More than £70,000 compensation for amputation due to a delayed cancer diagnosis

Our client, Mrs K had been experiencing pain in her left thigh and was advised to go and see her GP, following advice from her physiotherapist. The physiotherapist had contacted our client’s GP, encouraging them to refer our client for an MRI.

The GP did not immediately refer our client for an MRI immediately, even when Mrs K returned two more times complaining of further pain, swelling, and having to now use elbow crutches in order to walk.

On a third visit to the GP, our client saw another GP who made the referral for an MRI scan. The date offered was too far away and so a private MRI was organised. The MRI results came back as suspicious, and a non-urgent referral to The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital was made.

Unfortunately, before this appointment, our client suffered a broken left leg. While in hospital for this, a tumour was found at the site where she had been experiencing the pain.

As the tumour was at the site of the break, limb-saving surgery became impossible and our client had to undergo an above-knee amputation.

Proving negligence

Jason Brady was able to gather witness statements and details of our client’s initial visits to the GP. Then utilising the expertise of a GP expert, was able to prove that based on our client’s symptoms and complaint, she should have been immediately referred to the hospital for cancer investigations at an earlier appointment.

Blackwater Law were also able to obtain an expert opinion from an orthopaedic oncological surgeon which agreed that had our client been referred for cancer treatment earlier, her leg would have been strengthened and thus not suffered a break. The subsequent amputation would then not have happened.

More than £70,000 was recovered for our client for her injuries and to help with the cost of a prosthetic limb.