Blake Lapthorn, one of the leading law firms in the UK, represented the family of Gerald Kanagarasa at a hearing this week in the High Court to approve a financial settlement negotiated on behalf of Mr Kanagarasa's widow and children.

London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/02/2010 -- Mrs Justice Sharp approved the settlement noting what the family had been through and offering them her condolences.

The claim arose after Gerald Kanagarasa, who had been suffering from breathlessness and a cardiac murmur, was referred to the Defendant's Harefield Hospital for heart surgery, which took place take place on 3 July 2007.

On the night before the operation Mr Kanagarasa's surgeon visited him for three minutes and informed him that he would carry out the heart surgery by minimally invasive surgery. Neither the surgeon nor his team had carried out this procedure before at Harefield and were inadequately trained and ill-prepared for it. Mr Kanagarasa was not told any of this and the defendant later accepted that the pre-operative consenting process was negligent, and the conventional method of operating should have been performed.

Further negligence occurred during the course of the operation, most likely as a result of the inexperience of the surgeon and his team. Mr Kanagarasa's heart suffered extensive damage during the operation and he sadly passed away on 7 July 2007.

It was accepted by the Defendant that if conventional open heart surgery had been performed (as it should have been), the operation would have proceeded routinely and none of the complications would have arisen. It is highly likely Mr Kanagarasa would have made an uneventful recovery. Within three months of the operation he should have been fit to return to work. His life expectancy would have been normal and he would have had a normal working life.

Instead he leaves a grieving widow and two infant sons. The pain of his loss remains keenly felt by his family.

The General Medical Council recently held an investigation into the conduct of the lead surgeon, Professor Dreyfus, and held that his conduct had been below the standard required and a caution was placed on his registration against him carrying out this type of surgery again.

Caron Heyes, head of Blake Lapthorn's Clinical Negligence team in London, represented the family.

Contacts:
Daniel Baber, PR Manager at Blake Lapthorn
Tel: 020 7814 5489
Email: daniel.baber@bllaw.co.uk

Blake Lapthorn London Clinical Negligence Team

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Premium German domestic appliance manufacturer Miele has, for a third time, been awarded the Best Domestic Appliance Brand accolade at the annual Which? Awards.

Abingdon, Oxfordshire -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/27/2010 -- Created in 2007 to recognise and reward the very best businesses in the UK, the Which? Awards publicly acknowledge companies and manufacturers that consistently excel in their customer offering. And, with a tagline of 'Who cares, wins', this year's awards focused more than ever on a great customer experience.

Fighting off strong competition from AEG-Electrolux and Bosch, Miele outshone its rivals at yesterday's ceremony (19 May) at the British Museum with "outstanding quality and customer service across a wide range of products for the home" to take home the 2010 Which? Award for Best Domestic Appliance Brand. Nominated and voted for by the Which? panel of experts, winners are chosen following analysis of the investigations, surveys and test results carried out on the manufacturer's products by the group across the year. Which?'s commitment to unbiased, independent product endorsement means that brands and companies cannot nominate themselves for awards.

The win comes after an incredible year for Miele, which included sweeping the board in the Which? Kitchen Appliances Product Reliability survey, obtaining excellent results in the Brand Aftercare Survey and receiving 36 Which? UK Best Buy awards - putting it in the Top 10 of Which? Best Buy brands in 2009. In March 2010, Miele's latest vacuum cleaner – the brand new Miele Hybrid – became the latest of its appliances to be honoured with a Best Buy award.

Simon Grantham, chief executive at Miele, commented: "We are thoroughly delighted to have achieved the Best Domestic Appliance Brand honour for a third time since the awards were launched in 2007. It's one of the most coveted and prestigious accolades that a company can receive and is testament to Miele's commitment to appliance reliability and durability, providing products that are designed to work faultlessly, and assuring consumers the peace of mind that their appliance will always deliver outstanding performance and excellent results. We are very proud to have been awarded this recognition."

Peter Vicary-Smith, Which? Chief Executive, adds: "This year a highly prized Which? Award goes to the top 11 businesses and individuals who have consistently put the consumer interest at the heart of their operations, showing that those who care, really do win."

