Wye Valley Trust agrees £550,000 for missing baby's hip dysplasia despite family history

Will secured settlement of £550,000 for a woman born in 2009 at the Wye Valley NHS Trust. Following birth, an ultrasound of the claimant's hips was carried out because of a family history of hip dysplasia. The family was told that the hips were at ''the lower limit of normal'', but that there was no need for further scans and no treatment was required.

When the Claimant was around three-and-a-half years old, her parents noticed she had an unusual gait – she was taken to the GP who made an immediate orthopaedic referral. Unfortunately, an X-ray confirmed hip dysplasia in both hips.

As a result of the late diagnosis, the Claimant had to undergo complex surgeries on both hips and wear post-operative casts.

Sadly, she will likely suffer with premature arthritis and will require multiple hip replacement surgeries in adulthood.

The defendant admitted negligence and the Claimant received an interim payment to use on various therapies and some counselling as she had become self-conscious of her scars.

Through the use of expert evidence, we were able to show that had the hip dysplasia been picked up when it should have been, the Claimant's hips would have developed normally.

The money was transferred to a personal injury trust, with the parents as trustees, which can be accessed as and when is required. It will pay for private medical care, various therapies, care, aids / equipment, and single-storey accommodation.

The Claimant's parents were awarded a significant sum for all of the extra care they provided and the travel expenses incurred.
 
“Will’s expertise and professionalism was obvious from our first meeting. He was extremely knowledgeable and had our child's best interests in mind at all times.

"Will was always amiable and approachable, and we particularly valued how he included our child in relevant discussions while being empathetic to parts that would cause her distress.  Will was meticulous when forming our schedule of claim, we can't thank him enough."

For further information about hip dysplasia claims, please call Will Jones on 0330 460 6822 or email will.jones@fieldfisher.com.

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