£475,000 for Personal Trainer Following Failure to Prescribe Anti-Coagulation Medication at Newham University Hospital After Training Injury | Fieldfisher
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Case Study

£475,000 for Personal Trainer Following Failure to Prescribe Anti-Coagulation Medication at Newham University Hospital After Training Injury

Jamie Green
Jonathan Zimmern
 
Jonathan Zimmern has successfully concluded a case on behalf of JT, who suffered a DVT when staff at Newham University Hospital failed to give him appropriate anticoagulation medication following leg surgery.

JT was a very successful gym owner and personal trainer and was in the process of expanding his business. JT suffered a quadriceps tendon injury during training and was taken to A&E at Newham University Hospital in March 2011. Surgery was planned for the following day, but was postponed twice and he was subsequently discharged with a backslab plaster cast with plans for surgery the following week.  At discharge, hospital staff noted that his leg was severely swollen, but no anticoagulation medication was given.

JT subsequently underwent the operation but, again, no anticoagulation medication was given. A month later he went back to A&E with severe pain and swelling in his left leg. He was diagnosed with multiple clots in his upper and lower left leg and foot and placed on a six-month course of Warfarin. He was warned that there was a high possibility that he could either die or lose his leg over the following few weeks. 

Unfortunately, JT continued to suffer from severe leg pain, made worse with exercise or standing for long periods. He lost more than three stone to make walking on his leg more manageable. He was unable to continue with his various businesses and had to abandon his expansion plans. Through sheer determination, he has been able to continue working as an independent personal trainer. This is at a vastly reduced capacity however and he has to sit down or rest his foot on a chair during sessions. 

JT instructed solicitors to investigate his claim. They instructed an Orthopaedic Surgeon and a Vascular Surgeon who were both critical of the care provided to JT and the Hospital subsequently admitted liability.

At this point Jonathan took over the claim because JT was not happy with his solicitors. Jonathan took steps to quantify JT's claim, which was extremely complicated because of his various business ventures. It was difficult to predict JT's future earnings and Jonathan instructed a Forensic Accountant to assist.  At a settlement meeting with representatives from the hospital, Jonathan was able to agree a settlement of £475,000 for JT. 

Following the completion of the case, JT said:

"I would like to thank you and your team.  Complicated as it was, you worked thoroughly through all the issues for a very satisfying outcome to my claim. Thank you again."

Image credit: Newham University Hospital: main entrance
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen Craven - geograph.org.uk/p/1861636

Contact us

For further information about surgery negligence claims and clinical negligence claims, please call Jonathan Zimmern on 03304606779 or email jonathan.zimmern@fieldfisher.com.

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