Stroke victim secures compensation

A woman who suffered a stroke after undergoing surgery has been awarded compensation of over £600,000.

Magistrate Janet Birch, who comes from the Hertfordshire town of Rickmansworth near Watford, underwent the procedure at London's Queens Square hospital.

The 60-year-old, who has suffered from Type 1 insulin diabetes for 20 years, had been transferred to the medical centre in June 2003 to have an MRI scan as doctors feared she may have been at risk of a potentially fatal aneurysm, the Watford Observer reports.

Once she arrived at the hospital, however, a decision was made to perform a catheter angiography instead.

The test is an invasive procedure and carries with it a risk of strokes.

Recently, a judge ruled that the operation had been unnecessary and, although doctors had not been negligent, more should have been done to explain the risks to the patient prior to the operation.

As a result of suffering the stroke, Ms Birch has been forced to give up her hobbies of gardening, dancing and sport.

07/10/2008 16:26