Blood Transfusion Compensation Claims

The term ‘blood transfusion’ refers to a procedure where blood from a donor is given to another individual- the recipient through a drip which is placed into a vein in the arm. The amount of blood given will depend on the patient and will usually be separated into red cells, platelets and plasma which are then used to treat different conditions depending on the needs of the recipient. conditions requiring blood transfusion include severe jaundice, blood loss during surgery, haemophilia, liver disease, bone marrow failure, and sickle cell.

Although blood transfusions are generally very safe, complications can occur and can result in very traumatic conditions and even death. Consequences of negligence in blood transfusion such as giving contaminated blood or transfusing wrong blood type can be fatal.

Therefore, if you or your loved one has suffered as a result of medical negligence during blood transfusions, it is important that you seek the advice of a legal expert to discuss your claims and make blood transfusion compensation claims for you.

The importance of blood transfusion is very obvious. Every year, around 3 million blood transfusions take place in the UK. The NHS has also stated that they need nearly 400 new donors a day to meet demand. Additionally, they also need around 135,000 new donors a year to replace those who are no longer able to donate.

The demand for blood transfusions also means that 40,000 more black donors are needed to meet growing demand for better-matched blood. Furthermore, 30,000 new donors with priority blood types such as O negative are needed every year. The NHS also encourages young people to start giving blood so as to have enough blood in the future.

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Why Choose Us?

If you are in need of blood transfusion, you expect that the procedure be done correctly as any form of mistake can be life threatening. Blood transfusion errors can cause serious issues such as lung problems, kidney failure and other life-threatening conditions. Therefore, any act of blood transfusion negligence cannot be accepted. 

Here at Medical Negligence Direct, we have experienced lawyers who have many years of experience in medical negligence claims and have also represented different clients who have made blood transfusion negligence claims previously and secured the highest possible compensation amount for them.

We have undertaken the following blood transfusion related claims;

• NHS Contaminated Blood Claims
• Infected Blood Inquiry Compensation Claims
• Blood Test Medical Negligence Claims
• Blood Clot Negligence Claims

We are a leading legal firm in the UK well renowned for huge successes in claims we have undertaken for different clients. Our solicitors are dedicated, empathetic and friendly. They are ready to listen to you, and give you the needed legal advice without asking for a penny as our consultation sessions are free of charge.

When Is A Blood Transfusion Needed?

Blood transfusions are very vital and save or improve the lives of thousands of people every day. There are several medical conditions which would require a blood transfusion. It may be to replace lost blood after a serious accident, replace blood loss during surgery or childbirth, treat persons who have severe anaemia or sickle cell anaemia.

However, if the condition of the individual fails to improve or he sustains further harm, traumatic injuries or complications as a result of negligent transfusion, such an individual or the family can make compensation claims.

Medical Negligence And Blood Transfusion

There are several mistakes that can occur when blood transfusion was negligently done. They include the following;

• Giving a blood transfusion to the wrong patient
• Carrying out a blood transfusion when it was not necessary
• Giving contaminated blood to a patient
• Giving an incorrect type of blood to a patient

Major Reasons For Making Blood Transfusion Claims

The following are some of the major reasons for making a blood transfusion claim:

Blood Transfusion Claims Due To The Wrong Blood Type Being Given

You may be wondering what happens if you get the wrong blood. What happens when wrong blood type is given is that your immune system may start to attack your blood cells as it reacts to the presence of a foreign blood type.  The body may also release chemicals which can damage the kidney. This is known as a haemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR). Sometimes it begins to manifest after a few days or even a week.

We have assisted people in the past to make claims for receiving. It is therefore important seeing the consequences of receiving the wrong blood type that adequate measures be taken to prevent this.

For example, the patient has to be correctly identified by his or her blood type (wristband or other form of identification) and this will be used to match any blood before it is transfused. Care must also be taken that neither the patient nor the blood be labelled incorrectly, 

Some of the symptoms of haemolytic transfusion reaction to watch out for include the following:

• Flushing of the skin
• Flank pain
• Fever
• Chills
• Bloody urine
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Back pain

When you notice such symptoms, it is important that you as a matter of urgency go to the hospital for proper investigation and treatment, if it is discovered that you had earlier received a wrong blood type, claims are made.

Blood Transfusion Claims As A Result Of Contaminated Blood

Also, we have also made claims on behalf of patients who or their loved ones received infected or contaminated. 

It is important that all blood donors be screened for the risk of exposure to infection. Additionally, the blood is tested if there is presence of blood-borne infections. It is also kept in a sterile environment to prevent the development of infection causing microorganism.

Most importantly, care should be taken with blood platelets since they have to be stored under room temperature. Blood poisoning or sepsis are serious conditions that can arise as a result of contaminated blood. 

