After a clinical expert failed to remove a mole from one patient that soon afterwards was diagnosed with skin cancer, the former patient has filed a medical negligence claim in excess of £300,000 against the National Health Service.
Mr Jon Edmonds is pursuing a personal injury claim for damages as a result of one North Bristol NHS Trust doctor allegedly committed professional negligence for refusing to remove a mole from Mr. Edmonds’ shoulder five years ago. The North Bristol Trust employs over 9,000 staff across two separate hospitals.
Five years after his doctor’s refusal to remove the mold, the 42 year old father of four was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma, or skin cancer, as a result of the skin blemish. His chances of surviving past the year 2015 has been described by medical professionals as about 50 per cent.
As a result of that initial refusal by his doctor to remove the mole, which was due to the procedure to do so being classified as simply cosmetic, Mr Edmonds has filed a claim for £300,000 in personal injury compensation from the NHS on the grounds that his condition, which is potentially fatal, could have been avoided.
Mr Edmonds has stated that his medical treatment has left him quite angry, since as a result of this alleged act of professional medical negligence his life has been put in jeopardy.
Mr Edmonds was first alerted to his dangerous condition last year when a scar that was near the mole began to change in colour. After visiting his GP, he was referred to a clinic for removal of the blemish. Several days later however he was informed that he had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Since that time the cancer has begun to spread to different parts of Mr Edmonds’ body in a process called metastasis.