Compensation obtained due to Tragic Miscarriage
We recently dealt with a case where a woman was awarded £15,000 in compensation following a tragic miscarriage experience at Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH).
We recently dealt with a case where a woman was awarded £15,000 in compensation following a tragic miscarriage experience at Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH).
Miss W attended PAH after she experienced bleeding. She was 16 and a half weeks pregnant. She was asked to return for a scan and examination. Upon returning she was in pain and bleeding heavily. Following the scan our client was abruptly and without any compassion informed that there was no heartbeat and that she would have to deliver the foetus.
Our client was understandably extremely upset and also in extreme pain. She was adamant that she wanted a proper burial for her unborn child. Unfortunately whilst waiting for a priest to come and see her she felt the need to go to the toilet whereby she gave birth to the foetus in the toilet bowl. A doctor refused to provide help to her in the bathroom and as such a nurse helped her to the doctor’s office.
She was then told to get dressed and was discharged with no aftercare, advice, pain relief or support. She also overheard a doctor instruct a nurse to flush the foetus and our client was never even aware of the sex of her unborn baby. She was unable to give her baby a proper burial and therefore did not have a place to mourn.
As a result of this tragic miscarriage experience the client sustained emotional pain and distress and succeeded in her claim for compensation due to the psychological consequences of this tragic event.
The Chief Executive of the Trust responded to the client’s complaint and confirmed that “I would like to apologise most sincerely for the significant failures in care that Miss W experienced. The root cause appears to be a breakdown in communication and the failure to follow correct procedures. Measures have been taken to address these failings and ensure that this incident will never occur again . . .” In addition, the Chief Executive has expressed her “sympathy in what sounds like a really horrid miscarriage experience”. No amounts of money or apology can ever undo the pain and suffering our client has experienced but we were able to help our client obtain a form of closure.
Here at Attwaters Jameson Hill we are very experienced in dealing with such cases and are able to deal with them with the compassion and sympathy that they require.
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