Husband wins seven-year medical negligence fight after death of wife, 29

Posted On:   20 February 2017

Leicester, UK – 8th February, 2017: The husband of a woman who died from a blood clot 16 days after the birth of her daughter has won a medical negligence claim against Leicester's hospitals.

Darren Taylor, who lives in Braunstone, has won compensation from the hospital trust. The amount has not been disclosed.

It marks the end of a near seven-year battle following the death of his 29-year-old wife, Alison, on March 31, 2010.

Hospital bosses have apologised and said changes have been introduced as a result.

Mrs Taylor died from a pulmonary embolism caused by a deep vein thrombosis, known as DVT, in one of her legs which was due to pregnancy.

An inquest in December 2011, heard that Mrs Taylor was taken to hospital after being found collapsed.

Assistant deputy coroner Robert Chapman said a scan at the hospital might have saved her life. However, none was carried out.

Mr Taylor, now 39, said: "I am relieved this is all over. It has been a long, hard seven years, but I am happy we have got the NHS to own up and the trust says lessons have been learnt."

He said that winning the case meant that he and the couple's children, Yvie-Mae, six, Christopher, 12, and Ellise, 14, would be able to concentrate on remembering happier times.

Mr Taylor found his wife collapsed in the bathroom of their then home in Syston in March 2010.

She was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary, but later died.

The inquest heard that Mrs Taylor had seen four midwives, a hospital doctor, her GP and a trainee GP over a period of 16 days after giving birth to Yvie-Mae on March 15, 2010.

She was referred to the infirmary on Saturday, March 20,but the doctor who saw here did not follow the hospital's guidelines on investigating suspected DVT, and at the time ultrasound scans were not provided at weekends.

In a statement, Mehmooda Duke, of Moosa-Duke Solicitors, said Mr Taylor and his children had had "to endure almost seven years of further heartache before getting justice".

She said: "Mrs Taylor was a victim of medical negligence - after her death her family continued to be victims of the hospital's refusal to admit that they caused Mrs Taylor's death."

She added: "After a long and weary legal battle for justice, the hospital finally admitted that its failure to do a blood test, and perform a scan resulted in Alison's death.

"Had a scan been done on March 22, 2010, it would have shown the DVT and a fatal pulmonary embolism would have been avoided.

"Mr Taylor hopes that no other family have to endure what he and his children have been through."

In a statement, Ian Scudamore, consultant obstetrician and clinical director for women's and children's services at Leicester's hospitals, described Mrs Taylor's death as "tragic" and said the trust extended its "heartfelt condolences to Mr Taylor and his family for their loss".

He added: "DVTs are very difficult to diagnose clinically and Alison was considered at low risk of developing a DVT.

"However, there were opportunities during her care to carry out investigations and start treatment that may have resulted in a different outcome for Alison.

"While no amount of money will make up for the loss of Alison, we do however hope that the settlement will bring some security to Mr Taylor and their three children."

Mr Scudamore said that obstetric practice has changed significantly since Mrs Taylor's death.

He added: "In reviewing the care provided to Alison it has highlighted changes that were necessary to improve the diagnosis of, and treatment for, DVT related to pregnancy.

"As part of these changes we have improved our guidelines and the service has been extended to allow doctors access to ultrasound scans at the weekend should they suspect a DVT."

Source: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/husband-wins-seven-year-medical-negligence-fight-after-death-of-wife-29/story-30122343-detail/story.html