6 month delay in diagnosis of tuberculosis leads to blindness
We helped a young man to claim compensation after he went blind due to delays in treating his tuberculosis.
Colin, aged 25, sought hospital advice in connection with chest pain, breathlessness and fever. He was admitted for 2 days of investigations by chest physicians before being discharged.
About a month after being discharged Colin was seen by the same hospital’s chest physicians. Prior to this he had dropped out of his full time college course because he felt too unwell to continue. Further investigations were carried out.
Nearly one month later Colin developed permanent spots in his left eye and was referred by his GP to the eye clinic at the hospital where he had been seen previously. His eyesight in both eyes was now adversely affected. Colin was seen by various ophthalmologists. A hospital admission followed but the tuberculosis remained undiagnosed despite Colin undergoing investigations, surgery and receiving treatment but not for tuberculosis.
One month later the cause of Colin’s eye problems had still not been identified.
Colin sought a second opinion at a different hospital and was quickly diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis. He was started on full anti tuberculosis therapy. Had Colin received this treatment earlier his eye problems would have been reduced significantly.
Colin is blind in his right eye and has reduced vision in his left eye. He enjoyed good eyesight before he became ill with tuberculosis and did not wear glasses.
No admission of liability was ever made. Colin’s case was settled for £250,000 with the assistance of medical negligence expert Juanita Cumberland.