Case studies

A diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) can be confirmed only with an MRI scan and the condition needs urgent treatment to avoid permanent and severe damage. Our 30-year old client had suspected CES and was admitted to hospital for an MRI scan, but this was delayed by 10 hours.

Our client attended her local A&E with signs of Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES). These were noted by the A&E doctor and she was correctly referred to the orthopaedic team. There was a disagreement about the evidence for CES and a senior orthopaedic doctor was therefore involved.

We have secured an admission of liability from North Middlesex Hospital that it failed to properly assess a patient on two occasions. This led to a delay in diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome, a condition involving spinal discs compressing sensitive nerves that can cause permanent damage if not swiftly treated by surgery.

We agreed the settlement of a claim against St Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight, for the alleged failure to appropriately advise our client of ‘red flag’ symptoms of cauda equina syndrome when she was discharged from A&E.

We secured six figure damages for a patient who was left with permanent urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction and mobility issues after spinal surgery.

We have recently settled a claim for a woman who suffered a lumbar slipped disc in her early 20s, which had been treated conservatively at the time with physiotherapy to achieve a full recovery, but some 20 years later she began to experience pain and stiffness to her back.

We secured a substantial settlement for a man who has been left with long-term bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction after his local A&E department failed to recognise and respond to signs of cauda equina syndrome.

We have settled a case for delayed diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome against Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Our client, a new mother, attended A&E complaining of numbness and a burning sensation from the waist down. She was also suffering from increased urinary frequency, with an altered sensation when she passed urine.

We have settled a claim for our client, Mr P, a man in his fifties who had experienced a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of cauda equina syndrome with serious consequences.

We have settled a case on behalf of our client, a man in his 30s, who was left with long-term neurological damage from developing cauda equina syndrome.

Our clinical negligence team in Cambridge has settled a claim for delayed diagnosis and treatment of Cauda Equina Syndrome, which left our client with life altering injuries.

Our specialists settled a claim shortly before trial for a man who attended St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey soon after developing signs of Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES). He presented with back pain, right leg weakness, numbness in his saddle area and difficulty passing urine – all red flag signs of developing CES.