Clinical negligence specialist Rachel Bowen from Davies and Partners Solicitors has successfully settled a case for a client who tragically suffered a still birth at 32 weeks of pregnancy as a result of the negligence of staff at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.

The Client was 31 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed as suffering with gestational diabetes and was referred to a Diabetic Antenatal Clinic at the hospital.

When she attended the clinic, an administrative error led to a different patient’s gestation/BMI and observations being written into the Client’s notes.

As a result the client was not seen by an Obstetrician and was incorrectly sent home.  And the correct diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia was missed.  The Client was admitted to hospital six days later where it is was diagnosed that she had suffered an intra-uterine death.

Rachel Bowen wrote to Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust on behalf of her client, inviting them to make early admissions of negligence. The Trust admitted full responsibility for what had occurred and accepted that had it not been for their negligence the Client’s baby would have been born successfully.  Following the admissions a settlement of the case was amicably reached in the sum of £19,000.00.

Rachel Bowen said “This is a very sad case where the death of my Client’s unborn baby could have been avoided.  Whilst no amount of compensation can help ease the pain suffered by my Client she has gained some comfort through the Trust ‘s early admissions of negligence”.