Diagnosis of astrocytoma leaves a child with visual loss
The injury
A delay in surgery to insert a cystoperitoneal shunt left our client W with significant visual loss.
Some of her sight could have been saved with a timely shunt insertion.
W was left with no useful vision in her one eye and in the other eye, she had visual field loss and colour impairment.
Even though she would have had some impairment, the negligence meant that she was:
- registered as sight impaired
- Needed assistance getting to school
- Unable to perform PE
- Unable to drive as an adult.
- Struggled to find work as an adult
- Had reduced earning capacity
- Required adaptations to the home and
- Help with child care as an adult
Contact Us Today
We can help you investigate your case and help recover compensation for your physical and psychological injury together with the cost of future treatment, rehabilitation, loss of earnings (if unable to work as a result of the injury), vital aids and equipment and for any care or support that is required as long as it can be attributed to the negligence.
What Happened to our client?
- In January 2009 L who at the time was only 9 years old was seen at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham with a 4 - 5 month history of headaches, blurred vision, dizziness and nausea. A brain MRI was carried out which revealed hydrocephalus (a buildup of fluid on the brain) as a result of a cystic cerebellar astrocytoma and she was found to have swelling of the optic disc(papilloedema) and some visual issues
- W underwent a successful craniectomy for tumour resection on the same month but an ophthalmic review was not carried out shortly afterwards or prior to her discharge from hospital.
- She continued to complain of double vision and difficulty focusing and by February 2009 her ability to distinguish shapes and objects had deteriorated. She was readmitted to hospital but discharged with advice to return if her symptoms worsened only to return later that month complaining of persistent headaches. A CT scan was carried out, but it was not until she was readmitted at the end of February 2009 that she finally underwent an ophthalmic review which confirmed that she had raised intracranial pressure and she underwent insertion of a cystoperitoneal shunt to relieve the pressure.
- Unfortunately the delay in carrying out visual assessments and therefore delay in the insertion of the shunt meant that L was left with visual loss in one eye and impairment of vision in the other.
Concerned about a delay in diagnosis of cancer
While no amount of compensation will ever be enough for your or a family member’s suffering or loss, if you or a loved one has been affected by healthcare negligence, we can help you through the legal process for investigating your concerns against a healthcare professional and your negligence claim if there is one.
We will do this by providing legal representation on a no-win-no-fee basis to investigate what happened, help you get some answers, help you secure compensation, help seek justice for you and help to secure your or your loved one’s future.
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The Outcome For Our Client
Liability was denied throughout this very complex case which took over years to conclude.
A significant six-figure sum was eventually agreed upon, without an admission of liability, at a settlement meeting.
Disclaimer
Whilst our case studies are designed to give an indication of the outcomes that can be achieved in these circumstances, the compensation awarded in individual cases can vary significantly due to a range of factors, including the severity of injury, effects on life expectancy and financial impact, for example. For more information, contact us today.
Our Approach
We will support you, guide you and be your voice throughout.
If you are concerned about the medical treatment that you or a loved one has received, please contact us and one of our specialist team will assist you.
