At Thompsons, we are not afraid to take on difficult cases, cases that other law firms would walk away from, as this week’s stroke claim highlights.

Our client experienced what she believed was a lightning strike to her eyes. She attended an A&E department only to be discharged with an ophthalmology appointment.

At her ophthalmology appointment the following day, medical staff queried whether she had in fact experienced a small stroke and referred her to a stroke clinic. While waiting for her appointment, she suffered a second stroke causing neurological impairment and meaning that she was no longer able to continue working or driving.

Hospital Liability

We got the hospital to accept that our client should have been admitted to a ward from A&E. However, it denied that its failure to do so had caused the injury arguing that she would have had the second stroke regardless.

After hearing all of the evidence, a senior Judge held that had she been admitted for treatment following her attendance at A&E the treatment would have made a material contribution to the severity of her second stroke, even if that second stroke would have still occurred. The Judge then awarded our client significant compensation to reflect the hospital’s negligence and the injuries our client had sustained.

Comment

Sonia Fu, a specialist clinical negligence lawyer at Thompsons Solicitors’ Bristol Office, said: “This was a really difficult case in which we had to prove to the Judge that the treatment that was agreed ought to have happened would have made a material difference to the overall outcome. The case was fought by the defendant all the way. Together with a highly experienced Counsel, Charlie Woodhouse of Old Square Chambers, our meticulous analysis of the evidence and arguments on the developing legal area of material contribution resulted in the successful recovery of stroke misdiagnosis compensation for the client.”