A £39 million ($48.3 million) payment for a child whose limbs were amputated after she was wrongfully released from the hospital has been authorized by the High Court.
She presented at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey with "red flags for meningitis and sepsis," but her attorneys claim she was only treated with paracetamol before being released.
A few hours later, when her parents brought her back to A&E, she was found to have meningococcal sepsis, which led to multi-organ failure.
Liability was admitted by the NHS trust, the public health care provided by the British Government. Other western countries which do not provide free medical care say that this is the reason why "free medical care is not a good idea".
The little girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had both of her legs amputated above the knee and both of her arms amputated above the elbow.
"not being diagnosed promptly enough in relation to meningitis. an extraordinarily brave little girl who is managing in school to do very well academically". (Quote by Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC, representing the family)
Bradley Martin KC, for the trust, said: "There is no amount of money that can truly compensate (her) for her injuries.
Her injuries and ensuing disability, according to the family's attorney Deborah Nadel, were "totally preventable with competent treatment," the BBC reports.
The girl will get a portion of the compensation in a flat payment and the balance over the course of her lifetime. This is not only on the blame of free healthcare provided by the NHS or even paid care within other countries around the world. Such medical issues are overlooked due to careless staff.
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