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Failure to treat fracture properly
Case Studies » Medical Injuries
A lady had a simple fracture of her forearm and attended the Accident & Emergency Department of the nearest hospital. They confirmed that it was a straightforward fracture, and made an appointment for her to be seen at a later date for a check-up and when an up-to-date X-ray was to be obtained. However, the Consultant who saw the lady at the later appointment did not obtain a check-up and he wrongly assumed that she had reached a sufficient recovery and could start physiotherapy. The lady understandably thought this was correct and did her best, but the physiotherapy was too painful and she had to be referred back to the Orthopaedic Department. It was discovered that the fracture had not properly united and she would have to have an operation to insert a plate into the forearm. There was then a prolonged recovery, two more operations and she was left with permanent symptoms which our medical expert said she would not have been left with if she had been treated correctly in the first place. Despite the hospital’s solicitors strongly defending the case and the need to issue Court proceedings, they eventually settled it without a Court hearing and paid the lady damages for her pain and suffering and everything she had gone through, as well as loss of income and other financial losses caused by the negligence.