Nobody wants to go to the hospital or the doctors — but sometimes it is unavoidable. Once your treatment is over you should feel much happier and healthier, but this is not always the case. In fact, seeking treatment can sometimes leave you feeling worse than you did beforehand because a medical professional has been negligent.
Below, we have listed just some of the groundbreaking medical negligence cases that have hit the headlines over recent years.
Severe Negligence During an Operation
Maisha Najeeb went to London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital expecting to receive life-changing surgery. Instead, she came away with severe brain damage. During her operation, surgical glue was mistaken for dye, and the dangerous glue was injected into her brain.
She was left blind in one eye and she can only perform limited movements with her limbs. Sadly, she also gets painful spasms in her legs, which have left her confined her to a wheelchair. After suing for medical negligence, she received £24 million in compensation to help improve her quality of life.
Medical Negligence During Childbirth
Aaron Edwards from Florida developed severe cerebral palsy after his mother was induced during labour. By inducing his birth, Aaron was denied vital oxygen, which means that he will suffer from his completely debilitating condition for the rest of his life.
He was awarded $31 million (or £20.6 million) after his family sued for birth injuries. Although a price cannot be put on Aaron’s health and happiness, the money will help him to pay for the medical attention and care he will always need.
Misdiagnosing Cancer
In 2008, Ann Milne received the devastating news that she had terminal liver cancer. After undergoing 6 months of intensive chemotherapy, she was told that she never actually had cancer.
The treatment has left her muscles permanently damaged, but Ann has always maintained that the emotional distress the misdiagnosis brought to her and her family has caused the greatest pain. Ann received an undisclosed amount of compensation from the NHS in an out of court settlement.
Failing to Monitor Children Properly
After failing to monitor the heart rate of Milly Evans during her birth, she was born unable to speak or use any of her limbs. As a result of her debilitating condition, Milly will need to have intensive care for the rest of her life. The NHS was forced to pay her family £10.8 million.
Neglecting Transplant Patients
In 2014, Robert Law thought that his kidney transplant would change his life for the better. However, he sued the NHS after being given a kidney that had an aggressive form of cancer. After 6 rounds of chemotherapy, he survived his cancer diagnosis but Robert stated that the physical and psychological damage he went through during this treatment will never go away.
You may not have been through exactly the same experiences as the people in this article, but you may have suffered because a medical professional or organisation has been negligent. If you’re not sure if you could make a medical negligence claim, contact us today and we will give you the advice you need.