Compensation of £60,932.34 was awarded to the widow of the deceased due to the negligent delay in diagnosis and treatment of her husband’s squamous cell carcinoma. Sadly, by the time his cancer was diagnosed it was too late for him to receive effective treatment or palliative radiotherapy.
The deceased suffered with the condition of Spina bifida from birth, which meant that he had both sensory and mobility problems below his waist. He was a wheelchair user and had suffered for many years with pressure sores.
In early 2009 he was being treated in the community for an extensive sacral pressure sore which would not heal. As consequence in January 2009 he was referred to a dermatologist at the defendant trust hospital. A biopsy to be taken from the pressure sore was subsequently reported as showing squamous cell carcinoma.
A Multidisciplinary meeting took place to discuss the results of the biopsy. The plan was to carry out further imaging and to consider surgical resection (removal of the cancer) and reconstructive plastic surgery to the area.
However, it was not until August 2009 that the deceased was told of his diagnosis, some six months later. The action plan was not put in place. He sadly died three months later as by the time his condition was diagnosed, it was too late to offer him treatment or even palliative radiotherapy.
It was alleged that there had been a failure to record in his medical records that a biopsy had been taken. The biopsy results were passed to a secretary who filed them away. This meant that the consultant plastic surgeon in charge of his care, did not see the results. It was alleged that there was a failure to carry out the agreed plan to treat him and that there was a failure to manage his deteriorating pressure sore/tumour.
The defendant trust admitted liability.
A global out-of-court settlement was reached in the sum of £60,932.34.
Out of that figure the sum allocated to compensation for his pain and suffering and loss of amenity was £54,839.11.
See our dedicated skin cancer page for more information about the different types of skin cancer and melanoma and contact us today to see if you have a skin cancer negligence claim.
