Paul McNeil secured £54,000 Damages after negligence in simple vascular surgery procedure goes wrong

Patricia was injured in June 1995 when she sliced the phalanx of her little finger when cutting a pizza. She attended the hospital and was admitted for a primary repair of her tendon under general anaesthetic the following day.

In September 1995, she was seen by a consultant plastic surgeon at the hospital who found that she had restricted movement due to adhesions on the tendon. She was advised to have tenolysis surgery and she was admitted to the hospital in November 1995 for this purpose. 

The surgery involved grafting a tendon from the leg to reconstruct the tendon in the right little finger. Sadly, during the surgery the tendon in the leg was wrongly identified and the surgeon stripped the post tibial nerve by mistake. 

Although the operation was completed by harvesting a graft from the right forearm, the negligence caused significant damage to the tibial nerve at the ankle of the left foot. 

The sole of Patricia's foot became numb, whereas the top of the foot became hypersensitive. Walking became difficult and initially she could not stand for any length of time. She was in significant pain and became depressed as a result of her injuries, which have now to some extent abated. 

Although liability was conceded by the hospital at a very early stage, it was necessary to issue proceedings because the parties were some way apart on damages.

The case was finally settled in the sum of £54,000 on the 7th April 1999.

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For further information about vascular surgery negligence claims and clinical negligence claims, please call Paul McNeil on 03304606804 or email paul.mcneil@fieldfisher.com.

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