THE TYPE OF CASE WE DO

£22,000 following delay in identifying and treating ruptured Achilles tendon leading to requirement for surgical repair and prolonged recovery.

Aged 48 H attended A&E having fallen and twisted his ankle. He was diagnosed with a stretched tendon and discharged. H attended an osteopath as his pain persisted and was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon.

12 weeks after his fall H was assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon and ruptured Achilles tendon diagnosed and surgically repaired.

H recovered well from his injury.

It was H's case that his assessment at hospital was inadequate and ruptured tendon should have been considered as a differential diagnosis and investigated.

It was H's case that proper investigation would have led to a prompt diagnosis and treatment would only have required immobilisation in a cast. Surgery would have been avoided and he would have returned to work 5 months earlier.

The hospital accepted that H should have been referred for further assessment and the claim was settled without trial for £22,000.