£3,000 for Missed Follow-Up Appointment After Knee Injury

A man who suffered a knee injury has obtained damages after a failure to arrange a follow-up appointment led to him experiencing months of pain and immobility.

He was admitted to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured patella and his kneecap was relocated. He was referred for physiotherapy but was not given a follow-up appointment or orthopaedic review. He subsequently experienced pain and was unable to put weight on his leg, and soon became unable to work and effectively housebound. After he returned to hospital several months later, it was discovered that his kneecap had dislocated again and he underwent complex surgery.

He brought a claim against the NHS trust responsible for his care. Medical evidence was obtained showing that, had a prompt review taken place, he would have undergone surgery much earlier and the pain and lack of mobility he suffered would have been avoided.

The NHS admitted that it had breached its duty of care and that that failure had led to the man's suffering. It agreed to settle his claim for £3,000.