Compensation for ‘failure to diagnose’

Posted 29/05/2012

Ashtons Legal’s Julie Crossley has obtained compensation for the family of a woman whose symptoms were not diagnosed correctly and who therefore incurred unnecessary suffering in the days prior to her death and, indeed, might have lived longer if diagnosed properly at the outset.

Mrs H was an elderly lady from Surrey who was still living in her own home with the help of carers. She became ill with lower back pain and her GP prescribed painkillers which did not assist so she went to the Accident and Emergency Department of her local hospital and underwent an x-ray. A few days later she was admitted to hospital and underwent blood tests. Initially her family were told that her pain was due to osteoarthritis; it was not until the day before her death that they were advised she might have myeloma. If her condition had been diagnosed correctly when she first visited the hospital, her life might have been successfully prolonged and the pain she was suffering could have been treated appropriately.Julie Crossley comments: “Mrs H had no dependents as her children were grown up so the compensation obtained was only ?3,000 for the pain and suffering she incurred. The family’s motivation here was not financial but to raise awareness of the substandard care they believe Mrs H received in the hope that changes will be made to ensure the same thing does not happen to anyone else.”