Errors or delays in diagnosis can lead to tragic consequences and, when this is due to the negligence of medical staff, compensation may be warranted. In one case, four children whose mother died from cervical cancer in her early 30s secured a six-figure compensation settlement from the NHS.
Solicitors instructed to represent the children alleged that there had been a negligent delay in diagnosing and treating their mother's condition and that her death had been avoidable. The NHS trust responsible for the hospital where she was treated admitted breach of duty, but argued that an earlier diagnosis would have made no difference to the tragic outcome.
Despite that difference of opinion, a £215,000 settlement of the children's case was negotiated without the need for a trial. In approving the compromise, the High Court noted that the mother was a young woman with her life before her. Since her death, her sisters and other family members have done a magnificent job in ensuring that the children have a loving and caring home.
