Medical Negligence Claims​

In one previous case settled in December 2020, an NHS trust agreed to pay millions to a child who suffered brain damage soon after birth. Medics at a Hull hospital were negligent after a boy collapsed and nearly died within days of his birth from an undiagnosed condition. The medics allegedly failed to observe the potential consequences of the boy’s reluctance to feed. This led to his collapse due to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and the boy suffered brain damage as a consequence. While caring for the boy, medics allegedly failed to recognise his lethargy and floppiness, which are common signs of hypoglycemia.

The boy, who has cerebral palsy and requires 24-hour care, has drug-resistant epilepsy, severely impaired vision and is unable to communicate verbally or otherwise. The boy’s parents made a medical negligence claim against the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which admitted liability and settled. In addition to the lump sum of £2.7 million in compensation, the boy will receive tax-free annual payments to cover the costs of his care for life.

In another past case, which was settled in May 2021, a former Labour Party official from Beverley was paid £950,000 after suffering a life-changing stroke which hospital medics missed “several obvious opportunities” to prevent. Alan Ablett suffered a stroke in October 2014 after doctors failed to prescribe blood-thinning medication during hospital visits in the six weeks prior to the attack. The medicine would have prevented the stroke from happening.

Mr Ablett first visited a GP after returning from a holiday when he noticed his speech slurring. He also observed he had been dropping things and was feeling weak. Following the appointment, Mr Ablett suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke, and he was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary (HRI). He was discharged a week later without being given any blood-thinning medication.

During the six-week period leading up to his stroke, Mr Ablett was admitted twice and made four other trips to the hospital. He suffered a series of mini-strokes before he was finally given blood-thinning medication. Mr Ablett said he had to give up his role as local Labour Party chairman due to the effects of his stroke. Those effects include issues with his balance and eyesight. A negligence claim was made against Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which initially denied that failing to prescribe blood-thinning medication contributed to Mr Ablett’s stroke immediately. However, the trust later admitted liability and agreed to pay damages.