Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust admits liability for drug infusion injury to young boy

Posted: 11/08/2014

Penningtons Manches' clinical negligence team has successfully negotiated a settlement against Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust for a young boy with cerebral palsy who suffered an extravasation injury after being admitted to hospital for treatment for epileptic seizures.

Extravasation is damage caused by the efflux of solutions from a vessel into surrounding tissue spaces during intravenous infusion. Following the infusion of a drug given in theatre to the claimant, the hospital failed to notice the injury until later the following day. The plastic surgery team decided that there was nothing that they could do to treat the injury and the claimant developed ten blisters on his hand which required repeated dressing and took ten weeks to heal.

The trust admitted liability for the injury and, following receipt of expert evidence from a plastic surgeon addressing the nature of the scarring and treatment options, the parties negotiated a settlement. As the patient was a minor, the settlement required approval by the court, which has been obtained.

Emma Beeson, associate in the clinical negligence team, commented: “Our client has complex needs so it was very unfortunate for him to suffer this type of injury – not only the pain and upset but also the longer term impact of the scarring. This was an avoidable injury and we hope that steps have been taken to prevent this happening to another child. We and our client’s family appreciate the trust’s approach to the claim with an early admission of liability and quick negotiation of a settlement.”

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