A substantial compensation settlement has been negotiated for a woman who suffered a cardiac arrest after a failure to diagnose a genetic heart condition.
Despite receiving a concerning ECG report, her GP did not refer her for a cardiology assessment. Shortly after her third child was born, she suffered a cardiac arrest and was left with a catastrophic brain injury. She is now in a minimally conscious state and requires round-the-clock care.
A claim was brought on her behalf against her GP, who admitted breach of duty but disputed that this had caused her injury. However, evidence from a cardiologist was obtained that, had she been referred to a cardiology department, it was more likely than not that her condition would have been diagnosed and beta-blockers prescribed, preventing her cardiac arrest.
An interim payment of £2.2 million was secured, allowing a suitably adapted home to be purchased for her and her family. Further medical evidence was obtained to establish her care needs and a final settlement was reached, consisting of a lump sum of £7 million and lifetime annual payments of £414,000.