Past Cases -Personal Injury Solicitors Swindon, Wiltshire,

S. J. EDNEY ARE SPECIALISTS IN ACCIDENT LAW INCLUDING CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE Freephone 0800 421 234 (24 Hours)

S J Edney Specialise In Accident Law And Clinical Negligence

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2007
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2006
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2005
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2004
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2003
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Past cases Past Cases 2007 Past Cases 2006 Past Cases 2005 Past Cases 2004 Past Cases 2003 CASES SETTLED DURING 2007 Some of the settlements which we obtained for our clients during the past year are summarised below:-
We acted for the parents of a young man (aged 16) who was admitted to hospital following a road traffic accident in May 2004. The staff in the A & E department failed to diagnose that he had a number of internal injuries. As a consequence, his internal bleeding caused him to have a cardiac arrest and sadly he died. This was a very tragic case and his death was entirely avoidable. The tragedy was compounded because of his young age and lack of financial dependents which reduced the amount of damages payable.	£20,000.00
Another client (aged 45) underwent what should have been a routine hysterectomy at her local hospital in Oxfordshire. Unfortunately, her bowel was damaged by the Surgeon and this left her with a permanent colostomy which, not surprisingly, has had a huge impact on her life. She was not working at the time and had no plans to return to work. Proceedings had to be issued in this case and a settlement was achieved for our client shortly before Trial.	£175,000.00
We acted for a man (aged 37) who attended three different GPs on separate occasions complaining of a sudden and severe headache. It later transpired that he was suffering from a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Unfortunately, none of these doctors made the correct diagnosis and as a consequence, there was an avoidable delay in him being treated which left him with a more serious neurological impairment. The Medical Defence Union acting for the doctors in question disputed liability. There was also an argument on limitation. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and shortly before Trial, a settlement was achieved for our client which included a substantial sum for his future loss of earnings.	£420,000.00
One of our clients (aged 27) was involved in a terrifying incident at work when she was attacked and bitten by a large dog belonging to her employer. She suffered a number of physical and psychological injuries and has been left with scarring. Fortunately, liability was not an issue and after protracted negotiations a settlement was achieved for her.	£16,250.00
Another young client (aged 17) was involved in an RTA during May 2006. He was a front seat passenger and a friend (the driver) drove into a telegraph pole on their way back from football training. He received treatment for a number of injuries the more serious being a closed fracture of his left femur. He was unable to weight-bear for about 6 weeks and was off work for about 21 weeks. His loss of earnings during this period were minimal. Liability was not an issue but there was a dispute on quantum. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and shortly before Trial a settlement was achieved.	£14,350.00
Probably our unluckiest client was a Turkish national who was involved in an accident at work during September 2004 (he was nearly crushed by a vending machine) and he then had the misfortunate of being involved in a second accident also at work on the 4 March 2006 (he injured his face whilst using some equipment which was defective). Both these accidents left him with physical and psychological injuries. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and on obtaining reports from various experts we were able to agree upon a settlement figure. Fortunately for our client the prognosis was encouraging and he is now back at work.	£43,000.00
We acted for a young man (aged 13 at the relevant time) who attended his local hospital complaining of left side abdominal pain. There was also tenderness in the area around his left testicle. His treating doctor suspected that he had an infection. It later transpired however that he had in fact a twisted testicle and due to the delay in diagnosis this had to be removed. Not surprisingly, he was psychologically damaged by this episode. Proceedings were issued at Court and we were able to negotiate a settlement on his behalf.	£11,250.00
