Man claims damages of $9,700 in leg amputation case

A man who had his left leg amputated after being treated at three hospitals has demanded that the hospital where he was first treated pay him a compensation for the loss of his leg caused by the hospital’s faults.

The man is 52-year-old Nguyen Van Hanh in Phu An Commune, Cai Lay District, Tien Giang Province, who has lodged a complaint both to the provincial Heath Department and the Cai Be District General Hospital, requesting that the hospital pay him VND204 million (US$9,700) as damages.

The amount comprises the total cost of treatment and a potential loss of income because of his disability.

Hanh had a traffic accident on June 28 and was taken to the said hospital, where doctors diagnosed that his left leg’s shinbone broke and decided that the leg had to be in a plaster cast.

A few days later the leg swelled considerably and caused pains, so Hanh came to the Tien Giang General Hospital for examination and was told to stay for treatment of the leg that was seriously infected.

One day later, Hanh was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital, where doctors said the leg had to be amputated due to severe necrosis.

Dr. Bui Van Nghieu, director of the Cai Be District General Hospital on Tuesday told Tuoi Tre that after putting Hanh’s leg in a plaster cast, doctors advised him to come back in case of any problems.

If Hanh had come back, the hospital would have been responsible for any problem to his leg in case it was caused by doctors’ faults, Nghieu said.  

However, Hanh did not return but arrived at the Tien Giang General Hospital, which treated him and then transferred him to HCMC, Nghieu said.     

Therefore, Hanh’s claim for compensation must be re-considered, the doctor said.

Hanh had been the breadwinner of his family before he had the traffic accident.

His family is poor and has no farming land, so before he had his leg amputated, he and his wife earned a living by doing odd jobs to support their daughter who is a grade 12 student.