Injury compensation news 28/02/2007

Graduate claims medical negligence ruined her life

A graduate who was improperly diagnosed with a stomach bug when she was suffering from appendicitis claims that her life has been ruined because of the medical negligence.

The 21-year-old was a healthy geology graduate and was preparing to move in with her fiancé last year in May when she began to feel stomach pains and started vomiting.

When she visited Liverpool's out-of-hours service Urgent Care 24, she was apparently told by a doctor that she was suffering from gastroenteritis and was sent home after receiving an anti-sickness injection.

However, 48 hours later, she was left fighting for her life and was rushed to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital by her partner in a taxi.

The woman, who believes that she was a victim of clinical negligence, underwent surgery to remove her appendix. She then developed septicaemia and spent nearly six months in hospital being fed through a tube, six weeks of which were spent in a coma.

She said, "I remember suddenly waking up and seeing nurses, I thought I was dreaming.

"I didn't find out until recently that there had been a few scares when they thought I was brain dead."

Her fiancé commented on the medical negligence and said, "[Her] quality of life has been severely affected by the doctor's decision to send her home

"The drugs he gave her were completely useless. I would like someone to take responsibility; I wouldn't want anyone else to have to go through this."

In the future, the graduate may consider contacting personal injury solicitors to make a medical negligence compensation claim.