Delayed treatment of a fractured hip
The Claimant had a pre-existing neurological condition which caused mobility problems and poor communication. On 19 April 2009 the Claimant fell at home sustaining an injury to her left hip. She was taken by ambulance to St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight where x-rays revealed an impacted fracture of the neck of the femur. The Claimant was informed that she would undergo surgery to internally fix the left hip.
However, the clinicians treating the Claimant resiled from the decision to perform surgery and decided to treat the Claimant on a conservative basis. With conservative treatment, the left hip displaced further by the end of April 2009. In spite of this the Claimant was discharged from hospital on 21 May 2009 with an untreated displaced fracture of the femur. The Claimant was subsequently re-admitted to hospital due to extreme pain on 12 June 2009 and underwent left total hip replacement on 25 June 2009.
A Letter of Claim was forwarded to the Trust and an offer of £12,000 was accepted in January 2011 for the pain, injury and suffering that the Claimant experienced between 20 April 2009 and 25 June 2009.