£1 Million Compensation Cauda Equina Syndrome Claims Payouts

cauda equina syndrome

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare condition. However, one claimant was diagnosed with this after an operation for spinal decompression L5/S1. This incident saw the claimant awarded £1.1 million in cauda equina syndrome compensation payouts. So, what happened?

During the operation, the client’s spinal cord was torn. The surgeons recognised this at the time, attempting to repair the tear to the outer lining. However, when the patient woke up, she experienced a number of different symptoms that were not expected. She had numbness in her feet and the back of both legs, saddle anaesthesia, and she could not pass urine. Despite making numerous complaints, she had to wait an incredible three days before an MRI was carried out. This was then interpreted incorrectly by the surgeon in charge. Two days after this, a surgeon at another hospital reviewed the MRI and discovered that the nerve was still being compressed by the disc. This meant that another operation was needed for the patient. During this, the surgeon found that a nerve root was caught in the stitches from the repair carried out during the initial operation. The surgeon attempted to rectify this, but the patient was left with cauda equina syndrome. This means that she is now unable to work and has to live in chronic pain. This is one of a small number of cauda equina compensation case studies, as this condition in itself is very rare. Nevertheless, if you have been the victim of such a scenario, you will be entitled to compensation, and Legal Expert can help you to get the payout that you deserve through our professional claims service that has been helping people for many years get what they deserve in terms of compensation.

What is cauda equina syndrome?

Before we discuss cauda equina syndrome claims in further detail, let’s take a look at the condition itself. This is a rare disorder, which is typically a surgical emergency, which is why it is so bad that the patient had to wait for a long period of time before having a second operation. With CES, the nerve roots in the spine are being compressed by something. To stop long-term damage, i.e. the legs becoming permanently paralysed and incontinence, fast treatment is a necessity.

CES impacts a group of nerve roots that are given the name cauda equina, which is Latin for horse’s tail. The nerves affected are situated at the bottom of the lumbosacral spine spinal cord. They send out and receive back messages to and from your pelvic organs, feet, and legs. When you take this into account, it is not hard to see why cauda equina compensation payouts are typically so high.

Long-term impact of cauda equina syndrome

Incontinence and paralysis are two of the long-term effects of this condition. Some of the clear signs of this condition are as follows:

• Pain in one or both legs
• Sexual dysfunction
• Incontinence
• Severe back pain

If the symptoms are not diagnosed correctly or they are overlooked, the neurological impact can be devastating. To relieve the pressure on the spine, decompression surgery must take place at the earliest opportunity.

Causes of Cauda equina syndrome

There are a number of different causes of cauda syndrome. This includes disk herniation, spinal stenosis, spinal tumours, and infectious and inflammatory circumstances. There are also incidents whereby cauda equina syndrome can be caused because the condition has not been diagnosed correctly. This is when the surgeon has either overlooked the condition or misdiagnosed the syndrome, meaning that it is not dealt with as quickly as possible.

Cauda equina syndrome due to medical negligence

Cases of cauda equina negligence can be very traumatic. When we go to hospital, we expect to be in safe hands. We expect the surgeons to improve our condition, not make it worse. There are a number of different ways that medical negligence can lead to cauda equina syndrome claims. This includes mistakes being made during surgery, as well as surgeons failing to diagnose symptoms correctly and act properly. If this has happened, we can help you to secure the maximum cauda equina syndrome malpractice compensation amounts.

What injuries can be sustained in cauda equina syndrome cases?

When making this type of personal injury claim, your cauda equina syndrome compensation payouts will include two types of damages. The first is general damages, which is a payout for the pain and suffering you have accounted. The second is compensation to cover the costs you have been subject to, for example, loss of income like in the case mentioned earlier.

No win, No Fee Cauda equina syndrome cases – what’s involved?

When you make a claim with Legal Expert, you can be certain of a No Win, No Fee service. This means that our clients only pay for cauda equina syndrome successful claims. If compensation is not secured, you don’t need to pay any legal fees. This also means that anyone can make a claim for cauda equina settlements, irrespective of what their current financial situation is.

Call Us for Free Advice

If you are ready to make a claim, or you have any further questions about cauda equina syndrome claims, including cauda equina compensation payouts, we are ready and waiting to help. The number you need is 0800 073 8804. This is open from 9.00 a.m. until 9.00 p.m. every day of the week.

Useful Links

We hope this guide has been of use to you. If you need more information, the links below may be of assistance.

Decompression of the lumbar– This link takes you to the NHS page on lumbar decompression surgery, which is the treatment that is used when someone has cauda equina syndrome.

Claiming for negligence in a medical setting– This link takes you to our complete guide on clinical and medical negligence claims, including details on how to make such a claim, how much compensation you may get, the duty of care you are owed, and much more.

Other Medical Negligence Claim Guides That May Be Helpful

• Gillingham Walk-In Centre Medical Negligence Claims
• Birkenhead Walk-In Centre Medical Negligence Claims
• Blackburn Walk-In Centre Medical Negligence Claims
• Crawley Walk-In Centre Medical Negligence Claims