Missed sepsis diagnosis by emergency services leads to tragic loss of husband and father

What happened

The family of a man who died from sepsis and pneumonia has secured a £235,000 settlement, after an ambulance crew missed an opportunity to identify the life-threatening infection in 2019.

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition where a person's body has an extreme reaction to an infection, can be fatal without urgent treatment.

Mr X had previously received a renal (kidney) transplant and had been prescribed immunosuppressant medication to prevent his body from rejecting the implant. He had been attending regular routine appointments to monitor his progress and general health.

In the months leading to his death, experiencing worsening symptoms, in December 2018 Mr X told his GP that he was experiencing neck pain, migraines, weakness and shortness of breath.

Over the next couple of months, his symptoms increased and he experienced rashes, as well as muscle and back ache. Since his initial appointment, multiple blood tests, x-rays and scans were performed as doctors monitored his health and investigated the matter.

By the end of February 2019, Mr X's health had deteriorated even further with increased breathlessness, extensive tiredness, a non-productive cough and weight loss. Around this time, Mr X also attended an appointment with his renal doctor who recorded that he had multiple worrying symptoms, but failed to advise him to attend A&E.

The next day, Mr X developed pain in his chest and was incapacitated due to his symptoms. Alarmed by this, his wife called 111 to seek urgent medical attention. Suspecting acute coronary syndrome, a reduced blood flow to the heart, an ambulance was dispatched to Mr X immediately.

A paramedic and emergency care assistant performed an ECG as part of a respiratory assessment. However, the attending crew discharged Mr X, recommending he attended his hospital appointment for blood test and chest x-rays, despite his worsening state and observations which showed red flags for sepsis.

The results of his x-ray suggested Mr X had contracted an infection. A day later, a prescription was given following the results, but the antibiotics couldn’t be collected until the next day.

However, Mr X's symptoms quickly took a turn for the worse and his condition deteriorated throughout the day. In the early morning, Mr X went into cardiac arrest.

Despite his wife and emergency services performing CPR and advanced lifesaving support, Mr X died. Following the tragic loss, he leaves his wife, as well as his young daughter.

What we did

The family was informed after a post-mortem report found that Mr X had died due to sepsis and lobar pneumonia.

Slater and Gordon has been supporting the family over the last few years to find answers as to why Mr X’s sepsis was not identified, despite seeing various healthcare medical professionals in the days leading to his death.

Following a full investigation, it was established that Mr X should have been taken to hospital when he was attended to by the initial ambulance crew. He had shown clear signs of a serious infection and was particularly vulnerable due to his prior kidney transplant.

If he had been admitted to hospital, he could have been treated as a clinical priority, undergone tests and been treated for sepsis. Expert evidence concluded that with earlier admission, Mr X would have survived.

Nicole Jackson, associate clinical negligence specialist, has been working closely with Mrs X and their family to seek answers. She says: "This is a devastating outcome. Above all, the family deserves to understand the events that transpired and what should have been done to have saved Mr X.

"Throughout this process, we supported the family every step of the way of our investigation. We instructed the best medical experts to consider all possible angles for the case, such as investigating formal medical reports, NHS 111 recordings and the failures where critical intervention could have altered this tragic loss of life."

Results

A settlement of £235,000 was reached, as well as a ringfenced sum for Mr X's child.

Nicole says: "Our client came to us with strong evidence of numerous delays. By working together, we uncovered the serious nature of the allegations and with proceedings we were able to lead to settlement. However, money cannot replace the loss of a loved one."

Currently, sepsis causes around 48,000 deaths in the UK each year. According to the UK Sepsis Trust, thousands of deaths are considered preventable. Slater and Gordon urge the public to be aware of the core symptoms if someone is experiencing sepsis so urgent action can be taken. This includes:

• Muscle pain
• Respiratory issues such as difficulty breathing
• Confusion or slurred speech
• Discolouring on the skin, lips or tongue
• Fever
• Urinary challenges

Nicole added: "I have dealt with many sepsis claims, and the unfortunate reality is that many could have been preventable. This World Sepsis Day, I encourage everyone to learn the symptoms of sepsis and to confidently advocate for their health if they ever doubt a medical assessment."