Cauda equina syndrome is a rare neurological condition, yet it leads to a disproportionately high number of medical negligence claims.
Cauda equina claims
Since 1995, the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) has paid out £377 million for 159 cases involving cauda equina syndrome. Another 180 cases are currently being pursued. Seeing as experts suggest the condition affects only a few hundred people in the UK every year, the number of claims is extremely high.
Why are there so many claims?
So why does cauda equina syndrome so often result in a claim?
Primarily, it is because medical practitioners fail to recognise the early warning signs. The red flag symptoms of cauda equina syndrome include:
- Severe lower back pain
- Bladder and bowel disturbance, such as difficulty urinating
- Numbness in the saddle area – including the bottom, genitals, rectum and bladder
- Paralysis in one or both legs
- Sexual dysfunction
Medical practitioners should recognise these symptoms as the early signs of spinal nerve compression. Although a patient may well have another, more minor condition, it is best to proceed with caution to ensure cauda equina syndrome is not present. A patient should therefore be sent for an urgent MRI scan to check whether or not their symptoms are being caused by nerve compression.
Sadly this standard of care is not always provided and instead patients are discharged without having had an MRI scan. In the absence of treatment, the condition quickly progresses to the ‘complete’ stage, meaning the nerves have become so impaired that they have actually died. At this point, the symptoms associated with the condition will be permanent. These complications could have been avoided had medical practitioners recognised the signs of cauda equina syndrome and ordered an urgent MRI scan.
Cauda equina compensation
As mentioned above, the NHSLA had paid out £377 million compensation for 159 cauda equina claims. The amount of compensation each Claimant receives is therefore very high. This is because the consequences of a delay in diagnosis and treatment are absolutely devastating.
Often the individual will be left totally or partially paralysed, leaving them to rely upon a wheelchair of some sort of walking aid. There will also be a degree of urinary incontinence and faecal incontinence. Evidently being doubly incontinent will be very problematic and many become housebound. Furthermore, there will be severe lower back pain, but numbness in the saddle area. This will result in sexual dysfunction, something which often causes relationships to break down. Of course, all this will have a huge psychological effect upon the person concerned, and depression and anxiety is not uncommon in cauda equina sufferers.
Can I claim?
If you would like to know more about pursuing a cauda equina claim, please get in touch with us today.