.
We were able to settle the claim for £100,000, money the client could use to adapt her home to make it more accessible due to her resultant mobility problems.
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 orthopaedic and surgery claim pages.
Pregnancy claim | £1.5m settlement
Failure to diagnose Down’s syndrome during pregnancy
The defendant hospital failed to offer the opportunity for the pregnant mother of twins to undergo nuchal translucency scanning - the only effective preliminary test to establish the risk of Down’s syndrome. Had this been performed an amniocentesis would have followed and identified high risk, and a termination undergone. As it was twin girls were born, both suffering Down syndrome.
The settlement of £1.5m reflects the extra cost of bringing up two disabled girls in a suitably adapted home and with the correct learning aids and equipment for their needs. (The cost is over and above that of bringing up twins not affected by Down’s syndrome).
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 pregnancy and birth claims page.
Failure to diagnose a spinal injury | £ six figure spinal injury settlement
We represented a young man who, at the age of 12, began to suffer spinal cord compression. He attended his local hospital describing symptoms of paralysis in his neck but the diagnosis was missed on xray. By the time the diagnosis was eventually made 4 years later he had suffered permanent injury. He now struggles to walk and is in constant pain as a result of his spinal injury. Had he been diagnosed and treated when he first went to hospital he would have made a full recovery.
If you or a member of your family have suffered in this way and would like to bring a claim against those responsible take a look at our spinal injury claim and misdiagnosis claim pages.
Call Pannone Solicitors on 0800 0382 832 to discuss your medical negligence case with our expert Medical Negligence Solicitors.