Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Compensation Claim

If you have been injured while in the care of the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, you may be entitled to financial compensation for clinical negligence. To speak to an expert about your situation, call Quittance on 0800 376 1001.

See also:

Poole personal injury solicitors

Clinical negligence claims

Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (2006) - Case Study

A 52-year-old man accepted damages of £44,000 in an out-of-court settlement after doctors failed to diagnose a fractured left hip. The claimant brought the misdiagnosis compensation claim after the five-month treatment delay caused him to undergo hip replacement surgery.

The man who was 47 at the time of injury, fell down a flight of stairs. He called an ambulance and was taken to hospital complaining of pain in his left thigh. Doctors believed that the claimant's existing back problem was the source of the pain. No X-rays were taken to investigate the possibility of hip fracture.

The claimant did not receive a correct diagnosis until some five months later. By then, his only treatment option was a total hip replacement.

The injury had a material impact on the claimant's life. In the period between his injury and eventual diagnosis, the claimant was unable to put any weight on his left leg. This affected his mobility and his ability to work. As a result, the claimant lost his job and the accommodation that went with it.

Medical arguments

Medical experts acting for the claimant and the defendant agreed that, on the balance of probability, the claimant fractured his hip in the fall. They also agreed that, had the fracture been diagnosed when the claimant first visited the hospital, doctors would have been able to pin the bone together with screws.

Screw fixation operations carry a 30 percent failure rate. However, it was acknowledged that the claimant would have had at least a 70 percent chance of avoiding hip replacement surgery if the fracture had been diagnosed at the earliest opportunity.

The medical experts disagreed on the issue of culpability. The Trust's expert took the view that it was reasonable for doctors to presume that the claimant's pain originated from his pre-existing back problem. The claimant's expert argued that the hip joint had not been properly investigated.

Compensation settlement

The Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust did not accept liability. However, they did agree to pay total damages of £44,000 (£59,288.52 RPI adjusted) in an out-of-court settlement.

Of this, £12,000 (£16,169.6 RPI adjusted) was attributed to general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity. The balance was made up of special damages, mostly for future loss of earnings.

Making a compensation claim against Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Beginning a claim for medical negligence can mark the start of a long journey for some patients and their families. NHS Trusts are large, complex organisations. Simply establishing the events that led to your illness or injury can be challenging.

Quittance's network of solicitors have decades of experience dealing with complex medical negligence claims. We work hard to examine the fine details and to get you the amount of compensation you deserve.

We offer a free, no obligation consultation for patients who have been injured as a result of clinical and medical negligence. Call us on 0800 376 1001 to discuss your situation and to find out what your claim may be worth.