Case studies

• Negligent failure to diagnose ankle fracture
  We have settled a claim on behalf of a client who fell and fractured her ankle. After being examined and having her ankle X-rayed in A&E, she was reassured that it was only a soft tissue injury and was discharged home to attend physiotherapy.
• Claim against health visitor for missed congenital abnormality
  We acted for a young girl whose health visitor failed to suspect and identify a congenital hip dislocation that should have been detected as part of the health visitor's checks.
• £350,000 settlement for delayed diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip
  We have recently settled for £350,000 a long-running claim on behalf of a client whose developmental dysplasia of the hip was missed by a health visitor during routine baby checks.
• Claim against NHS Direct for misdiagnosis and treatment of swine flu
  We settled a claim for substantial damages against NHS Direct following the misdiagnosis of swine flu and the wrongful prescription of Tamiflu by an NHS Direct call centre set up specifically to deal with swine flu.
• Failure to treat orthopaedic injuries properly - scaphoid fractures
  Our medical negligence solicitors acted on behalf of a young man who injured his wrist falling onto his out-stretched hand.
• Claim against osteopath and radiologist for missed stress fracture
  Our medical negligence solicitors are pursuing a claim against an osteopath and radiologist for failing to diagnose a stress fracture to our client's thigh bone. She suffered the fracture whilst running.
• Delay in operating on patient with suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome
  A diagnosis of CES can be confirmed only with an MRI scan and the condition needs urgent treatment to avoid permanent and severe damage. Our 30-year old client had suspected CES and was admitted to hospital for an MRI scan, but this was delayed by 10 hours.
• Failure to investigate/diagnose Cauda Equina Syndrome
  Our client attended her local A&E with signs of CES. These were noted by the A&E doctor and she was correctly referred to the orthopaedic team. There was a disagreement about the evidence for CES and a senior orthopaedic doctor was therefore involved.
• Loss of an eye following delayed diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy
  We recently settled a case where a client with diabetes had been attending his GP with early evidence of diabetic retinopathy that went undiagnosed.
• Substantial damages for tragic influenza misdiagnosis
  We were approached by the family of a woman who died aged 44 in September 2007 due to a misdiagnosis of influenza. She was in fact suffering from pneumonia which had also caused septicaemia.
• Trust admits negligence for failure to identify Crohn's Disease
  We settled a considerable claim against East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust for a client who suffered a delay in the diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease.
• Failure to diagnose Cushing's disease
  Cushing's disease can arise from a tumour secreting the hormone hydrocortisone and can result in weight gain, typically distributed over the face, neck, shoulders and hips with characteristic hair growth and often purple stretch marks over the abdomen.
• Delay in excising basal cell carcinoma
  Our client had known Atypical Mole Syndrome (AMS) phenotype and was recognised as being prone to skin cancer. She attended her specialist with a basal cell carcinoma on her nose that was wrongly diagnosed as actinic keratosis and was discharged.
• Fatal delay in diagnosing renal cancer
  We are pursuing in the High Court a claim arising from a missed diagnosis of renal cancer. Our client has tragically died as a result and we now pursue the claim on behalf of his widow and estate.
• Delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer
  Our client's father and grandfather had both suffered prostate cancer. As he was concerned at his own risk of the disease, he asked his GP to arrange tests, which the GP agreed.
• Fatal delay in diagnosing ovarian cancer
  We have recently settled a case in which the NHS Litigation Authority accepted that our client had a high prospect of being cured had she been treated properly. Instead, at the age of 42, she tragically died when a malignant ovarian cyst was not diagnosed for over eight months.
• Claim settled for incorrect pancreatic cancer diagnosis resulting in major abdominal surgery
  We have investigated and concluded a claim for a woman who was wrongly informed that she had pancreatic cancer and therefore underwent major emergency surgery to remove her pancreas.
• Settlement of fatal claim from cholesteatoma arising out of failure of ENT team to investigate
  We settled a claim against Medway NHS Foundation Trust relating to the death of a 30 year old man from an undiagnosed cholesteatoma, a bag of dead tissue in the ear which if left untreated rots away the ear and the linings of the brain.
• Failure to diagnose infection following carpal tunnel surgery
  Our client had been suffering pain in his hand and wrist and found his grip affected and, therefore, his work as a plumber. He was advised to undergo routine carpal tunnel release surgery.
• Failure to manage a bone infection after treating a fractured leg
  Our client broke her leg during a charity parachute jump. The fracture did not unite properly and her treating surgeons decided a bone graft was needed. Unfortunately, they neglected to identify an infection in the wound that was diagnosed only when our client experienced severe pain inside her plaster.

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