Legal News

A mother of two Debbie Thomason, 35, is suing the NHS after she claimed that the doctors had misdiagnosed a spinal condition which left her disabled, when she sneezed.
She claims that she was suffering with a serious spinal condition ‘cauda equine’ syndrome which was mistook as some other back condition by the doctors and she suffered permanent damage.
She had already suffered from the nerve condition sciatica and when she collapsed after sneezing in May 2011 at her home in Northampton, she was rushed to hospital.
Doctors at Northampton General Hospital failed to detect that nerves at the base of her spine had compressed as a result of her sneeze and she had developed ‘cauda equine’ syndrome a condition where the spinal canal gets narrowed and causes nerve roots to compress below the level of the spinal cord. This condition is to be operated upon immediately or could risk paralysis.
But delayed operating on Mrs Thomason's spine for eight days and despite two further operations when doctors finally diagnosed her condition, left her disabled to an extent that now she walks only a few yards and has been left with no choice but to live at home.
She is now suing the hospital for clinical negligence, claiming her debilitating condition should have been picked up much earlier than it was.
Mrs Thomason, now has given up her job as a foster mother due to her condition and says that she is absolutely distraught. Her life had been shattered due to the permanent damage to her spine which she says could have been prevented if she had received the right care at the right time.
She added that though she was suffering with sciatica she never thought she would be left being disabled.
Launching legal action was only to highlight her case so other people could be saved from going through what she had to undergo she said.
Her husband Darren, 37, has had to give up his job as a bricklayer to become a full-time foster parent and look after the couple's children Jamie, 15, and Bethany, 12.
He is also a full time carer to Debbie who cannot bathe of dress herself and needs assistance going to the toilet.
He said his wife always liked to go out with the children but now she was virtually bedridden and in constant pain.
She had a simple problem of sciatica which never gave her much trouble but the sneeze caused it but there was unacceptable delays after her condition was misdiagnosed which has caused her present condition he said.
The couple's negligence solicitors also claimed that eventual surgery - and two further operations - was of a poor standard which has contributed to her constant pain.
Clinical negligence lawyer for, Debbie said she was now disabled at the age of 35 and had gone from being an independent woman, used to spending her days caring for others, to someone who needs care herself.
Northampton General Hospital said it was unable to comment due to the ongoing legal process.