Settlement of claim for damages following delay in diagnosis and treatment of wrist injury

Jonathan Herbert, specialist clinical negligence lawyer acting for the claimant obtained a settlement of £60,000 to compensate the claimant for his pain and suffering and to pay for his past and future treatment needs.

Mr P was aged 39 when he injured his left non dominant wrist when playing football.  He sustained a fractured scaphoid but this was not recognised when attending hospital afterwards.  As a result of delay in diagnosis, the option of conservative treatment was missed and the scaphoid bone did not heal.  By reason of this, Mr P suffered avascular necrosis and subsequently underwent bone grafting and screw fixation surgery.

Mr P suffered:
a)    avoidable surgery;
b)    surgical scarring;
c)    injury that will result in arthritis to his wrist that will require further treatment ranging from steroid injections to a possible need for a full wrist fusion.

The defendant admitted failures to (a) consider the nature of the injury, (b) request x-rays of the scaphoid, (c) examine the injury properly and (d) suspect a scaphoid fracture and apologised to Mr P.

Court proceedings were commenced before a settlement was negotiated with the defendant’s lawyers.

Jonathan Herbert specialises in clinical negligence compensation claims.  If you would like to ask Jonathan a question about a potential case, or if you have a general query about any personal injury, contact him at Thomson Snell & Passmore solicitors on 01892 701226 in confidence.