Cauda equina syndrome (CES) must be diagnosed and treated immediately if serious complications are to be avoided. Unfortunately this does not happen in every case, as there are often significant delays along the way. If complications do occur because of medical error, there may be grounds for a compensation claim.
Cauda equina claims
Although a relatively rare condition, cauda equina syndrome does lead to a disproportionately high number of medical negligence claims each year. This is because there is only a small window of opportunity in which the condition can be treated. If this window is missed, a patient will be left with serious neurological complications which are unlikely to improve with time.
Sadly medical practitioners do often fail to treat cauda equina syndrome in time. This occurs for a variety of reasons, and can most commonly be attributed to a lack of knowledge and a failure to note the progression of symptoms. If cauda equina complications do arise because of medical error, there will be grounds for a medical negligence claim.
How to win a medical negligence claim
In order to make a successful medical negligence claim, you must be able to prove two things:-
1. Substandard level of care
Firstly, you must be able to show that there has been a substandard level of care. This is judged against what a reasonable body of medical men would deem acceptable. If the care provided is considered to be reasonable, there is no case of negligence. But if there care provided falls below what a reasonable body of men would consider acceptable, the medical practitioners in question will have breached their duty of care.
2. Avoidable injury
Secondly, you must be able to show that this substandard level of care caused an avoidable injury. With regards to cauda equina syndrome, this often means that medical practitioners failed to treat the patient within an acceptable time frame, resulting in serious neurological complications.
If both of these factors can be established, it will be possible to pursue a medical negligence claim for cauda equina syndrome.
Compensation for cauda equina syndrome
If you have suffered cauda equina complications because of substandard medical care, get in touch with us today to discuss your options. If we believe that the care you received was unacceptable, and that on the balance of probability injury could have been avoided, you will help you pursue compensation for the damages wrongfully incurred. Contact us today to speak to a solicitor.