03/06/2026
Marcos Eleftheriou and Thomas Ward settled a fatal claim for the family of a woman who died after she was misdiagnosed by a Physician Associate.
Ms Marking had gone to A&E after vomiting blood and experiencing severe abdominal pain, but was sent home the same day by a PA who diagnosed a nosebleed without consulting a more senior medical practitioner.
Her condition deteriorated at home and she went back to the hospital next day, where it was discovered she had a femoral hernia ad bowel obstruction. She underwent emergency surgery but unfortunately died four days later.
The Trust admitted breach of duty, acknowledging that had Ms Marking been properly referred, she would have undergone surgery immediately.
The Trust also admitted that, during surgery, cricoid pressure should have been applied to her oesophagus to prevent aspiration of her stomach, which contributed to her death.
Following the inquest into Mrs Marking's death, the coroner issued a Preventing Future Deaths warning, the most severe warning available to coroners, to Health Secretary Wes Streeting and to NHS England regarding the role of Physician Associates.
Read the full case study here: https://www.fieldfisher.com/en/injury-claims/case-studies/trust-admits-wrong-diagnosis-by-physician-associate-in-case-coroner-used-to-warn-over-role
