Successful claim helps a double amputee to regain his independence

Mr G contracted Legionnaire’s Disease when he was on holiday in Spain. He went into a coma, and while he was in hospital the Spanish medical staff failed to note that one foot was leaning on the other. He was not properly turned or cared for.

By the time Mr G returned to England, the poor treatment in the Spanish hospital resulted in him developing Grade 4 pressure ulcers all over his lower body. He was admitted to the Royal United Hospital in Bath suffering from peripheral arterial disease, which meant blood was not circulating properly to his lower legs.

Our client's condition was so serious that he had to spend three months in hospital. Some of the sores on his body had healed, but the ones on his calves and heels had not. Even though the sores were clearly persistent and painful, no vascular assessment was undertaken. Eventually these on-going problems caused some of the arteries in the legs to become completely blocked and by-pass surgery failed to work.

Eventually the sad decision was taken to amputate first the right leg, and a year later the left leg above the knee.

RWK Goodman took on Mr G’s case after the second amputation. The NHSLA strongly defended the claim, but eventually a compromise agreement was reached and the claim settled at a discount for serious litigation risk, with the assistance of expert evidence explaining exactly what events led to the amputations. The amount, £375,000, accounted for our client's pain and suffering, loss of earnings, additional care and the changes he needed to make in his everyday life. He went on to spend a portion of his compensation on a specialist wheelchair-accessible motor vehicle which meant he was able to regain as much of his previous independence as possible.