Our client attended on her general practitioners for several years from August 2007 onward. She underwent a blood test, the results of which suggested that this lady was suffering from hypergammaglobulinaemia, which is a condition that is characterised by the increased levels of a certain immunoglobulin or protein in the blood serum.
In spite of the blood test results, being indicative of this condition, the Plaintiff was not treated, followed up, warned or referred to a specialist in relation to her hypergammaglobulinaemia.
Our client then attended another general practitioner in 2008 at the same medical centre, in relation to gastric pain. Pathology requests were made, and the protein studies returned results consistent with the presence of a plasma cell dyscrasia, being myeloma or monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance.
Following these results, no further investigations were conducted and no follow up treatment or monitoring occurred, with no referrals being issued.
In approximately 2010, our client began attending on a different medical centre but as she was not advised of the findings of her pathology results from 2008, she did not communicate those findings to her new general practitioners. She began to experience periodic light-headedness, fatigue, general feelings of unwellness and weight loss. In 2014, she was admitted to hospital with severe chest pain and light-headedness, with a meningioma being detected in her thoracic spine. In 2017, our client was diagnosed with amyloidosis, being the build-up of amyloid proteins in vital organs, on the background of multiple myeloma.
Our client’s quality of life was and currently is significantly diminished as a result of her amyloidosis affecting her vital organs. Her life expectancy and prognosis is grim.
We were shocked to hear of the poor treatment this lady had suffered and of her injuries and disabilities arising out of her mismanagement. The matter was taken on by Mr Keegan Behrens, an expert medical negligence solicitor. Mr Behrens and his team worked tirelessly on what was an extremely complex medical negligence case in order to achieve the best result possible for our client. Medical evidence from a range of specialist medical experts, including haematologists and oncologists, was sought and used to support our case. A senior barrister was briefed, who also assisted greatly in managing this case.
The matter successfully settled at mediation for $1,600,000.00. While no amount of compensation could truly undo the pain and suffering our client went through, we are hopeful that these funds will be used to cover the cost of medical expenses and domestic attendant care services which she will now require into the future.
Have you been a victim of medical negligence? Please call us to discuss your matter with one of our expert medical negligence solicitors.
By: Keegan Behrens
