£60,000 awarded after delayed diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis – a devastating flesh-eating disease
A WOMAN has been awarded £60,000 in compensation after a hospital’s delayed diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis – a life-threatening flesh-eating disease – a led to worsened health complications and long-lasting emotional distress.
The Claimant, who has diabetes, consulted her GP with flu-like symptoms and painful, red areas on her groin and right side. The GP suspected an abscess or necrotising fasciitis and urgently referred her to the hospital.
Although the possibility of necrotising fasciitis was noted in the hospital’s admission notes, the necessary imaging was not conducted on the day of her admission – and it wasn’t until 24 hours later, when a junior doctor reviewed a CT scan, that the disease was properly identified.
The patient was immediately scheduled for surgery to remove the dead tissue and necrotic areas, which included purulent gas gangrene. The surgery was crucial, but the delay in diagnosis meant she had suffered unnecessary tissue loss.
Following the surgery, the patient was admitted to intensive care but developed pneumonia. She spent nearly three weeks in hospital, receiving ongoing treatment, physiotherapy and wound care.
Unfortunately, the woman was left with permanent scarring across her lower abdomen, groin, thigh and pubic area. She also suffered loss of sensation in the affected area, which is unlikely to return.
The emotional toll was so significant that the woman developed severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), exacerbated by the uncertainty of how she had contracted the disease.
As a result of the hospital’s negligence, she also lost her job as a care assistant due to her reduced physical ability to work long hours.
Having come to us seeking answers, we thoroughly reviewed her medical records and consulted with experts to confirm that the delay in diagnosis was a clear case of negligence. Armed with this evidence, we pursued a compensation claim on her behalf.
The delay in diagnosis was identified as a breach of duty by the hospital and expert medical testimony confirmed that a practitioner should not have failed to perform the necessary imaging when the patient was admitted.
Had the diagnosis been made sooner, our client could have undergone surgery 24 hours earlier, resulting in less tissue loss and potentially a quicker recovery.
When the Trust admitted its failure and offered £60,000 to settle the claim, our client accepted the offer to finally bring her distressing case to a close.
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