INJURY IN HOSPITAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19130, 26 September 1936, Page 15

INJURY IN HOSPITAL

PATIENT SEEKS DAMAGES SUM OF £3OO ASKED BOARD'S £IOO PAYMENT (Per Press Association.) CHEISTCHUBGH, this day. Alleging that, she had suffered a burn to her felt, thigh, which resulted in pain and shock and the permanent disablement of the. limb, Mrs. Caroline Thomas, of Christchurch. claimed £3OO as general damages from the North Canterbury Hospital Board in the. Magistrate's Court today, alleging that her injury was .sustained through negligence of the board and its servants while she was undergoing treatment in the Ghristduirch Pubhe Hospital. Decision was reserved. Mr. Jrlaslara, appearing for the plaintiff, said the board admitted negligence. '.and he understood had paid £IOO into court with a. denial of liability, declaring that. £ICO was sufficient compensation. Mrs. Thomas, ho continued, was. admitted to the hospital to undergo an internal operation. Ordinarily she should have been in the hospital for a fortnight only, as the operation was a comparatively simple matter. The operation was successfully performed on February 13, 1935, but on coming out of the, anaesthetic Mrs. Thomas felt a severe pain in her left thigh and shortly afterwards lost consciousness. A nurse admitted to her that she. the, nurse, must have burnt her with a hot-water bottle during the, operation. As a. result of this burn, Mrs. Thomas was. an additional five weeks in the hospital and when she was discharged the wound had not healed. After she had been home for three weeks, the wound healed, but ever since Mrs. Thomas had suffered pain. Operifng the defence. Mr. Wanklyn said that while it was undonbted that Mrs! Thomas had suffered pain ami inconvenience, the board had treated her generously. The board had abandoned its claim' for expenses against her, and with the money paid into court, this -amounted to £lls-

"If the board had paid in £SO, it would have been ample recompense for her injury in the past and disability in the future." went on Mr. Wanklyn, "but the board is not an insurance company which, it is reputed, fights a claim to the last penny, and the. board has shown great generosity in this case."