Our client, Alex, was born prematurely, and weighing under 4lbs (1.8kg). Despite his early arrival, he was otherwise healthy.
Sadly, shortly after being discharged, Alex became very unwell. He was cold, unresponsive, and struggling to feed. His parents sought urgent medical attention through their out-of-hours GP service. At this crucial point, the GP took only a single temperature reading and failed to carry out any further investigations or refer Alex for specialist care.
Concerned, Alex’s parents returned to their regular GP the following morning. By then, his condition had deteriorated significantly, and he was admitted straight to hospital. Tests revealed that Alex had sepsis which had progressed to meningitis. Despite immediate treatment, the infection caused devastating complications, leaving Alex with severe brain damage. He now requires 24/7 care.
GP negligence compensation claim
Alex’s parents instructed Enable Law in 2019 to investigate a clinical negligence claim. The key issue was whether the out-of-hours GP should have referred Alex to hospital sooner. Our team instructed independent experts who concluded that the GP’s failure to act fell below the expected standard of care.
Crucially, the experts confirmed that if Alex had been referred to hospital during that first appointment, he would have received treatment in time and avoided the catastrophic brain injury he now lives with.
Following our letter of claim in 2020, the defendant accepted liability nine months later. This allowed us to secure substantial interim payments in excess of £3million to date. These funds have already made a tangible difference to Alex and his family – enabling them to purchase and adapt a suitable home, access therapies, specialist care, equipment, and cover out-of-pocket expenses, while giving Alex the best possible quality of life.
Looking ahead
Alex’s case is ongoing and due to go to trial next year if a settlement has not been achieved by that time. The claim will seek damages to cover past and future needs including lifelong care, therapy, adapted accommodation, specialist equipment, transport, holidays, loss of earnings and professional deputyship support.
Throughout this claim, Enable Law has supported Alex’s parents closely, guiding them step by step through the complex legal process while ensuring their immediate needs were met.
Our focus remains on securing a settlement that provides lifelong security for Alex, ensuring his needs are fully met now and into the future.
How we can help
At Enable Law we have a dedicated team of medical negligence solicitors who have extensive experience supporting families affected by delays in recognising and treating serious conditions in babies and children, such as sepsis and meningitis. We understand the life-changing impact that a missed diagnosis or late referral to specialist care can have on a child and their family.
If you or a family member have concerns about the medical care you received, it is important to seek legal advice to understand whether what happened was negligent and whether you may be entitled to compensation to help secure the care, support and adaptations needed for the future.
To have a completely free, confidential and no obligation discussion with Jackie Linehan or a member of our expert team, call us on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form so we can call you back at a time convenient for you.
