A Patient Claim Line Case Study

The Incident

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were found to be negligent after the glaucoma diagnosis for a 71-year-old taxi driver was not treated and managed sufficiently, leaving him with marked visual loss in his eye.

The Case

Jennifer Argent, medical negligence solicitor for Patient Claim Line, took charge of the case. The claimant, who wishes to remain anonymous, was first diagnosed with glaucoma in January 2013 and it was then he was referred for investigations and treatment.

Investigations into the case uncovered that he was seen in the Ophthalmology department, where he was prescribed drops which he understood he would need to take for the rest of his life. Unfortunately this appointment was not followed up on and was not seen again until March 2017.

By this time, the claimant had suffered marked visual loss in his right eye.

The Aftermath

The claimant’s occupation as a taxi driver meant that his career was severely affected by his deteriorating vision. He is currently having annual eye tests and he fears that his licence could be revoked should his vision worsen, which would not have been an issue had he been treated earlier.

The Outcome

The claimant received a £30,000 settlement to cover loss of earnings and to compensate for the damage caused. Jennifer Argent, solicitor at Patient Claim Line, said of the case: “The defendant accepted their failure to recall him for review but denied the extent of the damage caused. After some negotiation, we managed to obtain a settlement for him that reflected his permanent visual loss and the real prospect of him losing his employment much more prematurely than he intended.”

The claimant remarked: “Thank you for everything you have done to secure this payment, I am very grateful to you.”