I was recently reading with interest that a man who nearly died during an operation to donate a kidney to his father has won £6.74 million in compensation.
The 39 year old man was donating his right kidney in February 2008 when he suffered irreversible left kidney failure which meant that he, in turn, needed a transplant from his sister. His own life has now been shortened and he will have to suffer the trauma of dialysis and considerable health problems in the future.
The Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust admitted liability on the basis that the surgeon was not only negligent but to a degree reckless. He is now the subject of proceedings before the General Medical Council.
The man has a young family and the money awarded is to address mainly his loss of future earnings and medical expenses, together with an amount for his pain and suffering.
Hopefully the amount awarded will go some way to assisting this young family who will now have to live with the serious consequences of this surgeon’s negligence.
