The deceased was seen by A&E following a serious fall downstairs in which he struck his head.
The deceased was seen by A&E following a serious fall
downstairs in which he struck his head.
The A&E team noted a scalp laceration and ordered an x-ray
of the skull. The deceased remained in hospital overnight for
observation. He was discharged later the following day.
The following morning, the deceased was found by his father
lying face down on the bedroom floor, blue in face and gurgling
from his throat and struggling to breath. His father called an
ambulance and attempted mouth to mouth.
The deceased was admitted to A&E with a Glasgow Coma Scale
of 3. His family were later told that he had suffered permanent
severe brain damage.
After an extensive stage of rehabilitation the deceased was
moved to a nursing home. He was left with permanent brain damage,
no speech and required feeding by a gastrostomy tube. The deceased
was wheelchair dependant.
It was admitted by the Trust that the deceased should have been
transfered to a neurological ward and not discharged.
The settlement was based upon a payment of damages of
£165,000.