Failed to spot sepsis - Woman, 30, dies due to NHS error

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A woman who suffered a miscarriage died just days later after the NHS hospital failed to spot the signs of sepsis.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted a breach of duty after the woman died after a miscarriage at 12 weeks.

Failed to spot sepsis

She attended the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield after experiencing stomach pain and a high temperature. She was then transferred to the gynaecology ward, where a midwife considered she could have sepsis and needed to be seen by a doctor, however, she was never assessed.

A procedure was carried out to remove foetal material but had to be resuscitated when she was found unresponsive and was taken for emergency surgery.

However, the mum-of-two died just nine hours later after suffering from a cardiac arrest.

According to reports, it is believed that she developed an infection, which led to sepsis after suffering a miscarriage. The trust has since admitted a breach of duty and failings in her care.

They also failed to suspect she had sepsis and failed to administer intravenous antibiotics and a blood test.

Lorette’s mother Maxine has spoken to the Daily Mail to describe the tragic loss of her daughter, saying:

“We still have concerns about what happened to Lorette and whether the hospital trust has actually learned from Lorette’s death.

“These concerns are compounded by the Care Quality Commission saying that services require improvement.

“It’s too late for Lorette but by speaking out we hope we can highlight the human cost of issues with care so others don’t have to go through what we have.

“Before Lorette’s death we’d heard of sepsis but had no idea how devastating it is.

“I wouldn’t wish the pain our family continues to experience on anyone.”

NHS Failures – How to make a claim

If you or a loved one has suffered due to NHS medical failures, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Oakwood Solicitors specialises in pregnancy and birthing failures and can help you seek justice for your injuries. Below we look at who may be entitled to claim and what to do next.

Who can make a claim?

The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim in their own right. However, it may sadly be the case that the victim is no longer able to bring about a claim or has passed. In such circumstances, a claim can be brought about by the executor of the estate or authorised person.

For further information about whether you are able to bring about a claim, please contact the medical negligence team who will be able to advise further.

How long do I have to make a claim?

Claims of this nature are subject to a three-year limitation period. This means that claims have to be commenced within the courts within three years of either the date the negligent act occurred or the date you became aware that negligence had occurred.

In cases involving deceased victims, this limitation period commences from the date of death and in cases involving minors, the limitation period starts when they reach their 18th Birthday.

The law surrounding limitation periods is complex, our specialist team will be able to advise further.

What do I need to prove to make a claim?

For a successful medical negligence claim, it needs to be proven that:

The healthcare provider had a duty or obligation to you.
The healthcare provider fell short due to medical negligence.
You were harmed as a direct result of the medical negligence.

What evidence should I provide?

Our medical negligence team will assist you in obtaining the evidence needed. However, the following can be useful to assist with your claim:

Medical notes
Diary entries of what occurred
Any communication from GPs or healthcare professionals
Witness statements
Proof of loss of earnings

How long will my claim take?

Given the complexities involved in pursuing medical negligence claims, they can often take 12-18 months to conclude and longer if Court proceedings have to be issued.

Our investigations start by obtaining all relevant records and protocols before approaching the Defendants in claims of this nature. Depending upon the injury suffered, independent medical experts may need to be consulted.

We will provide you with regular updates on the progress of your case to ensure that you are kept up to speed.

How much compensation will I get?

For medical negligence cases, we will pursue two forms of compensation for you:

Firstly we will pursue compensation known as general damages:

This is an award of money for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the negligence. General damages will be awarded based on the severity and ongoing effects of the injury. The Judicial College guidelines will be used as a framework for how much you will be awarded.

Secondly, we will pursue compensation known as special damages:

This is an award of money for all of your out-of-pocket expenses such as travel expenses, medication costs, loss of earnings, and treatment costs both past and future. This list is not exhaustive and is very case-specific.

Why should I use Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?

We have a dedicated team of solicitors and paralegals who have many years of experience between them in running cases of this nature. They are highly trained to deal with all aspects of clinical and medical negligence.

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd wishes to ensure that clients are not overwhelmed by legal jargon or medical terms that they don’t understand and aims to allow the claims procedure to be as transparent as possible.

NHS Failures: Woman, 30, died after doctors failed to spot sepsis