Clinical negligence news
30/11/2010

Clinical negligence claim by Devon widower

A widower is making a compensation claim against two Devon health trusts after alleging his late wife suffered clinical negligence by their staff.

He says that his wife, who died three weeks after surgery for her existing Crohn's disease at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, should have been more appropriately treated by a hospital doctor and a district nurse who saw her suffering from breathlessness but failed to give advice or take action.

His 59-year-old wife died from a blood clot on her lung in February 2008. Despite suffering from the inflammatory bowel disease, she had contributed to the family's income as well as providing housekeeping and other domestic services to him and their adult son.

A writ issued by a personal injury solicitor on behalf of her husband seeks damages of £300,000 from Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal Devon trust. It states that if she had returned to hospital for emergency treatment sooner, her life might have been saved.

The Torquay man's lawyer told the press an inquest verdict of misadventure had been recorded on the victim. His client said the clinical negligence of the two health staff had devastated the life of himself and his children.