'Lynne', 56

When Lynne began experiencing severe back pain, mobility problems and changes to her bladder function, she sought medical advice on numerous occasions. However, despite her worsening symptoms, the seriousness of her condition was not recognised quickly enough.

By the time she was diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome and underwent emergency surgery, she had suffered permanent injuries that continue to affect her daily life.

Rebecca Cahill, a senior associate in JMW’s clinical negligence team, was able to secure a settlement of £100,000 which will help Lynne adapt to living with cauda equina syndrome.

What happened

Lynne started to experience severe and increasingly debilitating back pain. She attended several GP appointments reporting her worsening back pain and difficulties walking.

As her condition deteriorated, she developed saddle numbness and changes to her bladder function and became increasingly concerned that her symptoms were not being taken seriously. The GP prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatories and finally referred her for an MRI scan after her persistence.

Worsening symptoms

However, on advice from the hospital, she was given a routine outpatient appointment, and the scan didn’t take place for another three weeks. During this period, her symptoms became more pronounced, and by the time she got to hospital, she had not opened her bowels for 11 days.

The radiologist who did the scan said that somebody would be in touch to discuss the results, and she was sent home without any form of diagnosis.

Emergency operation

The next day, Lynne was called and advised she had to come in for an emergency operation. She was told that she had a cyst between L4/L5 segments of her spine, which was compressing on the cauda equina. She had emergency decompression surgery the day after she was admitted into hospital.

Due to this delay in diagnosis Lynne suffers with bladder and bowel dysfunction. She cannot empty her bladder fully and is reliant on laxatives to open her bowels. She has also been left with numbness and ongoing back pain.

JMW's Investigation

Shortly after her surgery, Lynne contacted JMW's clinical negligence team for advice. Rebecca listened carefully to her concerns and carried out a detailed investigation into the care she had received. This involved obtaining her medical records and instructing a number of independent medical experts to assess whether opportunities to diagnose and treat her condition had been missed.

Expert evidence obtained supported the view that Lynne’s symptoms should have been recognised as warning signs of cauda equina syndrome, requiring urgent hospital assessment and a MRI scan. The medical evidence further indicated that earlier surgery would likely have reduced the extent of the long-term injuries she now experiences.

Settlement secured

Rebecca was able to reach a settlement of £100,000 which will help Lynne adapt her property to suit her mobility needs and access necessary therapies.