If your child has been a victim of medical or clinical negligence our highly experienced team of solicitors at Lanyon Bowdler can assist you in the event you wish to complain or seek compensation. For legal advice on making a clinical or medical negligence claim please contact Paula Nash, Head of Clinical Negligence or one of her team on 0800 954 9936.
A large number of medical negligence claims involving children relate to the treatment provided to them, often during labour or at the time of their birth. Injury is often linked to the circumstances surrounding labour and delivery, to include oxygen depravation, injury caused by delayed instrumental delivery, or inappropriate application, or excessive traction, when using forceps or ventouse. Such medical negligence claims often involve varying degrees of brain injury, skull fractures, Erbs palsy and facial palsy. For further information on this type of injury, please view the separate heading of birth injury/cerebral palsy on this website.
There is another category of medical negligence claim involving children which arises from errors in treatment and delays in diagnosing typical childhood conditions, illnesses and infections. If these conditions are left untreated for any time then a permanent disability or death is very possible. Young children are particularly at risk of injury arising out of delayed diagnosis and incorrect treatment, as they often can't communicate how they feel and often their symptoms are overlooked.
There are many areas Paediatrics cover to include specialisations such as:
- Delay in diagnosis of a congenital or developmental hip dysplasia resulting in permanent injury.
- Neonatology - dealing with diseases and illnesses in the first few weeks and months of life
- Neurology - dealing with nervous system conditions such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, brain injury, hypoxia
- Endocrinology - dealing with hormone problems in children including diabetes, thyroid problems and growth problems.
- Development - dealing with learning disability and physical disability.
The Consultant Paediatric Surgeon is a surgeon who deals primarily with operations in children. He/She will usually deal with surgical problems that arise in early childhood such as abdominal hernia, acute abdomen, appendicitis, intussusceptions. They may have a special interest in a particular area of paediatric surgery such as neonatal surgery, urology, cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery or neurosurgery. Negligence by Paediatric Surgeons usually relates to failure to diagnose a condition, or a poor outcome following the operation or procedure.
Compensation claims for paediatric medical negligence may arise out of:
- Failure to promptly identify, diagnose and treat serious and fast acting infections such as meningitis, septicaemia, osteomyelitis and tuberculosis
- Failure to diagnose and treat asthmatic attacks or more chronic illnesses such as childhood diabetes or epilepsy
- Failure to identify and recognise the significance of headaches and/or deteriorating sight leading to delays in diagnosis of tumours
- Maladministration of drugs and drug doses which can result in permanent disability and sometimes death, to include chemotherapy treatment
- Failure to correctly identify and treat fractures, which can if left undiagnosed, present a long-term consequence with uneven or abnormal bone growth
- Complications from tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
- Undiagnosed seizure disorders (infantile spasms, epilepsy and pyridoxine deficiency)
- Improper treatment of leukaemia
Paediatric Compensation Claims
Paediatric compensation claims are not just limited to negligence by a paediatrician. If your general practitioner, other specialist or hospital has provided negligent treatment to your child, and if this has resulted in 'damage', then your child may be eligible for compensation. The amount of compensation that may be awarded to your child will depend on many variables to include the severity of your child's injuries, disabilities and the impact on your child's needs now and in the future.
At Lanyon Bowdler we have a reputation of expertise in handling children's compensation claims for medical negligence.
For a free consultation call 0800 954 9936