In order to enable customers to experience first-hand the expertise and service that has won them the award, Miele has opened its second UK interactive demonstration showroom in Cavendish Place, London. The showroom allows consumers to 'try before you buy' and trial Miele appliances for themselves, and complements the Miele Experience Centre in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Notes to Editors

Contacts
For further information please contact Anna Roll or Kate Ward at 3 Monkeys Communications:
miele@3-monkeys.co.uk or 020 7009 3100

About Miele
Miele, the German manufacturer and global leader in premium domestic appliances and commercial equipment, is committed to reliability and durability, combined with advanced technology and superior quality. Founded in 1899, Miele has always been a family-owned, family-run company, belonging to the Miele and Zinkann families – today each in their fourth generation. The company motto of 'Forever Better' underpins every Miele endeavour; it drives innovation through the passion for finding better ways of doing things, and a desire to enrich people's lives and bring pleasure to every household. The product range includes household appliances for laundry, cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing and vacuums, and commercial appliances for laundry, sterilisation and dishwashing. Miele encourages its UK customers to come and test the products before they make a purchase at the Experience Centre in Abingdon, Oxfordshire or the brand new Miele Gallery, in Central London.

Miele is the proud supplier of appliances for a wide range of quality hospitals, hotels, restaurants and sport facilities, as well as prestigious residences across the UK and worldwide including The All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon, Italy's Grand Hotel A Villa Feltrinelli, Vienna's Hofburg Imperial Palace and The Kremlin.

In May 2010, Miele was awarded the Best Domestic Appliance Brand accolade at the Which? Awards for a record third time. In addition, Miele swept the board in the Which? Kitchen Appliances Product Reliability Survey and obtained excellent results in the Brand Aftercare Survey.

In 2009, Miele received 36 Which? UK Best Buy awards, putting it in the Top 10 of Which? Best Buy brands. In March 2010 the new Miele Hybrid dual power vacuum cleaner was the latest Miele appliance to be honoured with a Best Buy award, and the S7 upright vacuum cleaner was also awarded a Get Connected Product of The Year 2010 accolade.

For further information please visit http://www.miele.co.uk/

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New Eco Line vacuum cleaner from Miele combines optimum cleaning performance with complete energy efficiency

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/23/2010 -- German premium appliance manufacturer Miele has launched the new Eco Line vacuum cleaner which offers superior cleaning performance with exceptionally efficient use of energy. With a 1300W motor, cleaning is economical but as efficient as a standard 2000W appliance - saving valuable energy and also saving you money.

Lightweight and easy to use, the Miele Eco Line combines dust pick-up efficiency with great manoeuvrability to make light work of household chores. It offers first-class dust pick-up thanks to a new floorhead especially designed for low wattages. Specially sealed, the floorhead operates an efficient air flow system, which combined with two rollers at the edges and an extra wide thread catcher, ensure effective cleaning of all types of surface from floors to curtains and upholstery.

Based on the design of Miele's S4 compact range, the Eco Line S4212 also conforms to rigorous hygiene standards to remove dust, dirt and allergens through the unique 12-stage Miele Air Flow system. The appliance emits clean exhaust air due to the excellent filtration throughout the entire sealed system - from the floorhead to the dustbag to the motor and exhaust filter - picking up particles tinier than dust mites. The Miele HyClean dustbag locks in the finest of dust particles via nine layers of fleece, and the innovative auto-close hygiene shutter guarantees no leakage for the most hygienic dust disposal.

Quiet and compact, the new Eco Line is perfect for those who seek a fusion of design and functionality in their appliances. The Eco Line features gentle curves, clean lines and a fresh spring bamboo green colour – so looks great in your home while offering the highest quality cleaning.

Designed and tested for an average 20 years of use, the intelligence of Miele vacuum cleaners is born from over 80 years of technological development and 40 million appliances, and ensures performance endurance and the assurance of a lifetime of unbeatable cleaning.

The Miele Eco Line S4212 starts from £159 and is available from Miele partners across the UK. For more information visit http://www.miele.co.uk or call 0845 365 6600.

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Combines high class cleaning performance with unlimited mobility in cord or cordless mode

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/23/2010 -- With over 80 years of expertise in vacuum cleaning, leading German premium appliance manufacturer Miele is launching the very first high performance cordless vacuum cleaner. The Miele Hybrid S4812 is the World's first domestic cylinder vacuum cleaner to offer both a cord and cordless option, able to switch seamlessly between the two power supplies for perfect cleaning results in and around the home.

