Can I claim compensation if Doctors have misdiagnosed me?
Posted on 2nd August 2019
Freddie Dixon, an eight year old boy, has been recently diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, to the sadness of his family and those around him. As though the diagnosis is not enough, MG Legal’s solicitors who deal with medical negligence have been shocked to discover how the diagnosis came about, when it was eventually recognised by health care professionals.
Firstly, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is a form of Cancer, the word that nobody wants to hear and, in particular, when it is affecting an eight year old child. This is a form of cancer that is vested within the lymphatic system – which is part of our immune system. Blood cells that would normally fight against infection, are affected in a way that results in the same losing the ability to fight against infection, making the affected individual more vulnerable to illness. The way in which the cells are affected means that they can gather, within the lymphatic system, which often leads to swelling of the lymph nodes. This was the case for Freddie Dixon who began to develop large swollen lumps within his neck, that were later discovered to be cancerous.
Freddie’s story began when his parents noticed various lumps appearing on his neck. They took him to their GP who put the same down to a viral infection and prescribed antibiotics. The antibiotics were taken as prescribed, however, a further lump subsequently arose. Increasingly concerned, Freddie’s parents took him to the Accident and Emergency Department at Kings Mill Hospital where, again, Freddie was dismissed with his mother reporting that “nobody was concerned”. The family were, however, recommended to seek the assistance of a pediatrician which, to you and me, is a doctor who specialises in children matters. The family had hoped that, by seeing a specialist, they would start to get some answers. Unfortunately, the battle only grew harder, starting with an 11 day waiting list for an appointment.
By this point, a further lump had appeared on Freddie’s neck, leaving his parents now desperate for answers. Upon attending the appointment, a blood test was taken and Freddie was growing more noticeably unwell. He was subsequently hospitalised and , following the results of an MRI scan revealing a tumour very close to Freddie’s brain, was to be sent for a biopsy on the lumps which were, by now, causing Freddie great difficulty in breathing.
To add further complication, the size of the tumours, behind the young boy’s nose and neck, meant that it would be too dangerous for doctors to perform the biopsy on him as the same were already described to be ‘crushing his airways’. Steroids were prescribed for a four day period to reduce the swelling and allow the biopsy to take place which was where the devastation for the family was ultimately exposed.
The biopsy confirmed that the tumours were cancerous and would require six months of intensive chemotherapy to treat. Freddie was transferred to the hospital’s children’s ward to begin immediate treatment, where his parents were advised there would be an 80% chance of recovery.
MG Legal’s team are shocked and saddened by this case, and wish Freddie all the best with his treatment. Our solicitors who deal with medical negligence are stuck on the ‘80% chance of a full recovery’ and question, if something was done earlier, when the parents first raised the concerns, would this figure be higher?
Freddie was owed a duty of care by his health care professionals, however, his symptoms and family’s concerns were dismissed. Our solicitors in Lancaster specialise in such matters, where breaches of such duty have arisen, resulting in negligence and losses to our clients. Freddie, in our opinion, has been denied the opportunity of a better chance of a full recovery, as a result of the negligent actions of others. His life has now totally changed with his mother commenting that “He's just sleeping all the time. He's not really talking, because his mouth is very sore. He can barely smile”.
If you have been the victim of an act of medical negligence, which has caused you to suffer a loss, contact MG Legal’s solicitors who deal with medical negligence. Our team are made up of the best medical negligence solicitors who will ensure you are fairly compensated as you deserve.
Get in touch today at enquiries@mglegal.co.uk, or call us at one of our offices. We have offices in Lancaster, Longridge and Garstang and our expert team are waiting to help you, today.
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