Medical Negligence

£4m compensation for NI boy left brain damaged

£4m compensation for NI boy left brain damaged

In one of the biggest Northern Ireland medical negligence cases of its kind, a 5 year old boy from north Down has been awarded an estimated £4million in damages. The boy... Read more

Negligent medical care caused death of 100yr old

A hospital has admitted that negligent medical care provided by staff was responsible for a 100-year-old patient dying from dehydration. The Leicester Royal Infirmary admitted that a "catastrophic error" resulted in... Read more

750 medically negligent events in NHS

There have been 750 overtly negligent incidents in the NHS over the last 4 years according to a recent BBC investigation. Described as "never events" - events that should never happen... Read more

NI Health Dept paid £116m in negligence compensation

The Northern Ireland Department of Health has paid out negligence compensation totalling £116million over the last five years according to a new report by Stormont's Public Accounts Committee. The report raises... Read more

£116m negligence claims bill for NI health

The Northern Ireland Department of Health has paid out medical negligence compensation totalling £116million over the last 5 years, according to a new report by the Comptroller and Auditor General... Read more

55 NI negligence claims ongoing for 15-27 yrs

Families in Northern Ireland have been waiting for as long as 27 years to find out the result of their medical negligence cases. The large number of long-running clinical negligence cases... Read more

Belfast dentist faces 46 counts of malpractice

A dentist working at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital is facing 46 counts of malpractice in a London hearing, including claims that he misdiagnosed 15 patients who it was later discovered... Read more

Compensation for dental patient left brain damaged

An unnamed man has been awarded £1million dental negligence compensation after his heart stopped beating during a tooth extraction. The man, now aged 22, was 6 years old when he went... Read more

Call for prosecution of NHS staff who hide mistakes

A public inquiry into mistakes made at Stafford Hospital has proposed that hiding information on staff errors and poor care should become a criminal offence. The inquiry makes 290 recommendations in... Read more

Claim spinal condition confused with back pain

A woman has lodged a claim for medical compensation as she believes that doctors negligently confused a serious spinal injury that she was suffering from with back pain. In May 2011... Read more

NI thalidomide victims await compensation news

The thalidomide drug prescribed for morning sickness proved to be the worst drug disaster in the world, with 10,000 babies born with disfigurements including missing or deformed arms and legs. The... Read more

£2.35m compensation for man left brain damaged

A businessman who was left brain damaged and requiring round the clock care as a result of an error made in his medical treatment has been awarded £2.35million compensation as... Read more

Hospital trust botched 4 surgeries in 1 month

Action is being taken against a hospital trust that botched 4 surgeries in 1 month, including operating on the wrong patient, leaving instruments in two patients, and operating on the... Read more

NI health negligence compensation to reach £250m

The Northern Ireland Department of Health has paid out compensation totalling £116million over the last five years in respect of clinical and social care negligence. There are also estimated to be... Read more

£10m compensation pay-out for brain damaged man

Stepping Hill Hospital is expected to pay out a total of £10million in medical negligence compensation to a man who was left brain damaged when his parents took him to... Read more

Increase in complaints against NI doctors

Complaints against doctors in Northern Ireland to the General Medical Council (GMC) rose by 20 per cent last year. There were 119 complaints in total made to the GMC about doctors... Read more

5 per cent of prescriptions incorrect

A new report by the General Medical Council suggests that 5 per cent of all drug prescriptions contain an error, such as the dosage prescribed, or the instructions for the... Read more

US dentist reused needles for 12 years

In one of the most alarming cases of professional negligence involving a dentist, Dr Stephen Stein is said to have reused dirty syringes and IV's on patients for 12 years,... Read more

Builder seeks compensation after sholder op

Builder Neil Brunton, aged 39, is seeking medical negligence compensation of £100,000 after a poorly executed shoulder operation. A consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Queen's Hospital in Burton carried out corrective... Read more

High Court urges swift NI law reform

A High Court judge has warned of the need to expedite Northern Ireland law reform, saying the current proposals before the Assembly should not be allowed to "gather dust". Mr Justice... Read more