The innovative Miele Hybrid is powered by lithium-ion technology. The beauty of lithium-ion is that it has no memory recognition, which means the battery does not drain down or lose power during storage like traditional batteries. In cordless mode, the battery will retain up to 20 minutes of cordless cleaning power* - ample time for a quick turn up the stairs or out to valet the car.

There is no need for an external charger: the AutoCharge function checks the battery's charge levels whenever connected to mains supply and tops up appropriately so the vacuum cleaner is always ready for use. The Hybrid also features a useful LED electronic indicator that displays its charge status at any time.

Exceptionally quiet, the Miele Hybrid combines dust pick-up efficiency with unlimited mobility to make light work of household chores. Stylish and compact in design and available in Argento Silver, the Hybrid's ability to switch to battery-operation makes it perfect for urban or rural living, from the car to the garage, or even horsebox, boat or summerhouse.

Based on the design of Miele's S4 compact range, the Hybrid S4812 conforms to rigorous hygiene standards to remove dust, dirt and allergens. With Miele HyClean dustbags you can lock in the finest of dust particles and the auto-close hygiene shutter guarantees no leakage for the most hygienic dust disposal. The Hybrid S4812 is flexible and adjustable to attack hard-to-reach areas such as under the bed or above the curtain rails.

The Miele Air Flow system also means the Miele Hybrid S4812 achieves excellent filtration throughout the entire sealed system – from the floor head to the dustbag to the motor and exhaust filter – picking up particles tinier than dust mites.

The Miele Hybrid S4812 starts from £499. Launching in Spring 2010 it will be available at Miele Centres and Specialists. For more information visit http://www.miele.co.uk or call 0845 365 6600.

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Although it may not feel like it, Spring is just around the corner and with it will undoubtedly come the usual spurt of cleaning throughout homes in the UK.

London, England -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/10/2010 -- Premium German appliance manufacturer Miele realises the importance of getting your home into shape this Spring and has developed some top tips to make revitalising your living space a piece of cake.

Elspeth Smith, Miele's in-house Home Economist, offers the following advice:

1. Vacuum your whole home
• Deep cleaning for your entire home is at your fingertips with Miele's range of high-quality vacuum cleaners, and by following these top vacuuming tips you're house will be spotless in no time:

• Get rid of the Winter mud, dust and grime by vacuuming your carpet thoroughly and then using carpet shampoo. With the newly innovated Miele Hybrid S4812*(from £499), you can switch from cord to cordless in a second meaning that a lack of power sockets is no longer an issue – ideal for stairs and hallways.

• Miele's optional attachments (from £3.99 for a crevice nozzle) for vacuums will make getting to those hard-to-reach areas a breeze - the range includes a mattress nozzle, radiator brush, upholstery nozzle, dusting brush and crevice nozzle – for all those nooks and crannies.

• A top tip to get your carpet looking its best after cleaning is to always finish vacuuming against the thread of the material – this 'fluffs-up' the pile and makes it look as good as new.


2. Clean the oven
• After all of those hot dinners, your oven will be in dire need of a de-grease. Mix some bicarbonate of soda into a thick paste and smear it onto the door. Leave for a few hours and wipe away with a damp sponge.

• Miele's Pyrolytic Compact Oven (from £970) features an impressive self-cleaning programme. The advanced technology used to develop the oven means minimal maintenance and the innovative AirClean system mean nasty odours are a thing of the past.

• Alternatively, the Miele DGC 5080 XL Steam Oven (from £2,150) has a stainless steel interior surface and a PerfectClean finish, with special non-stick properties for easy cleaning. It also runs a soak programme for persistent or heavy soiling.


3. Revive your curtains
• Use your Spring clean as an opportunity to breathe new life into your curtains.

• The Miele WT 2789 i Washer Dryer (from £1,650) has a specific curtain-washing programme for sheer or lightweight curtains.

4. Banish those stains

The sooner you treat a stain on your clothes or upholstery the greater the likelihood of success. Miele's W5000 models include an in-built repertoire of 22 individual stain removal programmes including wine, coffee and grass. Up to three stain removal programmes can be used at any one time, meaning that with a Miele washing machine you'll always be sure of perfect results – whatever the fabric, whatever the challenge.

