Damages for patient who lost sight in one eye following retinal detachment surgery

Our clinical negligence specialists have represented a patient who lost the sight in his right eye after a hospital failed to organise proper follow-up care for his retinal detachment surgery. The case was reported, before its successful conclusion, by the Daily Telegraph in April 2019, as part of a feature about systemic problems within the NHS.

The patient was an active 71-year-old at the time of the surgery. He enjoyed extreme sports such as skydiving and climbing to Mount Everest Base Camp. However the loss of sight in his right eye, and with it his three-dimensional vision, left him unable to go cycling and struggling to pour a cup of tea safely.

During the legal claim, led by partner Alison Johnson, the defendant trust admitted that our client should have been reviewed within two weeks of surgery (in line with its own surgeon’s recommendation) rather than over a month later, as actually happened. However, contrary to our client’s case and our independent expert evidence, it denied that an earlier follow-up appointment would have led to a significantly improved outcome.

It was necessary to issue court proceedings and litigate the claim to reach a conclusion. Following negotiations, our client’s case was settled successfully in summer 2019 for £44,000 in damages.

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