In one of our more difficult cases during 2007 we acted for a man who had been involved in an RTA during September 2003. He was travelling as a front seat passenger in his wife’s vehicle when another car collided into theirs causing it to be shunted forwards. He suffered soft tissue injuries but unfortunately these then developed into a chronic pain syndrome. This condition had a major impact on his life and affected his ability to work. The prognosis for the future was reasonably encouraging. Proceedings were issued at Court and this case settled shortly before Trial.	77,500.00
Another client (a solicitor) was involved in an unusual accident at work during January 2004 when the middle finger of his left hand became trapped in a door jam. The door in question was fitted with a door closing device but it was not working properly hence the accident. The insurers of his employer denied liability and proceedings had to be issued. Our client suffered a crushing injury to the tip of his finger causing a fracture. He missed no time off work and his ongoing symptoms were described as being “very slight” albeit they would be permanent. Although liability was still disputed, it settled shortly before Trial.	£2,500.00
We were instructed by a young man (aged 28) who was involved in a terrifying road traffic accident during March 2006. He had been travelling as a front seat passenger in a friend’s car when it collided with another vehicle. Both drivers died. We represented our client at the Inquest on a pro bono basis. Although, his physical injuries were minor he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. We arranged for him to undergo some therapy (cognitive behavioural therapy) which he found very helpful. Proceedings were issued and the insurers of the careless driver put forward an offer to settle this claim of £10,000.00 which, on our advice he rejected. This matter settled shortly before Trial.	£17,000.00
Another client (a pensioner) tripped over a defective grid outside her local Lidl store causing her a nasty ankle injury. This injury had a major impact on her life in that it took her much longer than before to do her normal household chores and care for her disabled husband. She had been fit and active prior to her accident and not surprisingly her symptoms caused her to become depressed. The prognosis for the future was encouraging. This case settled before the issue of proceedings.	£10,000.00
Another client (aged 43) had an accident at work during December 2005 when the lid of a metal drum fell across the bridge of her nose. This was caused by the carelessness of another employee. She was admitted to hospital and received treatment for a fractured nose. Fortunately, she made a good recovery although she still complains of snoring at night and feeling generally more nasal which she attributes to her injury. On obtaining the appropriate medical reports, we were able to settle her claim without having to issue proceedings.	£5,750.00
In a very sad case, we acted for the widow of a man (aged 66) who attended an A & E department at a hospital in Wales whilst on holiday complaining of right sided chest pain. Notwithstanding an abnormal ECG, he was discharged. The following day he returned to Swindon and had a heart attack and died a few days afterwards. Our expert Cardiologist was very critical of the hospital in Wales. In light of the ECG he should have been admitted and with further treatment, he felt that his death could have been avoided. The deceased was a pensioner and there was no claim for loss of earnings. After protracted negotiations, the case settled.	£42,500.00
Past cases Past Cases 2007 Past Cases 2006 Past Cases 2005 Past Cases 2004 Past Cases 2003
2006 WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED FOR OUR CLIENTS DURING 2006 2006 has been another excellent year for S J Edney in that we achieved settlements for over 100 of our clients during this period. Three of our cases were also reported on the news by BBC Points West. Some of the settlements concluded for our clients during this period are set out below:-
In this unusual case, we acted for the parents of a young child (only aged 3) who had received sub-standard care at hospital. As a consequence, their daughter required extensive surgery and other treatment and it was touch and go for a long time whether she would live. They both suffered psychological injuries as a result of being present with their child throughout her stay in hospital and witnessing what happened to her. A claim was submitted on their behalf which was rejected by the Hospital Trust. Proceedings had to be issued and three days before the Trial, the Hospital Trust agreed to compensate them for what they had endured.	Each parent received £7,500.00
In this case, our client had been admitted to hospital for what should have been a routine back operation. Unfortunately, the Anaesthetist failed to keep an eye on his blood pressure during the surgical procedure and as a consequence, he suffered a stroke. This left him with neurological impairment. The MDU of the doctor in question disputed liability. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and this case eventually settled.	£230,000.00
