A Patient Claim Line Case Study
Shannon Jackson, a 23-year-old teaching assistant and new mother, was robbed of savouring her precious few weeks with her new baby when a Grade 2 pressure sore was allowed to develop.
The Incident
Miss Jackson was admitted to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital for the birth of her first child. She was given an epidural some time into the labour, and the following morning a pressure sore to her right buttock was noted.
At discharge, the district nurses were due to treat her pressure sore and change the dressings, but they failed to arrive. Once home, Miss Jackson’s neighbour – a nurse – visited her home every day for the first couple of weeks to change the dressing.
The pressure sore took two months to heal, which severely hindered the first precious weeks of Miss Jackson’s bonding time with her first child.
The Case
Her case was represented by Amy Kirk, Chartered Legal Executive at Patient Claim Line. During case proceedings, the defendant argued that much of Miss Jackson’s injury was unlikely to be pressure-related and more just the labour itself, i.e. a combination of friction and moisture and not as a result of their Breach of Duty.
The Aftermath
Nevertheless, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust have advised that they have now developed a new, modified waterlow risk assessment for maternity, which will form part of the initial risk assessment be undertaken when expectant mothers are admitted to the delivery suite to improve their services and prevent errors from recurring.
The Outcome
Amy explains:
“Your first labour is very daunting and recovering from birth is hard enough in itself, let alone having to also recover from an avoidable sacrum pressure sore.
“I am very sorry that my client’s first few weeks of motherhood were made more difficult by the pressure sore. I am pleased that she can now move forward and use her compensation for herself and her daughter.”
The case was settled at £8,375 in our client’s favour.
If you have suffered any type of medical negligence in the South East. we have a team of medical negligence solicitors that can guide you through the whole of your claim.