deep vein thrombosis

Medical treatment

Mr W was admitted to the A&E department at his local hospital after suffering a fall. A CT scan confirmed a fracture to his pelvis and he was admitted for treatment.

Mr W was prescribed medication to help thin his blood and reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clot, while immobile.

If a full assessment had been undertaken, it would have identified that Mr W required double the dose of medication due to the type of fracture and his age. There was also a delay in giving the first dose for more than 24 hours of him being immobile.

This lower dose medication was repeated over the next few days. Sadly, on the third day, Mr W died suddenly following a pulmonary embolism caused by a DVT. He was survived by his wife and adult daughters. Mr W had run a successful business and had supported his family financially.


Support and specialist advice

Our team of specialist solicitors advised Mrs W on a potential claim for compensation and organised representation at the inquest where the treating consultant conceded that the dose of medicine given was wrong and therefore too low.

We obtained evidence from an expert consultant orthopaedic surgeon and haematologist to support a claim for compensation Mrs W. These experts agreed that the failure to prescribe the correct dose of medication materially contributed to Mr W’s death.


Settlement

Initially the hospital trust was not willing to make any admission or negotiate a settlement, arguing that an increased dose would not have altered the outcome.

A month before a court trial we were able to obtain agreed damages of approximately £500,000. Mrs W praised the support provided by us and the professional handling of the claim through a particularly traumatic time in her life.

Our experienced solicitors pursued the claim for compensation for Mrs W despite repeated refusal to resolve matters by the trust. Our priority was to ensure that Mrs W received answers as to why her husband died and enough compensation to provide her with much needed financial security for the future. Mrs W was extremely grateful for the help and support we provided her. Whilst Mrs W acknowledged that no amount of money would ever be enough to compensate her for her loss, she felt the outcome justified her decision to investigate what happened to her late husband.

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