Tees secured a £90,000 settlement for Alicia*, a woman who became infertile after her left fallopian tube was damaged during negligent surgery. The settlement has given Alicia and her partner, Lewis*, the opportunity to pursue IVF treatment to grow their family.
Negligent surgery leads to infertility
In 2008, Alicia underwent surgery to repair a hernia located on the left side of her groin. During the procedure, surgeons noted that her fallopian tube and ovary were involved. Following the surgery, Alicia was assured by her doctors that everything had gone well. At the time, Alicia was 24 years old and had plans to start a family in the future.
Discovering the devastating consequences
In 2014, Alicia and Lewis decided to begin their family. After several months of trying, Alicia became pregnant. Tragically, she suffered a ruptured ectopic pregnancy involving her right fallopian tube, resulting in the loss of her baby. During emergency surgery to remove the ruptured tube, doctors discovered that Alicia’s left fallopian tube was missing. The removal of her right tube left Alicia completely infertile, requiring IVF to conceive.
The devastating news shattered the couple’s dreams of having a large family. Alicia developed severe depression, and both she and Lewis struggled to accept the reality of their situation.
Seeking legal support with Tees
Determined to find answers, Alicia and Lewis approached Tees to pursue a medical negligence claim. Our team investigated the circumstances surrounding Alicia’s hernia surgery. With the support of a general surgery expert, we alleged that the negligence during the procedure caused Alicia’s left fallopian tube to be damaged or removed.
The hospital admitted full liability and issued an apology.
Securing the future with a £90,000 settlement
While Alicia and Lewis were able to have one child through NHS-funded IVF, they faced further challenges. NHS support for IVF ended after their first child, leaving them unable to afford additional treatment to achieve their dream of having a large family.
Tees argued that the negligent surgery had directly prevented Alicia from conceiving naturally. We negotiated a £90,000 settlement, calculated to cover the estimated cost of IVF cycles necessary for the couple to have three more children.
The settlement provides Alicia and Lewis with financial support to continue their IVF journey and build the family they always dreamed of.
A path towards healing and hope
Following the resolution of her claim, Alicia expressed her gratitude, saying:
“I can’t thank you enough for everything. You have been so helpful and efficient throughout and I’m really pleased with the result. It does feel like a weight has been lifted now and hopefully, plenty more [children] to come.”
Katheryn Riggs, Associate Solicitor at Tees’ Bishop’s Stortford office, who worked on the case, commented:
“This was a challenging claim to value, but with the help of an expert in gynaecology and fertility, we carefully assessed the number of IVF cycles Alicia would need to have the best chance of conceiving three more children. I am delighted that we have been able to get answers and an apology for what went wrong, and that Alicia and Lewis can now move forward with their plans to grow their family.”
How Tees can help you
If you’ve experienced negligent medical care resulting in infertility or other reproductive health issues, our experienced medical negligence team can help you pursue a claim. We understand the devastating impact that medical negligence can have on your life, and we are committed to supporting you through the legal process.
Contact Tees today to speak with one of our compassionate medical negligence solicitors. We’ll listen to your story, provide expert advice, and help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Client names have been changed to protect their privacy.
