A lady has died after receiving a lung transplant from a 30 year old smoker. The lady was a cystic fibrosis sufferer and was 28 years old when she underwent a double lung transplant in January last year, but sadly died from pneumonia in the following July. The family were not told that the donor was a smoker. It states that the lady underwent the transplant to prolong her life expectancy as her condition deteriorated, according to the news report. (source)
If you or your family have been subject to any sort treatment from the NHS that you feel has been inadequate or negligent, or it hasn’t been explained in a clear, precise manner and you or your family has been harmed as a result, you may have a potential claim for compensation.
First of all, it would be best if you place a complaint with the NHS directly; they will make investigations into the matter. Also, try to record exactly what happened in your own words – how do you believe things went wrong? Why were you mistreated? Any evidence that you can collect will be very useful when it comes to placing a claim i.e. photographs, witness statements, dates, and times.
No, compensation recovered, will not make the incident go away, but at least you will have some peace of mind and a little added financial security. If you decide to pursue your claim always try and chose an independent firm of personal injury solicitors. That way you will know that the solicitor’s priorities lie with you; the client. A lot of law firms these days are tied to insurance companies and they are required to meet deadlines and settle you claim within so many months. At least with independent firms you know that this won’t be the case; the solicitors will be focused on achieving the best result for you. Another disadvantage to firms that are tied to insurance companies is that usually the law firm will pay a referral fee which allows them to handle your claim; this referral money cannot be claimed back from the party at fault’s insurance company, and will come out of the running costs for your claim.
If you do need any advice or guidance, a personal injury solicitor will be able to give the necessary help so that you can make the right choice for you.
