Acle boat builder to sue after doctors fail to diagnose spinal tumour

Posted 04/08/2008

A boat builder from Upton near Acle is to pursue a legal claim against doctors who he alleges failed to diagnose his spinal tumour and then delayed surgery to remove it.

In 2001 Richard Horsley, aged 61, began to suffer from pains in his legs. Eventually in 2003 he was referred to the Norfolk & Norwich hospital where he was treated for polymyalgia rheumatica, a rare condition predominantly affecting the upper limbs.

But the problems did not improve despite treatment and in 2004 he had to give up his job as a boat builder, in which he had been employed for 44 years.

Eventually his GP sent him to the Coastal clinic in Gorleston for a second opinion. X-rays showed nothing and, some months later, an MRI was suggested which showed a spinal tumour. Mr Horsley was referred to Addenbrookes hospital, but whilst surgery was originally scheduled for April 2005, it was delayed for two months.

When eventually Mr Horsley underwent surgery he was told that the operation had been successful in removing the tumour. But because of the time the tumour had been there it resulted in irreparable damage to the nerves and caused paralysis in his lower body. He was then returned first to the Norfolk and Norwich and then the James Paget hospital for rehabilitation, but unfortunately it proved inadequate.

Mr Horsley is now confined to a wheelchair and is reliant on carers and his wife.

His lawyer is clinical negligence specialist Sarah Coles of Ashtons Legal.

‘This is a very complex case and no firm allegations have yet been made pending further investigations,’ she explains.

‘We are looking into claims against several parties at the moment, but we have had to issue proceedings at this stage for legal reasons because there are time limits attached to such an action.

‘It may be some months before we are clear about our next steps.’