Police Officer to Sue Hospital Trust over leg amputation
A Police Officer from Hampshire is set to file a compensation claim against Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The personal injury claim comes after his leg had to be amputated because doctors failed to detect a blockage in his artery.
The officer was taken to Southampton General Hospital, after hurting his knee while answering a call for assistance, last November.
However, the hospital’s hesitancy in taking appropriate action meant that they failed to detect an artery blockage, which led to the amputation being required.
The hospital made the PC wait for an agonising five days before finally making him take an MRI scan to see what was causing the problem in his right leg.
The officer said: “I am trying to stay positive. However, I am finding things incredibly frustrating. It is very hard to think that the need for amputation might have been avoided.”
The officer’s personal injury lawyer said: “For a young man to lose a leg is devastating but to know that the loss could have been avoided by proper care is worse. The delays were unacceptable and we will be seeking compensation.”
Updated on 22/03/2010