Couple Wins Compensation in Medical Negligence Claim
A couple who made a compensation claim against an Essex hospital after complaining of medical negligence, have been awarded a five-figure payout.
They took legal action against Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, after the female suffered a stillbirth last year.
The NHS trust that runs the hospital admitted liability and made a full apology to the couple for their failure to properly monitor a case of pre-eclampsia suffered by the mother. This led to complications during the birth of their baby.
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust agreed a compensation package with the couple and added that it hopes to learn from the mistakes made during the incident.
A spokeswoman for the trust said: “Since the death of baby Carl, the trust has taken appropriate steps to ensure that a similar incident does not occur in the future.”
Specialist injury lawyer Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said: “This case highlights some of the real tragedy that lies behind claims involving medical error.
“This is a high award, as often such cases attract relatively modest sums in compensation due to the outdated legislation that applies to fatal cases.
“It is also positive that the trust acknowledges mistakes were made and has committed to improvement in services – it is important to go back and see if changes have been implemented as promised within the agreed time frame or at all.”
Updated on 25/01/2010