One of clients (a young mother with 5 children) attended hospital for a sterilisation. She then became pregnant again. Our expert confirmed that the hospital had not taken adequate care in performing the original operation. Liability was disputed by the Hospital Trust. Following the issue of Court proceedings, their solicitors conceded liability and she was duly compensated for the unplanned pregnancy.	£ 5,000.00
• We acted for the husband of a client who suffered from Alzheimers (both of whom were pensioners). Whilst in a Nursing Home, she developed a very serious pressure sore on her back requiring treatment at hospital. This could have been avoided with proper nursing care. The insurers of the Nursing Home disputed liability. Proceedings had to be issued and shortly before the Trial, the Defendants agreed to compensate her.	£11,000.00
• Whilst our client was only aged 11, he attended his GP complaining of muscular pain in both his thigh/hip. He was unable to weight-bear and was in a great deal of discomfort. His GP prescribed him with some painkillers and told him to rest. It later transpired, however, that he had in fact had a minor slippage of his right upper femoral epiphysis. This injury was only diagnosed much later on but by then it was too late to repair the damage and our client was left with a permanent hip disability. On reaching adulthood, he consulted a firm of solicitors who advised him that he did not have any claim. He decided to obtain a second opinion from our firm. Our own expert evidence supported a claim in that if he had been referred by his GP to hospital immediately then his hip problem would have been avoided. The MDU of the GP in question disputed liability. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and once again shortly before Trial the Defendant agreed to compensate him for his injury.	£40,000.00
• Another one of our clients (a retired lady) underwent a routine mammogram. During the course of this procedure she was manhandled and fractured one of her ribs. The Hospital Trust agreed to compensate her for her injury	£ 1,000.00
• On this occasion, we acted for the mother of a young boy (only aged 12) who sustained a soft tissue injury to his shoulder when a rope ladder at an adventure playground belonging to Butlins broke. It took him about 18 months before he fully recovered from this injury. The insurers of Butlins admitted liability and agreed to compensate him	£ 3,500.00
• One of our clients was involved in a nasty RTA with another vehicle. She sustained a whiplash injury. This was a particularly difficult case as both drivers blamed each other. There were no independent witnesses. The report compiled by the Police following the accident was not particularly helpful. The insurers of the other driver were only prepared to settle her case on a 50/50 basis. We obtained our own report from an independent Accident Reconstruction expert and in light of the damage caused to both vehicles, the skid marks and other factors, he took the view that the other driver was to blame for the collision. Once this report was disclosed to the insurers they agreed to compensation her in full	£ 12,500.00
• In another road traffic case, our client and two of his friends were travelling by car to Bristol via the M4. He was a rear seat passenger. This vehicle then careered off the motorway, killing the driver. This was due to his careless driving. Our client did not recall anything at all about the accident. He sustained a number of injuries, including a head injury, an abdominal injury requiring splenectomy, multiple soft tissue injuries, fractured ribs and post traumatic stress disorder. To complicate matters, the driver who died was uninsured. A claim was therefore submitted to the Motor Insurers Bureau (the MIB) who delayed in accepting liability. Proceedings were issued and shortly after their solicitors were instructed, they agreed to compensate our client. A deduction had to be made from his agreed damages because he was not wearing a seatbelt at the material time.	£ 30,000.00
• We were instructed by a Sergeant in the Army. He had been medically downgraded due to an ongoing back problem. Contrary to his agreed medical restrictions, he was given orders to take part in a full battle group exercise on Salisbury Plain. Not surprisingly, this exercise aggravated his back condition. This caused him to be medically downgraded again and eventually discharged by the Army for medical reasons. The insurers of the MOD disputed liability. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and shortly before Trial the MOD agreed to compensate him.	£65,000.00
These are just a few of the hundred or so cases which we concluded for our clients during 2006. 2007 also promises to be a very busy year for us.

