£150,000 Settlement for Delayed Diagnosis of Choroidal Melanoma Resulting in Eye Loss

The incident  

Our client, a 42-year-old customer service administrator, was referred for an MRI scan by her GP in March 2018, due to ongoing migraines. An MRI was performed in May 2018 and revealed an abnormal signal intensity in the left eye. However, the MRI report was reported normal by the Trust.  

Despite the results, the client’s GP made an urgent referral to the Ophthalmology Department in June 2018. However, it was our client’s case that she wasn’t informed of the results of the MRI or the referral. She alleges that she telephoned her GP for the results and was told that the MRI was normal.   

According to the defendant health board, a letter was sent in November 2018, advising the client that they had attempted to contact her for an appointment within the Ophthalmology Department. The client maintains she never received this letter or any preceding text messages. 

In December 2019, the client attended A&E complaining of pain behind her eye, loss of vision, and a severe headache. Following investigations and referrals, she was diagnosed with a large subretinal tumour and underwent an enucleation (removal of the eyeball) of her left eye in January 2020.  

The impact  

Although it was concluded that the client would have lost vision in her left eye regardless of the timing of the cancer diagnosis, the delay led to the complete removal of the eye. This had a major impact on the client’s self-perception and resulted in the development of PTSD.  

The client became agoraphobic, and her mental health had a negative impact on her social life and relationships. She also heavily relied on support from family due to the deterioration in her mental health. PTSD also prevented the client from working.  

The case and outcome 

The case was handled by Chartered Legal Executive, Holly Shuttleworth. Despite liability being denied in full, the claim was resolved successfully, with the client receiving a substantial settlement of £150,000 including sums for loss of earnings and care needs.  

The compensation will help the client access specialist psychological therapy and cosmetic treatment to support her recovery and facilitate a potential return to employment.