Settlement obtained for woman who suffered surgical negligence

Ali Masterson, Medical Negligence specialist at Ashtons Legal, has obtained a settlement for a woman who was left with visible scarring following surgery.

Mrs V instructed Ashtons in December 2022 to investigate a claim against Ipswich Hospital after she sustained two large skin tears to her left leg during orthopaedic surgery. Mrs V had suffered a fracture of the neck of her left femur following a fall and had been admitted to Ipswich Hospital for surgery. On awakening from the surgery, she was advised that she had suffered two skin tears to her leg during surgery.

On further investigation, it was established that the wounds were caused by an assisting doctor when her leg was manoeuvred into position during the surgery. The wounds were also dressed incorrectly with steri-strips rather than non-adherent mesh, which caused a delay in her healing.

Mrs V has been left with two visible patches of scarring on her left leg. The dressings used for the wounds were bulky and made it difficult for her to walk and engage with her post-operative rehabilitation for her leg surgery. Mrs V had been advised by her surgeon she would likely be fully recovered within three months of her surgery.

In reality, Mrs V was not fully recovered until nine months post-surgery, as the bandages prevented her from wearing shoes and boots for a few months.

The case was settled in November 2024 to take into account Mrs V’s prolonged recovery from her surgery and the visible scarring she has been left with.

Ali comments: “This elderly lady suffered an injury during surgery which could have been avoided had the assisting doctor taken greater care and had she been provided with appropriate wound management. She was very keen to engage with her post-operative rehab, which was hampered by the dressings required for her leg wounds. While she has recovered from the surgery, she has been left with visible scarring, which she is conscious of. I was glad to settle this matter on her behalf so that she can put the distressing incident behind her.”

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If you believe we can assist you when pursuing a Medical Negligence claim, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at 0330 191 4835 or complete our online enquiry form.

Our experienced team of lawyers will be able to offer advice and guide you through every step of the claims process, and our in-house rehabilitation coordinators can help support you through your recovery.