Hansraj, 46

Hansraj was left severely disabled and wheelchair dependant after hospital doctors failed to act on signs of tuberculosis (TB) that were present on a chest X-ray, nor provide treatment. As a result, Hansraj went on to develop TB meningitis which caused permanent damage to his spinal cord. Nothing could ever fully make up for the injury Hansraj sustained, but after his case was taken on by Steven Brown, a partner in the clinical negligence team at JMW specialising in spinal injuries, he was awarded more than £7 million in compensation. The settlement will cover the cost of Hansraj’s lifelong care needs. 

How it started

Hansraj first attended hospital after being sent by his GP due to a hacking cough and temperature he had been suffering with for a few weeks. Hansraj had also had vomiting and diarrhoea and tenderness in his loin. The nurse practioner who initially saw Hansraj requested X-rays of his chest. The X-ray showed some concerning signs of TB but a CT scan of his chest was not requested which would have confirmed the diagnosis. 

A doctor reviewed Hansraj and diagnosed kidney stones and a urinary tract infection (UTI). A CT scan of his kidneys, bladder and ureter was performed but this did not include his chest area. TB was queried in the medical notes several times, but no urgent action was taken. Three days later Hansraj was discharged from hospital. 

Permanent nerve damage

Around two weeks later Hansraj returned to hospital as his symptoms had worsened and he now had ongoing lower back pain and a burning sensation when passing urine. However he was sent home once again with advice that his GP arrange an ultrasound scan and refer him for specialist urology assessment to further investigate the UTI. 

After review by a urology doctor, who could find no evidence of a UTI, Hansraj was admitted to hospital again for further investigation. It was only then that Hansraj was finally diagnosed with TB, and then latterly the severe complication of TB meningitis. 

Hansraj underwent surgery but it was now too late to prevent permanent damage to his spinal cord. Tragically, Hansraj lost function in three of his limbs and was left permanently and severely disabled. 

JMW’s investigation

Hansraj’s case was taken on by JMW’s Steven Brown who carried out a comprehensive investigation into the care provided by the hospital. Steven gathered the opinions of leading medical experts, who confirmed that errors had been made in diagnosing Hansraj and that this meant there were missed opportunities to provide the correct treatment.

The crux of the allegations was the failure of doctors to correctly report the findings of the chest X-rays and order a CT chest scan. If this had been done, Hansraj would have been diagnosed with TB at a much earlier stage, received the correct treatment and made a full recovery. Steven built a strong case against the hospital trust and this led to liability compromise being reached with the Defendant, enabling compensation to be negotiated. 

Settlement

Hansraj now has significant needs, including the requirement for single storey accommodation and carers to help with daily living. He is no longer able to work and provide for his family and required significant compensation to enable him to cope financially with his disabilities. 

Due to Steven’s expertise in spinal injury cases he was successful in obtaining more than £7 million in compensation to give Hansraj the best possible quality of life.