Adams Personal Injury Blog
Family of Murdered Patient Wins Damages
Friday, 26 February 2010
The family of an elderly patient who died of an insulin overdose administered by a hospital nurse has been awarded almost £50,000 in compensation.
Doris Ludlam, 80, was one of four elderly patients who were given lethal injections of insulin by nurse Colin Norris, who is now serving a jail sentence for the murders.
Doctors became suspicious when one of the patients went into a hypoglycaemic coma despite not being a diabetic. Blood tests revealed insulin levels that were 12 times the normal amount and the woman subsequently died.
The Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust accepted responsibility for Mrs Ludlam’s death and agreed to pay her family compensation of £47,500. The Trust also apologised for the distress caused to the family and for the systems failures that had allowed the nurse access to potentially lethal drugs without challenge.
Mrs Ludlam’s widower, Walter, 94, suffers from dementia and the money will be used to pay for his care.
The families of Mr Norris’s other victims are also pursuing compensation claims, but Mrs Ludlam’s case is the first to be formally agreed.
Fortunately, cases of this kind are rare. In this instance, the hospital clearly failed to supervise its staff adequately and have in place the appropriate systems and checks that would have prevented unauthorised access to potentially dangerous drugs.
For advice and guidance on compensation claims, please contact one of our dedicated personal injury solicitors
posted by Admin at
17:00
Post On: 
Delicious | 
Diggit | 
Reddit
£75,000 Interim Payment for Pothole Slip
Thursday, 25 February 2010
A man who suffered severe brain damage when he slipped and fell on an uneven public road in North London has received an interim payment of £75,000.
Kyle Bullock, 33, was walking with friends down a steep and poorly maintained road when the accident happened. Having dropped a little way behind the others, he began jogging in order to catch them up, but he tripped over a deep pothole. He lost his balance and fell to the ground before rolling down the hill and striking his head on the edge of another pothole.
In hospital, it was found that Mr Bullock had suffered a severe brain injury as well as multiple fractures to his skull. He was therefore transferred to a specialist neurology and neurosurgical hospital for further treatment.
After months of rehabilitation, Mr Bullock has not fully recovered from his injuries and requires assistance with everyday tasks. As a result of the accident he suffered a personality change, which led to the breakdown of his relationship with his partner, and he is no longer able to work.
A claim was brought against a subsidiary company of Haringey Council, which was responsible for the upkeep of the road. The organisation contended, however, that the potholes were not the cause of Mr Bullock’s accident.
Eventually, however, the company was prepared to accept the majority of the responsibility for the accident. Mr Bullock was granted an interim award of £75,000 prior to the full amount of his claim for compensation being quantified.
If you have been injured because the council or organisation responsible for maintaining a road or pavement properly has failed to do so, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact one of our personal injury specialists for advice.
posted by Admin at
09:21
Post On: Delicious | Diggit | Reddit
£1.1 Million Compensation for Victim of Drunken Driver
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
A road worker from Tyneside who was knocked down by a driver who was over the limit has won £1.1 million in compensation for his injuries.
William Kane, 55, had been sent by his employer to work on a highways contract for the Irish Government. He had been out with friends one evening after work when the accident happened. He was crossing the road when he was hit by a car driven by Justin Cherry, who was driving whilst over the legal blood-alcohol level.
Mr Kane suffered 15 serious injuries, including severe brain damage, lacerations of his scalp and multiple fractures. Initially, he was treated in a hospital in County Kildare where he lay in a coma for six weeks, only kept alive by a ventilator. Because of the severity of his injuries doctors feared he would never recover.
When he came out of the coma, Mr Kane was flown to a rehabilitation unit in Doncaster where he faced a further nine months of treatment as he learned to walk and talk again. He now suffers from mental and physical problems. He has poor short- and long-term memory and has difficulty walking without a cane. It is very unlikely that he will ever be able to work again and he requires regular attention from carers to look after his day-to-day needs.
Mr Kane began legal proceedings in the Irish courts. The driver’s insurance company made a low offer to settle the claim, but this was rejected. Following negotiations, a figure of €1.25 million (£1.1 million) compensation was agreed and this was subsequently approved by the High Court in Dublin.
“Nothing can adequately compensate for the loss of one’s health and normal way of life. However, a financial settlement can help the victim of an accident such as this to adjust to the changes in their circumstances and relieve them from financial hardship.” Says one of our personal injury specialists
If you are injured in a road accident through no fault of your own, whether as a driver, passenger or pedestrian, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact us for advice on how to proceed with your claim.
posted by Admin at
10:15
Post On: Delicious | Diggit | Reddit
