Homerton Hospital diagnosis delays causes continued bowel problems | Fieldfisher
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Case Study

Homerton Hospital diagnosis delays causes continued bowel problems

Samantha Critchley
Ben was seen in the A&E department at the Homerton Hospital on 9 August. He was seen by a junior doctor who felt he was suffering from nothing more serious than haemorrhoids. He was discharged.

Four days later Ben attended his GP in agony with anal pain. He was referred back to the A&E Department at the Homerton. Tests were done which showed signs of infection.

Despite this, it took a further seven hours for him to be admitted to a ward and a further three days for him to be seen by a more senior doctor.

The doctors incorrectly thought the problem was just haemorrhoids despite the fact that there were none to be seen on examination and that this would not explain all of Ben’s symptoms.

Finally on 16 August, a senior doctor saw Ben and arranged an urgent scan. Ultrasound had revealed a serious infection extending from the bowel to the thigh.

Surgery was carried out the same day to clean out the infection. Ben was left with a colostomy was in intensive care for some time.

Subsequently he had to undergo in excess of seventeen procedures which would have been avoided had the correct diagnosis been made. Ben continues to suffer from bowel problems.

Now Ben has chronic pain and neurological damage in his lower limbs. He has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Ben was unable to return to work. His wife was unable to cope looking after him and their two children and so the children had to be looked after by their elderly grandmother far away from the family home.

Samantha Critchley acted for Ben. She secured an admission of liability from the hospital and judgement was entered at the High Court in December 2009.

In June 2010 the claim was settled in the sum of £625,000 shortly before trial.

We also arranged for Ben to have support from a case manager to assist with finding alternative accommodation for Ben and his wife with the necessary support so that their children can move back home.

The settlement also provided for a rehabilitation package to include pain management, psychological support and physiotherapy.

Contact us

For further information about delayed diagnosis claims and clinical negligence claims, please call Samantha Critchley on 03304606812 or email samantha.critchley@fieldfisher.com.

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