A Missed Injury

Harry was going down some stairs when he fell, going not only down the stairs but through a plate glass window. He had injuries to his ankle and went to the hospital. The staff noted he had an injury to his Achilles tendon, but missed that it was in fact ruptured. The pain continued and after three months the injury was properly diagnosed but Harry didn’t have surgery to fix the tendon for another six months.

Because of his ruptured tendon, Harry wasn’t steady on his feet and couldn’t climb his stairs at home. A chemical toilet was installed downstairs and a lift was needed to get him up the stairs to his bedroom. The increased damage to his heel and the injury being missed lead us to pursue a claim against the hospital for clinical negligence. Even though they admitted breach of duty, they denied liability for the increased strain on the heel, saying the injury wasn’t that severe. Medical evidence was obtained and supported Harry’s claim, leading to a settlement of £30,000.