In 2018, Stephensons’ client, PG, ruptured the tendon in his bicep whilst mounting a TV on a wall at his home in Essex. After seeking treatment, PG underwent surgery to repair his arm, with a metal frame inserted to anchor the bone in place. Unfortunately, following surgery, PG suffered with an infection and had two wash out procedures, at Queens Hospital and Broomfield Hospital, to try and eradicate it. Both surgeries failed to resolve the infection.
Growing increasingly frustrated with the care he had received under the NHS, PG sought out the opinion of a specialist orthopaedic surgeon at a private hospital. PG commented:
“After my first meeting with the specialist, and having looked at my arm, his first words were “you need to get a solicitor”. Following an MRI scan, it was clear from everything he had seen that the metal work in my arm needed to be removed as that was the source of the infection.”
“To get that news after months of living in pain and with no clear plan of action from the NHS, it felt like finally there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. I knew something wasn’t right and to have that confirmed by the surgeon was a relief.”
After undergoing surgery privately, PG had to recover for a few months before he could undergo another attempt to repair the tendon under the care of the same private specialist. This time, the repair was successful.
“Prior to the accident, I led an active life. I work as an IT field engineer, so I was often away with work. With the damage to my arm that became increasingly difficult, I couldn’t go on any field visits. I lost a huge amount of overtime pay. I also really enjoyed swimming, cycling, and decorating, and I simply couldn’t do that. I was really wary that the damage to my arm could get worse at any point. It massively impacted my quality of life. It was unbelievable and unbearable at times.”
Following the advice of his surgeon, PG approached Laura Sheehan, a Partner in the clinical negligence department at Stephensons to support him in making a claim. Despite initially denying liability, in April 2023 the NHS Trusts involved advised they wanted to engage in discussions. They made a number of offers to settle the claim which eventually resulted in PG receiving compensation totalling £35,000.
“Laura and the team at Stephensons were brilliant. The communication was always prompt and clear and Laura went the extra mile to secure the best possible result. The Trust initially offered a lower amount but Laura was adamant that my claim was worth more. I was delighted with the end result.
“I am still very conscious about my injury; I tend to use my other arm to pick things up or carry bags. It will take time to overcome that, but the compensation Stephensons’ secured will allow me to move on with my life.”