We helped Dave* claim a seven-figure settlement after his private doctor failed to spot signs of ischaemia. He needed his leg amputated and is no longer able to work.
What happened to Dave?
Dave had a blood clot in his lower left leg. This blocked the blood flow to his foot, and it became ischaemic (less than normal blood flow to the body part).
His private rheumatologist didn't identify key signs of ischaemia, and there was a delay in diagnosis of critical limb ischaemia.
This delay meant Dave had to have multiple surgeries to try to save his foot and leg. Sadly, this didn’t work. Dave had to have his left leg amputated below his knee.
The amputation didn’t go as planned, leaving Dave with chronic and treatment-resistant neuropathic pain. This has resulted in limited use of his prosthesis and very limited mobility.
How has this impacted Dave?
Before the amputation, Dave was an investment banker and enjoyed a high quality of life. He’s not been able to work since the amputation and spends most of his time at home.
Dave also has psychiatric injuries after the trauma of having an amputation and the complications he has suffered in terms of pain following the operation.
How did Irwin Mitchell help Dave?
Dave came to our medical negligence team to see if he could make a claim for compensation and understand why the ischaemia was missed. Georgie Cushing led Dave’s claim against the private rheumatologist that failed to spot the signs of ischaemia.
Dave’s medical records were gathered and an independent medical expert instructed to examine the care he received.
When presented with Dave’s case, the rheumatologist admitted a breach of duty but denied causation. This led us to start court proceedings to prove causation and quantify the claim.
With a court date set, we were able to settle Dave’s claim before the trial started. We reached a seven-figure settlement that’ll give Dave financial stability and help him have the best quality of life possible.
Expert opinion
On Dave’s claim, Georgie said: “It was a privilege to represent this client and whilst nothing can be done to change what’s happened. I hope this settlement will give him the financial means to live his life to the fullest given the hand he’s been dealt.”
*Name changed to protect client’s anonymity.
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