£230k awarded for female reproductive system injuries | Case Study

Compensation for a clinical negligence claim of £230,000 was accepted in an out of Court settlement in 2001 by a 63 year old woman for female reproductive system injuries sustained during negligent radical surgery to remove the bladder, urethra, womb, and ovaries.

Injury details:

At the time of the incident the claimant, a female, was aged 57. The claimant had cancer and as part of her treatment was undergoing surgery to remove her bladder, urethra, womb and both ovaries. During the course of the operation dextrose was administered to the claimant.

The amount of dextrose however was not monitored resulting in the claimant receiving a much higher dosage than would normally be the case. The claimant also had a problem with low blood pressure which again was not properly monitored during the operation giving rise to further complications.

Following the operation the claimant suffered from a series of conditions all of which are known to stem from prolonged low blood pressure. Neurological damage, spinal cord infarction and renal failure all resulted. Temporary dialysis and further operations followed but the claimant was not to recover from her injuries.

The long term impact on the claimant was considerable. A full time carer was required to help the claimant with toileting, dressing and personal hygiene as well as most household tasks. The claimant's lack of mobility effectively left her incontinent with a need to regularly use the toilet. All these problems it was anticipated would get worse the older the claimant got.

Inevitably the problems had an impact on the claimant's mental state requiring psychiatric treatment.

Allegation:

The claimant alleged negligence against the defendant. The claimant argued that the defendant had failed to properly administer anaesthetic during the course of the operation giving rise to the problems and disabilities now being suffered.

Settlement and conclusion

Solicitors acting on behalf of the claimant entered into negotiations with the defendant without the need for Court proceedings. Liability was admitted by the defendant and damages for pain and suffering agreed at £50,000.00. In this particular case however future losses including future care were important factors and in total the claimant received damages of £230,000 which at today's value would be £341,827.