If you or your loved one has been in such a condition, reach out to us to assist you make your claims.

Blood Transfusion Claims Due To Fluid Overload

Another reason for which blood transfusion claims can be brought is fluid overload. Actually, 34 cases of blood transfusion fluid overloads were reported in 2013 in the UK. 

Fluid overload in blood transfusion occurs when too much blood is transfused into the person’s body in a certain amount of time meaning that the body is unable to accommodate or cope with all the blood. This can lead to heart failure as the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body.

Furthermore, the person will experience breathing problems, swelling throughout the body. These consequences of fluid overload are felt greatly in the elderly, people who have low body weight and people having underlying health conditions.

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Making Blood Transfusion Claims

In order to make blood transfusion negligence compensation claims, there are two vital areas that need to be proven. These are Liability And Causation.

This means that you need to show that-

• Your doctor owed you a duty of care but failed to perform that duty as expected and according to medical standards by subjecting you to negligent and substandard care. 
• You suffered injury, harm or other complications directly because of the negligent treatment you received and not because you had an already existing medical condition. What this means is that the harm suffered was avoidable and unnecessary and wouldn’t have happened but for doctor negligence.

If you have also suffered psychologically, incurred financial losses as a result of the negligence, it is important to also show that. Even if you are not sure if you have a claim, you can also reach out to us. We have very friendly, experienced and professional NHS clinical solicitors who will listen to you and make a professional evaluation of the case to determine if you have a valid claim.

What Can You Claim For?

When you suffer such medical errors such as blood transfusion errors due to GP negligence or hospital negligence, you can make a claim for damages. These damages will determine your compensation amount.

These damages are divided into;

General damages – This is the amount of money you will receive to compensate you for your injuries and is calculated using the medical report that is provided by your doctor. It takes care of how you have been affected physically by negligence. It takes into account the severity of injury and extent of suffering, trauma, emotional distress and future prognosis as well as treatment plan.

Special damages – Special damages are designed to compensate you for any financial losses both past present and future estimated costs and also out of pocket costs you have incurred as a result of your injuries. Examples include;

• Costs of treatment, medications and travel expenses for treatment
• Loss of earnings especially where you are unable to return to work. It also takes into account loss of pension or other financial benefits
• Costs of hiring caregivers
• Costs of purchasing special equipment of aids where necessary
• House adjustments 

We can also use our compensation calculator to give you a realistic idea of what your compensation award will likely be.

The table below indicates some injury that can be associated with blood transfusion negligence and the compensation range you can expect. This is according to the Judicial College Guidelines.

TYPE OF INJURY SUSTAINED	NOTES	COMPENSATION AMOUNT RANGE
Kidney problems	Loss of one kidney but no damage to the other kidney	£28,880 to £42,110
Kidney problems	Complete loss of natural kidney function and possibility of considerable risk of urinary tract infection in the future.	up to £60,050
Kidney problems	Permanent and serious damage including loss of both kidneys.	£158,970 to £197,480
Lung disease	Prognosis indicates full recovery within a few months.	£2,070 to £5,000
Lung disease	No impact on working life. Permanent recovery is possible within a couple of years.	£9,990 to £19,510
Lung disease	Where there is little impact on social / working life.	£19,510 to £29,380
Lung disease	Person has breathing difficulties and will need to regularly use an inhaler.	£29,380 to £51,460
Lung disease	Worsening and significant problems with lung function. The person is restricted when it comes to kind of jobs and physical activity. There is also frequent and prolonged coughing, with impaired breathing	£51,420 to £65,710
Lung disease	There is severe pain and quality of life and function is significantly impaired	£65,710 to £91,350
Lung disease	Leads to premature death.	£94,470 to £127,530

With our No Win No Fee policy, you will only have to pay a percentage of your compensation amount if your case is successful. This will be no more than 25% of your settlement payout which we term “success fee”. Prior to a successful completion of your claims, you will not be required to make any upfront legal fees. This is more to your advantage as you do not have to pay us a dime before the case is won and even the case is not successful.

Making your claims on a No Win No Fee also ensures you receive the best possible legal representation from your solicitors since we will be impacted by the outcome of your medical negligence claims.

Please bear in mind that you have a time limit to make your medical malpractice claims and this is usually pegged at three years except for a few occasions where the individual is unable to make claims within this time frame either due to physical or mental incapability or not being up to legal age (cases involving children).

Here a loved one, parent, guardian or some other relation can make claims on behalf of the medical negligence victim. This also applies if the victim of medical malpractice dies as a result of the negligence. During our consultation sessions, we can explain to you better how this works and what you need to make claims on behalf of another person.