This young lady approached us to investigate the treatment she received from her local hospital in relation to her ectopic pregnancy.
In October 2006 she was delighted to discover she was pregnant
with her third child However, approximately 6 weeks into her
pregnancy she began to experience blood loss and her midwife
therefore arranged a scan which was undertaken at the Defendant
hospital. She was informed that the scan revealed that she
had suffered a complete miscarriage and was discharged home.
Following her discharge, she continued to suffer excruciating
abdominal pain and was once again admitted to hospital. However in
light of the diagnosis that had been made of a complete miscarriage
she was prescribed painkiller medication and discharged home. No
further scans or investigations were undertaken.
Her pain failed to subside and worsened to the point that she lost
consciousness. She was then once again taken to the Defendant
hospital where she was diagnosed as having suffered a ruptured
fallopian tube as a result of an ectopic pregnancy.
She required an Emergency surgical laparotomy which left her with
abdominal scarring, a blood transfusion for blood loss, treatment
for a shocked lung and a 4 day stay on the Intensive Care Unit.
The incidence left her with such severe physical and emotional
scars that she suffered a period of post traumatic stress disorder
as a result.
With a view to reaching early resolution of this claim, we
submitted to the Defendant an offer to settle, together with copies
of our Medical Evidence.
The Defendant accepted that had the scan been correctly
interpreted and further investigations undertaken then the ectopic
pregnancy was likely to have been diagnosed within a few days of
her initial presentation at hospital for her scan.
They further accepted that in all likelihood it would have been
suitable for conservative management with medication.
Our offer of settlement of £37,000 was accepted.
Time Scale
Instructions were accepted on a Conditional Fee Basis in May 2007
and matters were successfully concluded in December 2008.