If medical professionals have failed to provide an acceptable level of care during the diagnosis and treatment of your Cauda Equina Syndrome, you could be in a position to make a medical negligence claim. In this article we explore what might constitute a substandard level of care, helping you to understand when you can claim for Cauda Equina Syndrome.
Cauda Equina Syndrome and medical negligence
Anyone who has been injured as a result of medical negligence will be entitled to pursue a medical negligence claim which, if successful, will see the victim properly compensated for the pain, suffering and financial loss he/she has been caused.
For medical negligence to have happened, medical professionals must have breached their duty of care towards a patient. This means that they have failed to provide an acceptable level of care, as determined by a ‘reasonable body of medical men’. This breach of duty must also have caused a patient to suffer some sort of injury that would otherwise have been avoided.
In relation to Cauda Equina Syndrome, medical negligence claim usually arise because of a delay in diagnosis, or a delay in treatment. We will look at each in turn:-
1. Delay in diagnosis
It is essential that Cauda Equina Syndrome is diagnosed in the early stages of the condition, as this ensures a patient has the greatest chance of recovery. Doctors must therefore waste no time in recognising the red flag symptoms of nerve compression and performing further tests to verify whether this suspected diagnosis is correct.
Unfortunately, however, we see many cases in which medical professionals have failed to appreciate the nature of a patient’s symptoms. Instead, they believe a more minor condition such as a urinary tract infection is at play. This misdiagnosis can prove disastrous, as the longer the nerves are compressed, the more extensive the damage will be.
2. Delay in treatment
There are also occasions in which a patient is believed to have Cauda Equina Syndrome, but medical professionals fail to acknowledge the urgency with which surgery must be performed. Indeed, the nerves should be decompressed as soon as possible by way of emergency surgery. If compression is allowed to continue for more than 48 hours, it is very likely that irreparable damage will occur.
Cauda Equina Solicitors
If medical professionals do not provide an acceptable level of care to a patient with Cauda Equina Syndrome, it is very possible that he or she will consequently develop serious, long-term injuries. If this has happened to you or a loved one, it is important you seek expert legal assistance in the immediate future, as you could be entitled to compensation for the harm you have wrongfully endured. To find out more, contact us at the Cauda Equina Solicitors for a free, no obligation quote.