Pulmonary embolism following admission to hospital due to negligence

Our client was informally admitted to the Bradgate Mental Health Unit at Glenfield Hospital due to her Bipolar Affective Disorder.

On admission, our Client had informed the admitting doctor, that she had a history of Factor V Leiden which is a blood clotting disorder which can increase the chance of developing abnormal blood clots.

A week later our client was formally admitted under the Mental Health Act 1983 and was transferred to a ward where she began to refuse food and drink and her mobility started to reduce.

Over the next few weeks our client began to spend a considerable amount of time in her bedroom asleep or resting on her bed.

6 weeks after her admission our client told her family that she was experiencing pain in her left leg.  She continued to have pain and swelling for 3 days before being admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary with symptoms in her neck and chest.  She was felt to be suffering from a DVT and transferred to Glenfield Hospital.  Investigations confirmed a pulmonary embolism, and she was treated with anti-coagulant medication.  

A claim was pursued against the mental health trust on the basis that there was a failure to determine the significance of the Factor V diagnosis, adequately assess our client’s risk of developing DVT and take steps to reduce the risk of this particularly when our client’s presentation changed, and her mobility decreased.

Liability was denied throughout, but damages were eventually agreed to settle the claim.