James Bowles
Clinical Negligence
Clinical Negligence case study
A medical practitioner owes a duty of care to their patient.
A medical practitioner owes a duty of care to their patient.
This duty is to take reasonable care to:
- take a proper history
- investigate the patient’s symptoms and complaints properly
- make proper differential diagnoses
- make any necessary referrals to specialists
- initiate action in order to take all reasonable steps to procure the health of the patient
- provide a reasonable course of treatment
- follow the patient up afterwards if that is reasonably necessary
Here is a summary of a Clinical Negligence matter in which the Defendant failed to provide the necessary drugs before and after surgery for a stent to be installed into the Claimant’s brain. As a result of the failure to administer the drugs, the Claimant suffered a stroke leaving her with severe and permanent brain damage, severe and permanent physical disability and a lowered life expectancy. The Defendant denied liability and causation. The matter was listed for a pre-trial review. Settlement offers were discussed in a joint settlement meeting. The matter concluded by consent. The settlement monies were used in part to purchase alternative accommodation suited to the client’s needs.