Miele experts have put together the following top tips for getting rid of the most common household stains:
• Cola – treat the area with a detergent for delicates and then rinse with mineral water before washing in the usual way

• Curry – first, soak in warm water then work in some glycerine or, for very fine fabrics, eau de Cologne, spirits or alcohol before washing in the usual way

• Lipstick – pre-soak the material in a diluted solution of ammonia or use an aerosol stain remover containing benzene

• Red wine – white wine, sherry or clear alcohol can all be used to attack red wine stains; however, the best remedy is a large pinch of salt. For stubborn stains, try using glycerine on the area before washing – if all else fails, bleach can be used

• Suntan Lotion - apply butter. It may sound absurd but the oily molecules stick together and draw out the stain from the fabric. Place a cold slab of butter onto the stain and leave until it begins to soften, then scrape off the excess butter and launder as usual

5. Eliminate odours
• Bicarbonate of soda can be a godsend for smelly spills or pet smells on carpets. While it doesn't 'absorb' smells, it cleans the area where smells originated and stops them getting in the air. For a cat or dog stain, sprinkle the bicarbonate on the area and leave it for as long as you can – overnight ideally. When you're ready, sweep over the area with a hard brush to pull up the bicarbonate, and then vacuum to pick up the remaining particles.

• Pop an open box of bicarbonate of soda into a clean fridge to absorb smells. Or, use charcoal – it's legendary at taking in nasty odours, which is why a charcoal filter can be purchased as an optional extra on all Miele fridges.

• Pop fabric softener sheets into a wastepaper basket in the living room, bathroom or bedroom to stop nasty smells escaping

• Newspapers, cat litter and bicarbonate of soda all work if you place those in the bottom of your kitchen bin before inserting the liner. They help to neutralise smells

• For a whiff-free washing machine run a monthly hot wash with biological washing powder or tablets (not liquid as it doesn't contain the necessary bleach) – this will kill mould and any smells. Put a few tea towels in to avoid wasting water.

6. Spread nice smells:
• Pop a few drops of perfume or essential oils onto a lightbulb on a table lamp – when it warms up it will give off a lovely smell

• Soak cotton balls in vanilla extract and pop them in the corners of your room – they will give off a lovely fresh vanilla scent for ages

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Miele introduces two new Design Worlds into its colour

London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/10/2010 -- Homeowners seeking out increasingly sophisticated and stylish design statements in their kitchens can now enjoy the ultimate in kitchen design co-ordination as German premium domestic appliance manufacturer Miele launches two stunning new Design Worlds for appliances -Brilliant White Plus and ICE.

Stainless steel has long reigned as the appliance colour of choice in any modern kitchen, however, those opting for a dramatically chic design statement can now delight in the cool, crisp lines of the new Brilliant White Plus colour option as the minimalist look is taken to the extreme. Appliances in the Brilliant White Plus range are striking in their fully white exteriors, with a sleek white gloss finish and white opaque glass oven door, and bright chrome handles and frames completing the look.

ICE offers an understated design feature in a cool and contemporary metallic hue. The smoked glass oven doors create a clouded and simple effect whilst the beautiful chrome handles and trim ensure the fashion-forward homeowner's kitchen is perfectly mirrored in functionality, quality and design.

To complement the new appliance colour themes, Miele has also added to its black appliance colour offering as black kitchens continue in their popularity as a contemporary kitchen colour choice. Appliances in the range feature black glass frontage coupled with aluminium trims, and the addition of a coffee machine to the collection now ensures a complete black product suite for a perfectly sophisticated kitchen.

Neil Pooley, Group Product Manager for Miele, says: "Although stainless steel still remains popular, kitchen trends are currently centring on monochrome palettes and consumers are increasingly seeking to blend excellent design with functionality in their kitchens. We're seeing kitchen design become crisper and cleaner - giving both a modern and unique, contemporary look to any home. The Brilliant White Plus range has been heavily influenced by strong white colour cues in other markets including cars and consumer electronics, and emphasises state-of-the-art technology combined with a true essence of quality and style."

Available from March 2010, the range of appliances available in Brilliant White Plus, ICE and Black vary according to colour option, but include the H 5461 BP 60cm built-in oven, the CVA 5060 built-in coffee machine, the DG 5061 built-in steam oven and the Alba extractor hood.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm