Six-figure compensation for widow after A&E failed to spot husband’s early signs of sepsis

Our medical negligence solicitors helped a widowed client, Jane* secure a six-figure settlement after mistakes led to her husband, Will’s* tragic death.

What happened?

Will was taken to A&E by ambulance in November 2019. He was showing “red flag” symptoms of sepsis, which included a significantly elevated heart rate.

Unfortunately, there was a significant delay in Will getting treatment. This included delays in administering antibiotics and intravenous fluids, and failures to properly monitor Will’s fluid input and urine output.

Sadly, because of the failings in care, Will’s condition deteriorated, and he had a cardiac arrest. Attempts were made to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful.

Had the severity of Will’s condition been appreciated when he went to A&E, his condition was treatable. This meant his cardiac arrest and his untimely death were avoidable.

How did Irwin Mitchell's medical negligence team help?

Jane contacted our solicitors to bring a claim against Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust following the death of her husband.

Our medical negligence solicitors obtained Will’s medical records and independent medical evidence from experts in the fields of Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care, and General Physician. Through their expert opinions, it was concluded that Will's care fell below the reasonable standard expected from them and sadly resulted in Will’s avoidable death.

A Letter of Claim was then sent to the Trust, after which an admission of liability and financial settlement was reached.

A six-figure settlement

We were successful in securing £125,000 in compensation for Jane.

Sadly, the negligent treatment Will received can’t be reversed. However, the compensation will help to ensure that Jane is financially secure for the future and the next chapter of her life.

Jane’s claim was handed by Ruth Thomas, an Associate Solicitor in our medical negligence team. Following conclusion of the claim, Jane said: “Under the guidance of Ruth Thomas and her team, our case was completed and found in our favour.

"Ruth kept us updated at all times, patiently explained each step in the process and helped us to properly understand the process, the possible alternatives and provided all the information we needed, but without overwhelming us with superfluous legal talk.

“She ensured that we did not settle for less and guided us, but without pressurising us into decisions not our own, to make the right decision that resulted in a much more favourable outcome. “We would highly recommend Irwin Mitchell.”

*Names have been changed to preserve anonymity.