Personal Injury Solicitors

The parents of a 26-year-old woman who died from sepsis after her waters broke at 24 weeks have agreed an out-of-court settlement with the hospital they hold responsible for her death.

The Daily Mail reports that hairdresser Carly Harper from West Kirby in Merseyside was expecting her first child with her boyfriend Alex Dearden and was admitted to Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral in May 2012, where she died.

Ms Harper had told hospital staff on 19 May that she had pains in her stomach, suggesting contractions had started. An ultrasound scan revealed her baby son was in danger of dying and doctors decided to induce her.

However, Ms Harper’s family allege that staff delayed taking action and did not respond quickly enough to Ms Harper having a potentially life-threatening infection – sepsis (also known as septicaemia or blood poisoning).

More than six hours after the ultrasound scan had shown her baby was at risk of dying, Ms Harper gave birth to a stillborn son.

After the delivery at 9.28pm, Ms Harper was rushed to intensive care and placed on a ventilator, but died of multiple organ failure at 9.10am the next day.

Ms Harper’s family allege that Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was negligent in its care of Ms Harper, which the trust denies.

However, a five-figure out-of-court settlement has been agreed before an inquest into Ms Harper’s death begins.

The trust had produced a Serious Incident Review Report which had recognised a number of failings in the care given to Ms Harper, the family’s lawyer said.

The report acknowledged that the obstetric team had failed to respond “with sufficient urgency to the seriousness of her condition”.

“The window of time when Carly's life might have been saved was wasted and her family are now living with the consequences,” said the family’s legal representative.

“The very least they deserve is absolute clarity about what happened on that fatal day – and to be reassured that steps are taken to prevent the senseless loss of such young lives again in the future.

“The family remains adamant that the admitted negligent obstetric treatment provided to Carly during the premature labour of her first child was to blame for her death.

“The family feels very strongly that it was a failure from staff at Arrowe Park Hospital to recognise, manage and treat the severe sepsis which led to Carly's death after she went into premature labour.”

The trust has denied that its failings contributed to Ms Harper’s death, but conceded “there was a delay in delivering the deceased's foetus” and admitted staff had failed to administer a second antibiotic “as per trust policy”.

The inquest into Ms Harper’s death opened at Wirral Coroner’s Court on Wednesday (05/11/14).

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – Fatal Injury Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury solicitors and offers a sensitive and expert service to families whose loved one has lost their life as a result of negligence.

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For expert legal advice on making no win no fee Fatal Injury Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors in confidence on 020 7923 4020.