NHS pays £1.2bn medical negligence compensation

The NHS has paid out £1.2billion in clinical negligence compensation in just one year, a new record, and a £350million increase on last year. The total spend includes compensation payouts and... Read more

Negligence compensation for unnecessary surgery

A woman has received £50,000 in medical negligence compensation after undergoing an unnecessary and radical hysterectomy because her smear test results were read incorrectly. Claire Millward, aged 37 from Northampton, was... Read more

£1m medical negligence compensation for ex-paramedic

A retired paramedic is to receive over £1million in medical negligence compensation from the NHS after surgeons removed a healthy part of his brain while operating to remove a tumour. John... Read more

Dental negligence £8k compensation award

Shelley Farrell, aged 49 from Lancashire, is to receive clinical negligence compensation of £8,000 in respect of her claim that her dentist treated her abscess improperly, resulting in what she... Read more

More PIP implants fitted than thought

It has been revealed that 7,000 more women in the UK than originally thought have been fitted with the now banned PIP breast implants, bringing the total of women to... Read more

Pensioner makes £1.3m medical negligence claim

Denzil Shawe-Lincoln, aged 81, is said to have brought a medical negligence claim for compensation for £1.3million, saying doctor negligence resulted in him being confined to a wheelchair. A local newspaper... Read more

Negligence claim - medical swab left inside man

A 77 year old grandfather is to claim medical negligence compensation after it was discovered that a medical swab was left in his body after a surgery, and only detected... Read more

NHS to help NI women with PIP breast implants

While it was recently announced that no PIP breast implants were used by the NHS or private clinics in Northern Ireland, it has been estimated that as many as 400... Read more

Cosmetic surgery firm refuses to replace PIP implants

The cosmetic surgery firm which is believed to have fitted more PIP breast implants than any other UK firm, the Harley Medical Group, has said that it will not be... Read more

PIP breast implants not used in Northern Ireland

Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Michael McBride, says the controversial PIP breast implants were not used in any private or NHS surgery in Northern Ireland. The PIP breast implants are... Read more

Gov to release review on PIP breast implants soon

The UK government is expected to release its review on PIP breast implants shortly. The implants, made by the French firm Poly Implant Prothese, had been banned by France in... Read more

Class action claim over PIP breast implants

As many as 250 women in the UK who had breast implants made by French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) are bringing a group compensation claim action against the clinics... Read more

Woman burned during pacemaker battery change

Joyce Hardingham, aged 83, is bringing a claim for medical negligence against the hospital she was admitted to for a routine pace-maker battery replacement. According to BBC News, the pensioner was... Read more

NHS medical negligence kills 8000 patients in 13 years

Figures released by the government have revealed that clinical negligence by employees of the NHS, including doctors, nurses and ambulance staff, resulted in the deaths of 8000 patients over a... Read more

Teenager left paralysed after hospital blunder

Birmingham Children's Hospital has admitted liability for an error in the treatment of seventeen year old Sophie Tyler that has resulted in her being paralysed from the waist down, and... Read more

Patient wins medical negligence claim

A woman who was scheduled to undergo a routine operation almost lost her life in Methley Park private hospital in Yorkshire, England, and has successfully won a compensation claim for... Read more

Woman wins £160k medical negligence claim

Joanne Connolly has been awarded £160,000 by the High Court after a nine year medical negligence claim battle against Western Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland. ... Read more

£6m damages for negligent facelift surgery

Penny Johnson has been awarded a compensation payout of £6million by the High Court for damage and loss of earnings resulting from negligent facelift surgery she received in 2003. She brought... Read more

Woman wins £160k medical negligence claim

Joanne Connolly has been awarded £160,000 by the High Court after a nine year medical negligence claim battle against Western Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland. Mrs Connolly is... Read more

Contaminated blood victim fights for compensation

A woman who was one of 5,000 people infected with Hepatitis C after receiving contaminated blood as part of the "worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS" is... Read more

Man given wrong medicine twice slips into coma

Raymond Johnston, aged 49, was given incorrect medical care on two separate visits to the Chesterfield hospital, causing him to slip into a coma in both occasions. Mr Johnston went to... Read more

