We secured a compensation settlement of £877,000 for our client, Chrissie. This came after a delay in in performing corrective surgery after she underwent an inadequately performed spinal operation.
What happened to Chrissie?
Chrissie had an MRI scan after reporting neck pain and numbness down her right arm. The scan indicated she had a spinal cord compression, alongside a foraminal stenosis (compression of the nerve roots in the spine).
She was referred to Mr Karmani, a spinal surgeon, who recommended she had spinal decompression surgery.
Chrissie underwent decompression surgery at Spire Health Ltd Hospital. Straight after the surgery, she started to experience stiffness, swelling, numbness, and loss of movement in her right hand and leg.
This was reported to the surgeon, who requested a bladder scan but didn’t see any cause for concern. He was later happy for Chrissie to return to the ward. However, the problem persisted, and Chrissie’s symptoms were still there the next day.
Over time, the symptoms worsened and led to spastic weakness in Chrissie’s right leg, increased neck pain, and tingling in her arms and legs. Despite this, Chrissie’s surgeon considered she was improving and even suggested she be transferred on a specialist rehabilitation unit instead of getting continued hospital care.
The ward manager was concerned about this and sought the opinion of a second surgeon, who requested further scans. These scans were done and confirmed Chrissie had cervical stenosis and spinal cord compression.
How did this affect Chrissie?
Chrissie underwent corrective surgery eight days after her original operation. Unfortunately, her neurological signs continued to deteriorate. She needed three spinal surgeries in total and spent several weeks in hospital.
Chrissie was later transferred to Stoke Mandeville hospital for further rehabilitation. Sadly, she’s developed significant permanent neurological deficit. Her right hand and arm function is very limited, she needs to use a walking frame indoors and a wheelchair when outdoors.
Chrissie also has spasms and needs help with daily activities, including self-care. She’s also experienced psychiatric injuries as a result of her injury.
Chrissie can no longer live the life she used to. This has also impacted her partner, who’s become her primary carer.
How did Irwin Mitchell help Chrissie?
Chrissie contacted our spinal surgery negligence team to begin a claim for compensation.
Our solicitors had to commence formal court proceedings, but this step got Spire Health Ltd to admit that Chrissie’s initial surgery was performed inadequately. They also admitted that her following symptoms were overlooked, causing delays to corrective surgery and hindering her recovery.
They accepted that Chrissie has increased care and treatment needs as a result of the medical negligence she experienced. They also accepted the need for specialist equipment and aids, and a suitably adapted home. These will be lifelong needs for Chrisie, and her compensation sum had to reflect these needs.
A six-figure settlement
We were able to secure an out-of-court settlement sum of £877,000 for Chrissie, plus her legal costs.
This money will make sure she’s financially secure and can afford the ongoing care she needs for the rest of her life.
Expert comment
Chrissie’s claim was handled by Elizabeth Paterson, a senior associate solicitor in the medical negligence team. Elizabeth commented on Chrissie’s claim:
“Chrissie's life was completely devasted by her injuries. Understandably, she felt very angry at what had happened to her and let down by her surgeon. She did not feel like the person she used to be.
“It was a long and tough battle to obtain an admission from the defendant and the right settlement for Chrissie. With the support of her wife Tracey, she fought hard to achieve the compensation she deserved, and so desperately needed to rebuild her quality of life.”
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