Boyes Turner’s medical negligence team have recovered a compensation settlement for a young woman after she developed pressure sores as a result of substandard nursing care following surgery.Pressure sores, also known as bed sores, develop when the blood and oxygen flow to the skin and tissues of a part of the body is reduced, causing the tissues to break down. This can happen to pressure points, such as heels, which are under continuous pressure from the weight of the patient’s leg and foot when a patient is left in one position for a prolonged period of time. Patients who are immobile or unable to turn themselves in bed, such as after surgery, must be nursed carefully to avoid tissue damage from pressure sores. Our client suffered pressure sore injuries to both heels, which left her with ongoing mobility problems. Our plastic surgical experts believed that future surgery might be of benefit but could not be guaranteed to provide a lasting cure.Valuation of the case was complex because the consequences of our client’s disability from the negligent treatment had to be separated out from the ongoing effects of her pre-existing medical condition. Any disability or loss that she would have suffered in any event could not be included in the value of the claim.The claim settled for £185,000.