Plastic surgeon sued by woman left with twitch

Businesswoman Penny Johnson is reportedly suing a plastic surgeon for over £50million because the "experimental" cosmetic procedure she underwent left her with a facial twitch. The cosmetic surgeon being sued is... Read more

Hospital admits negligence that left man paralysed

Steven Johns, aged 23, is to receive medical negligence compensation from the hospital which failed to diagnose his spinal abscess when he was admitted at the age of 19. Mr... Read more

NHS early patient discharge costs millions in claims

According to the Express newspaper, the NHS has successfully been sued for a total of £22.5million in compensation over the last 8 years as a result of patients suffering serious... Read more

Botched kidney transplant left donor requiring kidney

A pharmaceutical industry executive who wanted to donate one of his kidneys to his sick father is to sue Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust for £14million after the surgeon made a... Read more

NI hip replacement patients urged to seek legal advice

People in Northern Ireland who have received hip replacements using the ASR Hip System from DePuy Orthopaedics have been advised to seek legal advice following a recent world-wide recall... Read more

Worldwide Depuy ASR hip replacement device recall

DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, has warned Northern Ireland and other UK hospitals not to implant any further metal-on-metal ASR hip replacement devices and to recall any... Read more

Medical negligence case runs for 27 years

The Health and Social Care Board for Northern Ireland has advised that a medical negligence case has been closed after 27 years with no settlement, with legal fees for the... Read more

Woman with surgical equipment left inside her wins claim

Elizabeth Kane, aged 31, attended St Helier Hospital for the birth of her first child in December 2007 only for surgical equipment to be left inside her body causing infection.... Read more

?3million compensation award for injuries caused at birth

Helen Walker has been awarded compensation of £3million to be paid in lifelong periodic payments for injuries caused to her when she was born 37 years ago at Birmingham Women's... Read more

NI man was let down by hospital

The family of a Northern Ireland (NI) man may instruct their solicitor to launch a compensation claim after an official investigation faulted the care given to him at Belfast's Royal... Read more

Man wins millions in medical negligence claim

A British man has won £5.684 million in compensation after medical negligence at birth left him with severe brain damage, it has been reported.Chad Willis was born at North Tees... Read more

Charges scrapped in Northern Ireland

Prescription charges are to be abolished in Northern Ireland, following an announcement by Ulster's Health Minister yesterday, it has been reported.Michael Gimpsey said it was "unacceptable" that those who are... Read more

GMC reviews patient confidentiality

Patient confidentiality and privacy will be examined after the General Medical Council launches a consultation on its guidance to doctors, a report says.In news that may be of interest to... Read more

Medical negligence claims increasing

New figures released by the State Claims Agency have shown that compensation claims for those who have been the victim of medical negligence in Northern Ireland grew significantly in 2007.... Read more

GPs 'to renew licences'

General practitioners are to face a re-evaluation of their levels of care every five years to protect patient safety, it has been announced.Relicensing will rely on information from annual appraisals... Read more

"Zero tolerance" to hospital infections

There has been "good progress" in Northern Ireland's fight against C difficile infections in hospital, the health minister has said.Michael McGimpsey commented that all five trusts have been working hard... Read more

Post-traumatic study due this month

The 'world's largest' study on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is due to be published this month, Legal & Medical magazine reports.Moving Minds, a psychological services provider, told the publication that... Read more

Out-of-date ambulance door falls off

An ambulance operating in Northern Ireland with a sick pensioner on board was forced to stop when its door fell off its hinges.The news came at a meeting of the... Read more

Maternity closure 'would put lives at risk'

The NHS has been warned that closure of a Northern Ireland maternity unit would put mothers and babies at risk.Lagan Valley Hospital's maternity unit is set for closure, though health... Read more

RoSPA awards celebrate success in workplace safety

A charity has held an awards ceremony recognising the achievements of firms in workplace safety.The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Awards are open to companies in Northern... Read more

New bill to compensate asbestos victims

Women who developed mesothelioma after washing their husbands' work-clothes which were covered in asbestos fibres are to be able to claim compensation.The mesothelioma compensation bill, introduced by Northern Ireland social... Read more

Cutbacks 'could have major effect on Northern Ireland healthcare'

