AN ACCIDENT CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23686, 19 December 1938, Page 7

AN ACCIDENT CASE

PROTEST ABOUT FEES £l6O FOR TWO OPERATIONS LONDON, Nov. 17. A letter from a surgeon of the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, who claimed that he was entitled to charge a servant girl his full fee of 100 guineas for an operation after she had been hurt in a motor car accident, was read at Chester Assizes during the hearing of an action for damages. It was stated that a second operation brought the total of specialists' fees to £l6O Mr Justice Hilbery remarked that he had never heard of a servant girl being charged £l6O for two operations. Commenting on the surgeon's letter, he said. "What does it mean in plain language? I like plain speaking on occasions, ft only means that she was not a hospital patient because she was a' poor patient with an unanswerable claim against the insurance company and in those circumstances the surgeon says. 'Why should I not be paid mv full fees because the insurance company can well afford to pay? ' " Mr Trevor Hunter. K.C.. for the girl: l think that is so. Before hearing the contents of the letter. Mr Justice Hilbery said, "You will find me quite obdurate on the question of these fees." and ordered the parties to agree on a minimum figure. Mr Hunter said that counsel and solicitors in the case had done their best but were unable to do as suggested NO BARGAINING Later, when told that two payments had been made into court and that there had been no question of bargain-

ing on the'part of the defendants, he "very reluctantly" allowed a settlement of the girl's claim for £2070. Mr Hunter read the letter as follows: "We take such cases as we can, but the hospital is intended for Liverpooj people. If we take all cases from out side, there will not be room for Liverpool people." Mr Justice Hilbery: It seems an ode point of view. Continuing, Mr Hunt quoted: "Like other consulting surgeons, J give my time and services freely without charge to about half of my patients If there is any good reason why the girl should receive charitable treatment, I will give my services gratuitously. Her case was one of the utmost difficulty. " I understand the girl herself is nov wealthy, but, even if the patients or those responsible for them are really poor, the most expert treatment in the country will be given willingly and freely. But the goodwill which make.this possible must not be abused "Those responsible foi the girl';treatment are not poor. If they are wealthy enough to pay £ISOO to the girl, they are certainly wealthy enough to pay lOOgns for my treatment, without which she would have been per manently bed-ridden and the. claim would have been nearer £6OOO or £BOOO. The treatment I have given reduces the liability Is it not worth while?" # Dealing with a doctor's charges ol £53, Mr Hunter said that the doctor had attended the girl in hospital, paio over 150 visits to her, and also accompanied her to Liverpool when she wem for examination. • The plaintiff was Rosa Brereton, 15 an orphan, of Twemlow, Cranage Holmes Chapel. Cheshire. Suing through her sister, she claimed damage.from J. W. Irlam, Ltd., of Great Jackson street, Gorton, Manchester. .A: the time' she was employed at 10s a , week. .