Boyes Turner’s medical negligence solicitors obtained £24,000 in compensation for a 62 year old, diabetic woman, who suffered a severe pressure sore and several abscesses following her hospital admission in May 2008.In 11 May 2008 the woman, who has a history of type 2 diabetes, was admitted to hospital having developed a condition unrelated to the negligence. She remained in hospital until 10 June 2008. During her time there she developed a grade 3 sacral pressure sore. She believed this could have been avoided if she had been provided with appropriate care.After discharge from hospital the woman had regular visits from the district nurses who changed her dressings. By September 2008 she had also developed several painful swellings in her perineum. Fortunately these had resolved by the end of October 2008. However the pressure sore failed to heal.In January 2009 a referral was made to a tissue viability nurse and although some improvement was noticed, the woman was eventually advised to use a negative pressure pump. She used this for approximately 12 weeks, and again some improvement was noted, but the sore had still not completely healed.Eventually the woman was referred to a hospital in London and in January 2011 she underwent surgical excision of the sinus tract, which allowed the wound to heal. However the woman remains at risk of the sinus recurring in the future and if this were to happen, she would require further treatment.Boyes Turner medical negligence solicitors instructed a nursing expert to comment on the standard of care received whilst the woman was in hospital.The expert was extremely critical of the care that had been provided. In particular a risk assessment should have been performed on admission which was particularly crucial as this woman had risk factors for pressure sores given her history of diabetes. The expert was also critical of the failure to regularly inspect the pressure areas and the fact that preventative measures were not taken. For instance a pressure relieving mattress and other pressure relieving aids were not provided.After sending a letter of claim, the trust admitted liability and Judgment was entered at court. After the woman’s pressure sore had healed the claim was quantified and the case settled in August 2011.There was no cost to our client in bringing this claim.
