Morrish Solicitors secures seven-figure sum for amputee

Morrish Solicitors has helped a man win a seven-figure sum in compensation after staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary failed to deal with the development of an infection following a knee replacement, which led to him having his right leg amputated above the knee.

The claimant first underwent a right knee replacement in August 2005 after being told that he had advanced osteoarthritis. He then had a further operation in December 2006, but suffered complications following the procedure, which prevented him from carrying out everyday tasks and leading to him resigning from his job as an HGV mechanic.

In 2009 he underwent further surgery during which long standing infections were discovered. He was advised that there was nothing more that could be done and that an above knee amputation was the best possible course of action for him.

During the course of the investigation into his case, Morrish Solicitors found that a microbiology test result from a washout procedure in January 2007 had tested positive but the result had been filed and no action taken.

A leading medical expert advised that had the hospital acted on these results, the correct procedure would have been to reopen and clean the knee within one month of the operation in December 2006 and the knee replacement would have been saved.

This would have enabled the man to return to work, so avoiding the second replacement procedure and lengthy hospital stay, along with two additional years of intervening pain and the final leg amputation.

Morrish found that there was a complete failure by Bradford Royal Infirmary to provide a reasonable standard of treatment and care to the patient.

Jane McBennett of Morrish Solicitors, who acted on behalf of the man said that he had only contacted the firm once he was “at the end of his tether".

"He had pursued a complaint against the hospital and his MP had taken up the matter on his behalf. Unfortunately the hospital never admitted their mistake and it was only as a result of these proceedings that the truth emerged and we were able to successfully pursue a claim for compensation.

"Whilst I am of course delighted that we have been able to secure a sound financial future for my client and his wife, he has had to pay a terrible price,” she said. 

Mark Dugdale