Negligent Diagnosis Led to Avoidable Fracture and Trauma

The incident 

Our client, a 56-year-old woman from Cambridge with arthritis and other pre-existing medical conditions, lived in an adapted home with her adult son. 

On December 23rd, she fell at home and experienced bruising, swelling, and severe leg pain. Despite her discomfort, she managed through Christmas before contacting her GP on December 29th. She described being unable to bring her legs together, stand, or walk properly. The GP diagnosed her with a muscle strain, advised her to increase her pain medication, and encouraged exercise and mobilisation. 

On January 1st, while attempting to sit on the toilet, she experienced a sudden surge of pain in her left leg. She was unable to stand and noticed swelling and a misalignment in her hip. Her son called an ambulance, but it took over seven hours to arrive, leaving her stranded in excruciating pain. 

Shielding due to her pre-existing conditions, she was also deeply anxious about the risk of contracting COVID-19. Upon hospital admission, she was diagnosed with a femur fracture requiring surgery. Beyond physical injuries, she developed severe anxiety, including a fear of using the toilet and becoming stranded again. 

The case 

Our client turned to Fletchers Solicitors for support. 

A breach of duty was admitted by Sawston Granta Medical Practices, as they failed to refer her for further assessment. The defendant argued that an established fracture was unlikely on December 29th, claiming it was an impending fracture that worsened later. 

However, our legal team argued that if the GP had referred her to A&E, imaging would have identified the impending fracture, leading to surgery before a full fracture occurred. This would have spared her the physical and psychological trauma of the January 1st incident. 

The defendant ultimately acknowledged that a referral would have led to timely imaging, admission, and preventative treatment. 

The outcome 

The case settled for £6,000 in recognition of the physical pain and psychological impact our client endured.