One of our clients (now 62) brought a claim for damages against his former GP. In July 2007, he attended his GP surgery complaining of cardiac symptoms. His doctor failed to refer him immediately to hospital for investigation and treatment following his attendance at . The following day, he suffered from a myocardial infarction (MI) requiring treatment at hospital.
His GP’s Medical Defence Union (MDU) accepted that their member was in breach of duty for failing to admit our client to hospital as an emergency on the day she examined him, but there was a substantial dispute on causation. It was agreed between the parties that there would have been some heart damage in any event as the MI had commenced when he first consulted his GP. The MDU contended that the delay of 24 hours before our client was treated caused no difference to his long term outcome. On his behalf, we argued that as a consequence of this delay, his life expectancy had now been reduced by two years and he has been left with additional cardiac symptoms which would cause him to retire from work early.
Proceedings were issued at Court and we were able to reach a settlement shortly before trial.
S. J. Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £42,500 for this client in 2012