Our client lived in country NSW. One evening she was preparing the evening meal. Unfortunately while cutting some vegetables, the knife slipped and she suffered a deep cut to her thumb. She headed to Accident & Emergency at her local hospital.
Proceeding through Triage she was eventually treated by a Registrar at the hospital. Having examined her, he advised that she would require stitches to the wound. This he proceeded to do. Following the stitching, he dressed and bandaged the wound. An x-ray had been taken which did not reveal any bone injury to the hand.
Having had her injury treated and bandaged, she commenced to feel a loss of sensation and lack of movement in her thumb. She went back to the hospital and consulted with the Registrar again. She advised him of the problems that she was experiencing. He redressed the wound and advised her to report back to the hospital in a few days time. Again, upon getting home she experienced pain and loss of sensation in her thumb and unfortunately, her thumb did not improve. It was painful and stiff, she had difficulty using her hand and became quite concerned.
Having returned once again to the hospital, she was again seen by the Registrar. Again the doctor did not appear to be greatly concerned. He re-dressed her wound and told her to come back in several days time. Again, because of her ongoing pain and the problems she was experiencing with her hand, her concern increased and she decided that she would attend upon her local GP for a second opinion.
When the local GP examined the wound and her hand, he immediately referred her to the Sydney Hand Hospital. Having attended at the Hand Hospital, she was referred to a specialist for treatment. She was diagnosed as suffering from ischaemia because the bandaging that had been applied by the Registrar had been far too tight and it had cut off the circulation around the wound. Fortunately, with the expert treatment at the Hand Hospital her thumb was saved. Unfortunately, because of the severe pain she was in, she was unable to attend to her work. Because of the problems, she needed to take several weeks off work. Upon attempting to return to work, she had been advised by her doctors not to drive. Driving was an essential part of her work. Her boss showed little sympathy and sacked her.
Devastated with the injury she had suffered and the loss of her job, she turned to the experts in medical negligence claims here at Taylor & Scott Medical Negligence Lawyers for advice.
HOW TAYLOR & SCOTT MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE LAWYERS HELPED
Ivan Simic, Partner and Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury, agreed to travel to the country to give advice to his client. Having met with her, he took very detailed instructions and agreed to investigate a medical negligence claim on her behalf. Ivan proceeded to obtain the medical records from the hospital and her other treatment providers, including the hand specialist at the Hand Hospital.
Having gathered all the information, he then set about seeking an independent opinion from a number of experts in respect to the treatment by the Registrar and by the hospital itself.
He obtained a report from an expert in accident and emergency treatment. This expert opined that the Registrar at the hospital should have suspected that the bandage was too tight and was impeding the circulation in her hand. He should have taken down the bandage ensuring that her hand had normal colour and circulation and then applied a loose bandage to the wound. The expert went on to say that the Registrar’s failure represented a departure from what would have been widely accepted by peer professional opinion in Australia and a departure from an acceptable standard of care. In short, he formed the opinion that the Registrar had been negligent in the way he had treated his patient.
Ivan also went on to secure an expert opinion from a hand surgeon. This expert also stated that there was a departure from accepted practice in the management of the laceration by the Registrar at the hospital.
Armed with these expert opinions, Ivan then proceeded to launch a medical negligence claim in the District Court of NSW. In the case, Ivan claimed damages for his client’s pain and suffering, both past, present and future, and also claimed damages for her economic loss in respect to the loss of her job noting that it took her almost a year to be able to secure further full-time employment.
The case was conducted by Ivan on a no-win/no-pay basis meaning that his client did not have to pay Taylor & Scott any costs whatsoever unless and until she won her case.
FINANCIAL DAMAGES AWARDED
We are pleased to report that Ivan has been able to secure a substantial financial settlement of his client’s medical negligence claim compensating her for her injuries and her financial losses.
TAYLOR & SCOTT’S OFFER TO YOU IN MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS
If you or someone you know suffer as a result of medical treatment that you receive, you may have a medical negligence claim. You are welcome to contact the experts in medical negligence here at Taylor & Scott. We will conduct a face to face case review with you at no charge. If we believe you have a viable case, we will investigate and prosecute your case on a no-win/no-pay basis meaning that you don’t pay Taylor & Scott any costs whatsoever unless and until you win your case.
No matter where you live in NSW, you are welcome to phone us on 1800 600 664 or email us at info@tayscott.com.au
Our team of experts in medical negligence will do everything they can to ensure that you receive maximum compensation for your injuries.
AT TAYLOR & SCOTT, WE CARE FOR YOU
