MRI Delays Lead to Over £500,000 CES Claim

After several months of lower back pain, Tom’s symptoms started to get worse rather than better. He had now developed numbness in his right leg, foot and buttock. He attended a locum GP who prescribed painkillers and signed him off work for a short period.

However, when Tom returned to the surgery five days later, his GP recognised that his symptoms raised serious concerns and sent him to hospital immediately.

At hospital, Tom underwent an examination but unfortunately the possible signs of developing cauda equina syndrome were missed and so he was referred for an urgent MRI rather than an emergency MRI. Tom’s loss of sensation around the anus should have flagged up the possibility of cauda equina syndrome but the examination was inadequate.

He was advised of further symptoms of cauda equina syndrome and advised to return to hospital should they develop.

Tom attended the MRI appointment ten days later but had still not received the results over a week later. In fact, the MRI showed a large disc prolapse sufficient to cause cauda equina syndrome and should have been reported by the radiologist immediately. Had this occurred, it is likely that Tom would have undergone decompression surgery within a day or two.

Sadly, Tom’s numbness was spreading and, eight days after the MRI, whilst he was still awaiting the results, he realised that he had lost sexual sensation and was becoming incontinent.

Tom immediately returned to A&E where emergency decompression surgery was finally arranged for the following day.

Sadly, Tom’s condition had been left for too long and the impact of the compression of his cauda equina nerves could not be reversed. He has been left with severe bowel, bladder and mobility problems such that he was unable to work for some time.

We supported Tom in his claim for negligence on the part of his medical professionals and he was awarded in excess of £500,000.

(Details which might identify our client have been changed.)

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