Date: 16 November 2011

Ben Ward, a solicitor in the Ashton KCJ medical injury team, has obtained £1,500 for Mrs C after her local hospital took over a week to diagnose a pulmonary embolism, leaving her in excruciating pain. 

Mrs C’s problems started after she was given a below-knee plaster cast to help heal a fracture in her foot. A week or so later she started to suffer from a dull ache in her calf; this then turned into constant cramp and the symptoms extended to her back. Her local accident and emergency unit advised that she had strained a back muscle. The following week when she returned to have her cast removed she explained her symptoms to the doctor who noticed she was breathless and had her blood pressure checked. Her blood pressure was very high and a pulmonary embolism and pleural effusion were then diagnosed. Mrs C has subsequently had six months of anti-coagulation treatment.

Ben comments: “Mrs C’s compensation was for the excruciating pain she suffered during the eight days between the time when the hospital did diagnose the pulmonary embolism and the time when they ought to have diagnosed it. It was agreed that even with earlier intervention the pulmonary embolism and subsequent pleural effusion couldn’t have been avoided. This means the treatment required was the same as it would have been with earlier diagnosis, and fortunately Mrs C’s long term health has not been made worse by the delayed diagnosis”.