Substantial Award for Clinical Negligence Claim
26/9/2008
In the case of A v Central Manchester & Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust, Helen Dolan of PotterRees acted for the Claimant.
The Claimant was, on the 16th August 2002, violently assaulted in a hammer attack, he was just 23 at the time. He was taken by emergency ambulance to Manchester Royal Infirmary but staff there failed to recognise the true nature of his condition. He arrived at MRI at 21.50 hours on the 16th August but a CT scan was not performed until some 5 hours later at 03.12 hours the next morning following severe deterioration in his condition. The scan revealed he had extradural haematoma with mass effect and he was transferred as an emergency to Hope Hospital where he underwent emergency craniotomy and evacuation of the extradural haematoma.
He was left severely brain injured and is now a Protected Person for the purposes of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
The Trusts were found liable and in two settlement meetings the case was settled on a lump sum and Periodical Payments basis - just a week before a High Court Trial was due to commence - the overall valuation of A's compensation was in excess of £6.4 million.
