A man has recovered a six-figure settlement of compensation for a loss of sight due to hospital negligence after suffering an avoidable detached retina.
The man – identified only as “Andrew” – attended the ophthalmology department of his local hospital complaining of shadowy black dots (“floaters”) obscuring the vision in his right eye. He was examined and diagnosed with Posterior Vitreous Detachment – a usually harmless condition that occurs as jelly-like substance of the vitreous changes with age.
Andrew was advised not to be concerned with the condition as it was something that frequently occurred to people of his age. He was discharged without any further information about his diagnosis and so, when his eyesight started to deteriorate, he thought nothing of it and believed it was connected to the Posterior Vitreous Detachment.
However, Andrew should have be told that if the shadowy black dots continued for more than six months or he suffered other eyesight problems he should return to the hospital immediately. Posterior Vitreous Detachment is a condition that the brain adjusts to over time, so people who suffer from it should see an improvement over time rather than a deterioration.
Unfortunately, by the time that Andrew attended a follow-up appointment, the tear in his retina was so significant that doctors were unable to save the sight in his right eye over the course of two operations. Due to the negligence of the hospital´s ophthalmologist, Andrew´s eyesight is no longer sufficient to meet the requisite driving standard and he has had to give up his driving licence.
Andrew sought legal advice and claimed compensation for a loss of sight due to hospital negligence. In his claim Andrew alleged that, had he been advised of the risk of a detached retina and warned to be aware of the symptoms, he would have returned to the hospital much sooner, treatment could have been provided in good time and the sight in his right eye saved.
After an investigation into the standard of care he received, a six-figure settlement of compensation for a loss of sight due to hospital negligence was agreed to account for the significant impact the error had on his quality of life and his loss of independence.