Orthopaedic injuries can be both traumatic and life changing. If you’ve suffered an orthopaedic injury as a result of medical negligence, Slater and Gordon’s specialist legal experts can help get the compensation you deserve.
Fractures and injuries to bones, joints, muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments are known as orthopaedic injuries and are usually treated by orthopaedic surgeons. The causes of these injuries usually include road traffic accidents and slips, trips and falls.
However, when an orthopaedic injury is caused or made worse by a procedure or treatment that has gone wrong, an injury that is misdiagnosed, or diagnosis is unnecessarily delayed, this is known as medical negligence and you may have the right to compensation.
Orthopaedic injuries usually occur during diagnosis or treatment. If you’ve suffered due to one of the following mistakes, you might be able to claim orthopaedic compensation:
Delays or mistakes in diagnosis, particularly in relation to fractures or broken bones
Problems with surgery or aftercare for knee, hip or elbow replacement procedures
Surgery carried out without obtaining proper consent
Surgery carried out on the wrong part of the body
Damage to nerves during surgery
These kinds of errors, oversights and delays cause unnecessary pain and suffering to the injured person and can even worsen their condition.
What are the most common types of orthopaedic injury caused by negligence?
Diagnosis and treatment errors can lead to many types of orthopaedic injuries. Examples of cases our clients have received compensation for include:
A fractured hip left undiagnosed for two weeks
Fractured vertebrae not diagnosed due to no X-rays being carried out
A fractured scaphoid missed as the wrong X-rays were carried out
A fractured talus missed, although the injury was clearly visible on X-rays
A failure by doctors to diagnose a fractured patella because they didn’t arrange for any X-rays to be conducted
Hip replacement claims where the wrong component was used and/or the component was not fitted correctly
Knee replacement claims where the prosthesis was not fitted correctly
Ligament reconstruction operations where grafts were wrongly placed
Bunion surgery and operations to straighten toes done badly
How in-house medical experts support your medical negligence claim
Our in-house medical experts play a critical role in medical negligence cases. Here, Litigation Midwife, Kim Burns and Litigation Nurse, Matthew Brown explain their roles and how their medical experience translates to medical negligence claims.
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What will my orthopaedic injury claim cover?
If you’re suffering due to orthopaedic negligence, you may be able to claim compensation for the following:
Pain and suffering
Loss of earnings
Treatment and physiotherapy
Care costs
Aids and equipment
Any costs which will be incurred in the future as a result of the negligence
Why should I choose Slater and Gordon?
We understand that making a medical negligence claim can be daunting, whatever the injury. At Slater and Gordon, our orthopaedic injury solicitors have many years’ experience in handling a range of cases, from the straightforward to the complex, and work hard to ensure our clients not only achieve the best financial outcome, but can rest easy throughout the process knowing everything is well taken care of.
Our industry-leading team are consistently ranked highly in independent legal directories, such as Chambers and Partners, and the Legal 500, and are proud to have helped numerous clients achieve the compensation they deserve. Our team members also include trained nurses and medical professionals who provide us with expert knowledge in-house, helping us to secure the best possible outcome and provide clients with access to high-quality treatment and rehabilitation. We also offer home and hospital visits and provide immediate representation and rehabilitation support.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything Slater and Gordon have done to fight this case for us. I appreciate it has involved a lot of people. Please can you also thank the expert witnesses who have provided their expertise and help.
Mr and Mrs H (medical negligence client)
Kept informed regularly as to how my claim was going, prompt replies to any questions I had, excellent customer service at all times. Excellent service from all staff that have been involved in my claim.
Ms S (medical negligence client)
I cannot recommend Slater and Gordon enough, throughout the entire period of the case, all the staff have been both very professional, and supportive.
Mr Q (medical negligence client)
How much compensation will I receive for an orthopaedic injury claim?
It goes without saying that every orthopaedic injury claim is different, and the amount of compensation that may ultimately be paid depends on a variety of factors: from long-term prognosis to the cost of any care required.
Once we know the circumstances of your case, we’ll be able to advise you further. To establish your full legal position, call us on freephone 0330 041 5869.
How much time do I have to make an orthopaedic injury claim?
If you believe you have a claim, it’s important that you seek advice from a lawyer who specialises in medical negligence cases as soon as possible, as there are time limits in place in England, Scotland and Wales.
Generally, a claim should be made within three years from the date the negligence occurred or the date you were first aware that you had suffered a significant injury or illness due to negligence. However, there are exceptions.
If you or a family member have been seriously impacted by medical negligence, and you feel that you're not getting the specialist legal advice you need from your current solicitor, we'll be happy to discuss switching your case to Slater and Gordon. Simply call our experts on 0330 041 5869 or contact us online.
How much does it cost to make a claim for an orthopaedic injury caused by medical negligence?
We fund the vast majority of our medical negligence cases under a conditional fee agreement, also known as a No Win No Fee agreement.
A No Win No Fee agreement means that if you were to lose your case, it wouldn’t cost you anything, so there’s no financial risk to you.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything Slater and Gordon have done to fight this case for us. I appreciate it has involved a lot of people. Please can you also thank the expert witnesses who have provided their expertise and help. Mr and Mrs H (medical negligence client)
Kept informed regularly as to how my claim was going, prompt replies to any questions I had, excellent customer service at all times. Excellent service from all staff that have been involved in my claim. Ms S (medical negligence client)
I cannot recommend Slater and Gordon enough, throughout the entire period of the case, all the staff have been both very professional, and supportive. Mr Q (medical negligence client)