'Liam' - Spinal injury sustained in surgery

Settlement achieved: A seven figure sum

Case handler: Christopher Lecky (Senior Solicitor)

Case background

In this case, our client attended hospital for routine spinal surgery to replace a disc in their spine.

After the first operation, they were initially rendered tetraplegic. Urgent follow up surgery was undertaken to attempt to revise the initial surgery but with only limited success. Our client was permanently rendered paraplegic.

Features of our client's case

This proved to be a very challenging case in which the Defendant NHS Trust made no concessions at any point with regard to whether they were at fault for the outcome. They were also resistant to engaging in the case in any meaningful or constructive manner.

Despite this intransigent approach, extensive expert evidence was obtained for our client and we continued to fight her case.

The issue of liability (i.e. to determine if the Defendant NHS Trust was at fault) was ultimately resolved favourably at a formal mediation, only a few weeks before a trial on the issue of liability.

Thereafter, substantial interim damages were secured for our client and the case proceeded again until just a few weeks before another trial to determine the value of our client's case, before a resolution was obtained at a settlement meeting between the parties.

Why Serious Law was one of a select handful of firms uniquely able to handle the matter

With liability and the overall value of the case being contested throughout the entirety of the case, it was vital that the our client had instructed a firm with significant experience in handling cases of such complexity and with access to a range of specialist experts who could provide the necessary evidence.

The file handler, Chris Lecky, had first hand experience in successfully resolving another case involving almost identical injuries arising from the same type of surgery and, this knowledge was key to understanding the complexities of the liability issues, communicating effectively with the experts involved and arguing the client's case to a successful conclusion.

The settlement

The parties engaged in a full day of negotiations at a settlement meeting, arranged just 8 weeks before the commencement of a 10-day trial.

The settlement meeting ultimately failed on the day but, with reliance and skilled further negotiations, a successful settlement was reached securing our client a multi-million pound figure to fund her future care and additional needs arising from her injuries.

If you or someone you know has sustained a serious injury and would like to speak to a serious injury specialist, please contact us today.