A young man who was left with pain in his wrist for five years after doctors failed to properly identify and treat a scaphoid fracture has received a compensation settlement of £60,000.
During the five years following the original injury, he lived with persistent pain, stiffness and weakness in his dominant right wrist.
Owing to the extensive delay to treatment, he needed invasive bone graft surgery, leaving him with permanent limitations and a disadvantage in the labour market.
He sought the help of trainee medical lawyer, Natasha Lindley of Medical Solicitors, to bring a medical negligence claim against the NHS trust responsible for his treatment.
Case summary
In April 2018, the claimant ‘C’, then a teenager, fell from height and landed on an outstretched hand. He went to hospital with pain in his right wrist.
An x-ray confirmed a fracture of the scaphoid bone in his wrist. However, A&E staff failed to diagnose C and discharged him.
The scaphoid is a small but important bone in the wrist that is particularly vulnerable to complications if fractures are missed or not treated promptly.
Because the fracture was missed, C was not given appropriate treatment at the time and suffered with pain and reduced function in his wrist for several months.
It was not until August 2018 that a diagnosis was confirmed when imaging revealed an ununited scaphoid fracture. Even then, he was initially advised that the fracture might still be healing and so treatment was no necessary.
Over time, however, it became clear that the bone had not healed properly and had developed a non-union.
Eventually, in May 2023, he underwent major surgery to try to repair the damage. The operation involved opening the wrist, fixing the bone with a screw, and performing a bone graft taken from his hip.
The surgery left him with visible scars on both his wrist and his hip. He also experienced significant pain from both surgical sites and has been left with permanently reduced strength, movement and function in his right wrist.
The fracture has still not fully healed and there are several small bone fragments remaining in the wrist, creating an ongoing risk of further deterioration and the need for more surgery.
Litigation
The claimant began legal proceedings against the defendant NHS trust for the delay in diagnosis of the scaphoid fracture.
Medical evidence confirmed that if the fracture had been correctly diagnosed in April 2018, he would most likely have been treated with a cast for six to eight weeks. In that scenario, he would have recovered fully within approximately 12 months and would probably have avoided surgery altogether.
The claimant chose to settle his claim on a full and final basis rather than seek provisional damages to cover the risk of future complications.
The case settled in March 2025 for £60,000, which included £40,000 general damages for pain and suffering, as well as special damages for his past care and assistance, and the potential risk of future deterioration and its impact on his ability to work.