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Past cases Past Cases 2007 Past Cases 2006 Past Cases 2005 Past Cases 2004 Past Cases 2003 2005 Some of the settlements which we concluded for our clients during 2005 include the following:-
One of our clients worked at Honda’s Car Factory in Swindon. He was instructed by his employer to carry some car panels down some stairs. As he was attempting to do so, he dropped one of the panels, which cut his right forearm and damaged a nerve. This injury led to a loss of function in his right hand which sadly will be a permanent problem. He was however still able to work. The insurers of Honda initially argued that the client was 50% to blame for the accident but after negotiations they agreed to indemnify him in full.	£55,000.00
In what must be one of the most unusual accidents which we have come across, one of our clients, was helping a friend to promote a 6ft plastic ball which carried up to two people inside it. The ball rolled over whilst in motion. Unfortunately, our client was accidentally knocked over by this ball and suffered a number of fractures and had to give up his job and re-train doing something less physical. Proceedings had to be issued in this case and it settled shortly before Trial.	£167,500.00
In another case, our client was travelling as a front seat passenger in her husband’s motor car. They were both pensioners but her husband had a part –time job. There was a head on collision between their vehicle and a lorry and sadly her husband was killed. We represented our client at the Inquest and we issued proceedings as the insurers of the lorry driver delayed in settling the claim. The case eventually settled	£70,000.00
Our client was packing fan covers into a large box at work when they collapsed crushing her left hand. She developed post traumatic carpal tunnel syndrome which in turn triggered a complex regional pain disorder. She had to give up work and re-train to work in an office. Proceedings were issued and the case settled shortly before Trial.	£50,000.00
Another client consulted his GP complaining of pain and discomfort in his leg. His GP attributed his complaint to a muscular-skeletal injury. Sadly, he didn’t suspect that he had an infection and as there was a delay in our client being referred to hospital, the infection spread throughout his leg and he required additional surgery and his mobility was more impaired than it should have been. Proceedings had to be issued and this case settled shortly before Trial.	62,500.00
Our client regularly attended hospital throughout 2002 complaining of chest infections. Her right lung was scanned and she was reassured that she only had a cyst and there nothing for her to worry about. Her health continued to deteriorate and she was re-scanned by the hospital in early 2004 when on this occasion they diagnosed lung cancer. This should have been spotted in 2002. She had to be admitted as an emergency to have the tumour removed but the delay in diagnosis by some 12 months sadly worsened the long term outcome for her. Proceedings had to be issued and this case was eventually settled	. £72,500.00
At the other extreme, we acted for a client who had an unhappy experience whilst visiting his hairdresser. The Stylist accidentally nipped his hear whilst cutting his hair. This was very painful at the time but it has left him with no long term damage.	£1,530.00
These are just a few of the many cases which we have concluded for our clients during 2005. 2006 also promises to be a very busy year for us.
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Past cases Past Cases 2007 Past Cases 2006 Past Cases 2005 Past Cases 2004 Past Cases 2003
2004 2004 has been another good year for S J Edney's clients with some of the cases settled being reported below:-
A failure on the part of a GP to treat a client's "frozen shoulder". She then went on to develop an infection after an injection had been administered inappropriately by her GP which left her with reduced mobility in her arm.	£70,000.00
An RNLI Volunteer who sustained an injury on a lifeboat whilst working in Cornwall due to the carelessness of a fellow volunteer leaving him with multiple fractures in his right arm.	£55,000.00
A client who sustained a soft tissue injury in an accident at work, who unfortunately, went on to develop chronic pain syndrome. Her future work prospects were much diminished.	£250,000.00
A failure on the part of a GP to diagnose or even suspect that a client may have had a melanoma (skin cancer) and as a consequence, there was a delay in her referral to hospital which resulted in treatment and surgery which could have been avoided with a prompt referral	£20,000.00
A woman who sustained a very minor injury in an accident at work but because of a pre-existing medical condition, she required extensive hospital treatment but unfortunately died not long after being discharged by the hospital for an unrelated reason. Her family instructed our firm to pursue a claim against her employer.	£50,000.00
These are just a few of the many cases which we have helped clients with during the last two years. Some cases had to go to Trial where damages were awarded by a Judge but the majority of cases settled "out of Court". The damages recovered depends on the severity of the injury sustained and the injured person's "out of pocket" expenses and financial losses. Top of Page Past Cases Past Cases 2007 Past Cases 2006 Past Cases 2005 Past Cases 2004 Past Cases 2003 2003 2003 was a very good year for S J Edney's clients with a record number of high value clinical negligence and personal injury cases being settled including the following:-
A Repetitive Strain Injury sustained by a client whilst she operated a keyboard when serving in the RAF. As a consequence, she was medically discharged.	£450,000.00
Failure on the part of a hospital to correctly interpret a cervical smear which led to our client developing cervical cancer with a much worse prognosis.	£115,000.00
A failure on the part of a hospital to correctly interpret a cervical smear which also led to a client (a young mother with two children) developing cervical cancer which tragically killed her.	£250,000.00
An injury sustained by our client in a road traffic accident whilst travelling as a passenger which unfortunately developed into chronic pain syndrome.	£250,000.00

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