Compensation awarded to mother who suffered a pulmonary embolism following childbirth
Clarissa Ellerington has successfully recovered compensation for her client who suffered a pulmonary embolism following childbirth.
Failure to prescribe medication
The compensation claim was based on a failure to prescribe postnatal venous thromboprophylaxis resulting in the mother developing a pulmonary embolism.
The events leading up to the claim
During her pregnancy our client was under consultant-led care until she was 37+2 weeks. At 40+2 weeks ago she was admitted to the obstetric unit due to spontaneous rupture of membranes with suspected meconium-stained liquor. Her baby was successfully delivered via forceps.
However, the postnatal VTE assessment was not correctly scored in accordance with local guidance, and there was no recognition that our client had a mid-cavity forceps birth. As a consequence, she was not prescribed thromboprophylaxis, as she should have been, and was discharged home.
Our client went to the emergency department with shortness of breath and chest pain five days after being discharged. Investigations revealed a right sided lower lobe pulmonary embolism.
If you would like to know more about what a pulmonary embolism is then you can watch the following video:
The medical negligence claim
We took this case on under our popular No Win, No Fee funding arrangement.
We instructed several medical experts to comment upon the treatment and care provided to our client following the birth of her baby. The claim was then presented to the Hospital Trust.
The Hospital Trust admitted it was at fault, accepting that the post-natal VTE assessment was incorrectly scored, resulting in a failure to offer venous thromboprophylaxis treatment that would have prevented the pulmonary embolism.
Clarissa commenced negotiations with the Trust’s legal representatives and this resulted in an out of court compensation settlement being reached.
How we can help you
If you have suffered a pulmonary embolism following childbirth then contact our experienced team for a free assessment of your case, along with details of no win, no fee funding. Call freephone 0333 888 0436 or send an email to us at [email protected]