£28,500 Settlement
Mr T, from London, underwent a total hip replacement on his right hip in March 2013 due to arthritis. He soon started to notice problems with walking, and pain. He was referred to physiotherapy and pain management but unfortunately, his problems continued. Eventually, in 2015, he was reviewed by a different orthopaedic surgeon, who determined that his legs were now of quite different lengths following the surgery, and this was causing him to limp, suffer pain and struggle with mobility.
Mr T subsequently had his hip revised in 2016 and has made some improvements, although he does still struggle with some mobility problems.
Mr T instructed Pryers solicitors to investigate a potential claim against the Hospital Trust regarding the initial hip replacement and whether this had been performed to an acceptable standard.
Leg length discrepancies are not uncommon following hip replacement surgery, and a certain degree of discrepancy is acceptable. Following investigations, Pryers put forward allegations to the Hospital Trust that the extent of Mr T’s leg length difference was such that it was not acceptable, and therefore the initial hip replacement surgery was negligent. This has then caused him to suffer from three years of pain and mobility problems, and to undergo an unnecessary surgical procedure to rectify this.
The Hospital Trust accepted that this treatment had been negligent. Mr T was assessed by one of Pryers Solicitors’ orthopaedic experts, and the symptoms he continued to suffer from appeared to be due to arthritis in the left hip, and an underlying back problem, and not due to the negligence. Following settlement negotiations, Mr T’s case settled for £28,500.
