The Kuala Lumpur High Court awarded RM7.4 million in damages to a young man on Monday (3 November), after he filed a suit against a public hospital and its doctors.
The suit was for medical negligence in the treatment, care and management that resulted in the amputation of the young man’s left hand and right leg 5 years ago.
22-year-old man awarded RM7.4 million for a government hospital’s medical negligence
According to a report by Sinar Harian, Judge Datuk Su Tiang Joo awarded 22-year-old K Vimal Raj RM6.4 million, with the bulk of the amount going towards the purchase of a robotic arm and leg. He also received RM213,000 for pain and suffering incurred following the amputation, RM180,000 for home care and RM20,000 in aggravated damages.
Vimal Raj, as well as his father, who were plaintiffs in the case, were also awarded RM200,000 for costs.
Where it all started
In 2020, Vimal Raj and his father filed a suit and named the Ministry of Health (MOH), a government hospital, 12 doctors and the Malaysian Government as defendants.
They later signed a consent judgment on liability admitted by the government as the 6th defendant, while the claims against all other defendants were discontinued.
According to the statement of claim, Vimal Raj, who was 15 years old at the time of the incident, was a healthy, active teenager with no chronic illnesses before the incident. But, in January of 2019, his father had sent him to the emergency department of the government hospital for a severe infection of the skin of the scrotum.
He was later diagnosed with chronic balanitis, a treatable condition common in uncircumcised men.
This image is for illustration purposes only.
His hand and leg had to be amputated due to the negligence
However, Vimal Raj, who was unconscious, was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) after his condition worsened and he fell into a coma. While in the ICU, Vimal Raj’s father noticed that his son’s toes and fingers had turned black and blue.
The father sought out the medical officer treating his son for an explanation for Vimal Raj’s condition, but no explanation was given.
Due to the severe discolouration of his hand and leg, which caused both limbs to become dysfunctional due to cell death, a medical officer informed the father that, in order to save his son’s life, his leg and hand had to be amputated.
Vimal Raj’s father believed the hospital failed to make an accurate diagnosis of his son’s condition, leading to the amputations.
What do you think about this? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: M’sian Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail After Accidentally Stepping on & Killing GF’s 3yo Daughter
