Darent Valley Hospital

A Dartford man has been awarded damages from Dartford and Gravesham NHS Hospital Trust following the death of his wife after she gave birth in 2007.

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Twenty-six-year-old Lauren Gard died from HELLP Syndrome, a form of pre-eclampsia, just 12 hours after her son Charlie was born while in the care of Darrent Valley hospital (DVH). Due to a missed diagnosis, the mother giving birth to her first child suffered from high blood pressure and liver failure which, if correctly identified and treated appropriately, could have saved her life.

Merlin Gard sued the hopital for medical negligence. He was awarded a six-figure sum. Speaking after the settlement, he said: “I just want to bring up my son as a well-rounded individual in the absence of my wife who was my best friend and the best part of me. This case was never about money but to make those responsible face up to what they did. I have heard all the apologies but they leave me cold. They will not bring Charlie’s mum back. They need to tear the department involved apart to stop an incident like this ever happening again.”

A spokeswoman from DVH said: “We would like to express our sincere condolences and offer our deepest sympathies to Mr Gard, to Charlie and the whole family. We are pleased that both parties have now been able settle this claim and wish the family well for the future.”