Cutbacks in the amount of money spent on healthcare provided by the NHS in Northern Ireland could "have a major impact on the services [it offers]", according to a union... Read more

Third of ambulances unfit for purpose

One in three ambulances in Northern Ireland have been found to be unfit for purpose because they are too old, according to the Department of Health.The BBC reports that figures... Read more

'Jumbo jet's worth of people killed at work every fortnight'

Enough people die at work to fill a jumbo jet every two weeks, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).This is due to a failure to... Read more

£76m medical negligence bill

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland have secured almost £76 million in compensation for victims of medical negligence in the province over the past five years.According to the BBC, details... Read more

Rise in NI hospital bug cases

The number of people dying after contracting the hospital superbug C Difficile in Northern Ireland rose last year.Figures from the General Registers Office (GRO) revealed that the disease claimed 77... Read more

Rise of the superbug

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland may have to deal with more medical negligence cases after a superbug has reached levels not previously seen in the province.While solicitors in Belfast... Read more

Compensation awarded for dental hell

Legal action against dentists who have been negligent is increasing in Britain and Northern Ireland and a man from Bridgwater who £25,000 in compensation has sent out a warning to... Read more

HIV compensation claims reach UK

Haemophiliacs in Britain and Northern Ireland who were infected with HIV during the 1970s and 80s, due to transfusions with contaminated blood, have won the right to fight for compensation... Read more

Chartered surveyor wins clinical negligence claim

A chartered surveyor from Andover has been handed a six-figure sum in damages after the doctors Royal at Hampshire County Hospital failed to detect his perforated appendix.Philip Russell was paid... Read more

Medical negligence less likely from NI doctors

A study has shown that solicitors receive fewer complaints about doctors who have been trained in Northern Ireland than those who have come overseas to practice.Across Britain and Northern Ireland,... Read more

The eyes have it for proper practice

The number of claims for compensation against opticians in Britain and Northern Ireland has fallen to its lowest level in three years.According to statistics from the General Optical Council (GOC),... Read more

£30m in NI medical negligence compensation

Not including solicitors fees, nearly £30 million has been awarded to patients in Northern Ireland who have sued heath care trusts for medical negligence, according to the Department of Health.Some... Read more

Hospital moves fast to avoid medical claim

Northern Ireland's largest hospital may have avoided a glut of medical negligence claims after it shut its intensive care unit for thorough cleansing.A bacterial infection was detected in two patients,... Read more

Apil says PI reforms should be fair to victims

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (Apil) has said that although some of the government's ideas for personal injury (PI) reforms are commendable, legislation should not compromise the rights of... Read more

Meningitis mistake costs a life

The family of a 17-year-old girl is suing the NHS 24 helpline after a nurse advised her to take paracetamol, when she actually had meningitis, which consequently resulted her death.... Read more

Ten PSNI cases thrown out of court

Mr Justice Patrick Coghlin has thrown out claims from all ten of the main complainants in the McClurg case against the Police Authority for Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Chief... Read more

Hospital settles out of court for baby death

Wythenshawe Hospital has agreed to settle financially with a family's solicitors to avoid a medical negligence case being dragged through the courts.After premature baby Clarke Jackson died following an emergency... Read more

AvMA aims to get justice for Scotland

Patients' charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) has announced that it is holding its annual conference in Glasgow this year, as it launches a campaign to improve access to justice... Read more

20-year fight for medical negligence ends

Although solicitors in Britain and Northern Ireland do see cases of medical negligence, it is very rare that they have to deal with a case lasting 20 years.Yet, finally a... Read more

Bereavement compensation 'not enough'

The amount of compensation people in Britain and Northern Ireland receive upon the death of a partner could be too low, according to new research.A study produced by the University... Read more

Lack of beds 'sparks baby bug'

It has been claimed that a lack of beds at hospitals in Northern Ireland is resulting in overcrowding and the spread of a potentially deadly virus.The Belfast Telegraph reports that... Read more

Prisoners claim £1 million of compensation

Over the past five years, prisoners in Northern Ireland have received over £1 million in compensation payouts, according to the BBC.Investigators found that £1,107,830 was paid out in compensation claims... Read more