GP Mistakes in Cauda Equina Syndrome Care and When to Make a Claim
If your GP has failed to provide adequate care of cauda equina compression, it may be possible to claim compensation for the impact of this failure.
Responding to cauda equina compression in the GP surgery
If you are experiencing lower back pain and symptoms in your legs or urinary difficulties, your GP is likely to be your first port of call for advice.
If, in fact, you are developing compression of the cauda equina nerves in the lower back, the quality of care which you receive from your GP at this point can be absolutely crucial to your future quality of life.
If your GP fails to provide a suitable response to your symptoms, the resulting delay may allow your spinal compression and loss of lower body function to worsen.
Mistakes in cauda equina primary care
Possible mistakes in cauda equina care which may occur in the GP surgery could include the following:
- A failure to carry out a thorough assessment which may mean that important and revealing symptoms such as urinary problems may be missed
- A misdiagnosis which may mean that a referral for an MRI scan does not take place or is delayed
- A failure to understand the urgency of your symptoms, leading to a delayed referral for an MRI scan
- A failure to provide adequate red flag advice which may mean that the patient fails to attend hospital if their symptoms worsen, thereby again delaying an accurate diagnosis
The essential problem caused by any of these mistakes is a delay in a confirmed diagnosis and a delay in surgery to decompress the spine.
As a result of the delay, the patient may find that they are suffering significant long-term disability which would not have been the case with an appropriate level of care and an earlier diagnosis.
When to claim compensation
It may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation if your GP has failed to provide an adequate response to your possible cauda equina compression symptoms, and this has resulted in you suffering worse long-term symptoms than should have been the case.
In order to ascertain whether this is the case, it is necessary to engage the services of a medical negligence solicitor who will investigate the quality of your GP care by analysing your medical records.
Free specialist legal advice
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with a team of experienced lawyers and extensive expertise in cauda equina syndrome claims.
Contact us today to talk to a solicitor, free of charge, about the possibility of making a claim.
We can offer No Win No Fee funding for medical negligence claims which we will discuss with you during your free initial telephone discussion.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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