’Leon’, 44

Doctors failed to diagnose an avulsion fracture to Leon’s knee in a timely manner. This resulted in a haematoma (localised bleeding outside of blood vessels) and the development of compartment syndrome (increase in pressure inside a muscle) causing Leon to suffer mobility issues and long-term neuropathic pain.

Madeleine Langmead, a solicitor in JMW’s clinical negligence team, took on the case and secured £344,849 to help Leon with his care needs and provide financial security for his future.

Hospital visits and examinations

Following an incident, Leon experienced severe pain in his left knee and was unable to bear weight on his leg. An ambulance was called and Leon was taken to hospital.

Upon arrival at hospital, a left knee x-ray was conducted. This was reported to be clear, and he was discharged later that morning for GP follow-up.

Leon attended his GP and an examination was carried out. His GP suspected a fracture and instructed Leon to attend hospital for further assessment and x-rays.

An x-ray was arranged at the hospital which was reported as showing no fracture. Leon was advised that he probably had a trapped nerve. He was then discharged with crutches and pain relief medication. However, he received a call later that day from the hospital saying that there had in fact been concerning findings and that he needed to seek medical attention.

Leon then experienced a severe and sudden throbbing pain in his left leg down to his left ankle and foot. He had numbness in his left foot and increasing, constant pain in his left lower leg. He attended hospital and requested a scan. Leon was examined and a differential diagnosis of a DVT (blood clot formation in a deep vein) and/or haematoma was documented. Leon was given blood thinners and advised to re-attend hospital the following morning for an ultrasound scan.

The ultrasound scan ruled out a DVT and instead identified a haematoma and soft tissue injury in his left calf. By this point, Leon had a swollen left calf and tingling and shooting pains into the foot. He also had loss of sensation in several toes on his left foot. Clinicians suspected that he had compartment syndrome and he was referred to orthopaedics.

Leon was assessed by orthopaedics that day and underwent an emergency exploration and decompression surgery on his left leg.

Further operations

It was noted that the haematoma had been successfully removed from Leon’s left leg and that this had provided good symptomatic relief after the surgery. However, a left foot drop was noted.

Leon underwent two further surgeries, one to close his wound from the original surgery, and another to reconstruct multiple ligaments in the knee and to explore a major nerve of the leg. This nerve was found to be encased in scar tissue.

On further review, it was noted that Leon had no motor recovery of this nerve and tingling and numbness in his left foot.

Leon underwent multiple further surgeries in an attempt to resolve his left foot drop.

Unfortunately, despite these surgeries, Leon has been left with permanent symptoms of neuropathic pain, reduced function of the left foot and ankle and left lower leg weakness resulting in mobility issues.

JMW’s investigation

Leon contacted JMW’s specialist clinical negligence team and shared his story. He expressed his concerns that if he had been treated appropriately when he first attended hospital following the incident, then he would have avoided the development of compartment syndrome and multiple surgeries that followed.

Madeleine Langmead established that there were several failures with the care, treatment and management of Leon provided by the hospital, which left him with reduced mobility.

On Leon’s initial attendance to the hospital there was a failure to undertake a competent examination of his left leg and to seek advice from orthopaedics for assessment as well as a failure to correctly report the findings of the left knee x-ray which showed a fracture.

Following this there was a further failure to diagnose Leon with compartment syndrome by not performing an urgent ultrasound to exclude the diagnosis of DVT.

If the fracture has been reported then Leon would have undergone early surgical reconstruction and would have avoided foot drop, compartment syndrome and complications above and beyond a mild injury to the major nerve of his left leg.

Settlement secured

Madeleine was successful in securing £344,849 for Leon to help with his future needs as a result of his injury such as occupational therapy and treatment to manage his pain, as well as the psychological impact.

Leon will also require extensive aids and equipment to assist with his daily activities to maintain his independence as well as future adaptations to his property to ensure that it is suitable to meet his mobility needs.