Cardiac Cases
Cardiac
Full case details
P v Worcester & District Health Authority
(2003)
M, born in February 1978, suffered from Alstrom Syndrome, which
caused blindness, diabetes and excessive weight gain. In October
1991, M was a pupil at the RNIB College in Worcester. He attended a
hospital appointment with a cardiologist in November 1992 but no
treatment or follow-up was given. In November 1994, M collapsed
with a heart condition and was admitted as an emergency to the
Torbay Hospital. It was established that he suffered from
cardiomyopathy. M again collapsed with heart failure in July 1997
but notwithstanding intensive treatment including a heart
transplant at the Papworth Hospital M died on 11 May 2003.
Other solicitors were instructed to investigate and pursue a
claim for M. In the summer of 2001 those solicitors advised M that
he would not be able to succeed with his claim notwithstanding that
the defendant health authority had admitted breach of duty.
In August 2001, the case was referred to Paul McNeil who undertook further investigations
to seek to establish that the failure of the cardiologist to
follow-up M in November 1992 resulted in a failure to prescribe ACE
inhibitors which might have prevented the cardiac failure. We
applied to adjourn the trial and in subsequent proceedings, were
able to successfully argue that M’s heart condition had been made
worse by the failure of the hospital in 1992. Sadly, the settlement
came after M’s death and the matter was concluded in the sum of
£20,000 in June 2003.
C v Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust (1) Ravensbourne NHS
Trust (1999)
C had a history of chronic pain syndrome and had recently been
discharged by from psychiatric unit where he had been treated for
painkilling drug dependency. He presented to accident and emergency
at Bromley Hospital complaining of pain in both arms. In view of
his history, he was referred back to the psychiatric unit, where he
was admitted, and was noted to be suffering with bilateral arm pain
and chest pain. Following psychiatric assessment, it was concluded
that he was not suffering from a psychotic episode and that he
should be returned to the Bromley Hospital for further
investigation. Nevertheless, he was retained in the psychiatric
unit, where his condition slowly deteriorated. He was discharged 10
days later. Just two days after this, he was re-admitted to the
Bromley Hospital suffering from pneumonia as a complication of a
myocardial infarction suffered approximately 12 days earlier.
Sadly, C died.
A settlement of £10,000 plus costs was agreed and approved by
the court.
L v Forest Healthcare NHS Trust (1994)
L, aged 72, suffered from angina and had had a pacemaker fitted.
The angina deteriorated and he visited his GP complaining of severe
chest pains. His GP referred him to the Whipps Cross Hospital. He
arrived at 10:15. At 12:25, an ECG was taken and crescendo angina
was diagnosed (i.e. he was at risk of cardiac arrest at any time).
No treatment was given to him and he waited eight hours to be
admitted to a medical ward. Shortly after this, he suffered a
cardiac arrest and died. In fact, anti-thrombolytic treatment
should have been given immediately when he was admitted to hospital
and he should have been monitored continuously and transferred to a
hospital with a coronary care unit.
A settlement was agreed in the sum of £32,500, plus costs on the
condition that the defendants write a letter of apology to the
claimant, L’s wife.