Making scapular medical negligence claim.
Scapular fractures are notorious for being one of the most difficult injuries to spot on radiographs due to bodily structures that obstruct the view. While patients with scapular fractures make up less than 1% of all fracture injuries, diagnosis of the fracture is crucial as failure to do so can have devastating effects. Therefore, it is important for medical professionals to be thorough when dealing with this type of injury.
A scapular fracture may not be diagnosed for many reasons. The most common is the obstruction of the fracture by other bodily structures which cover the injury on an x-ray, and the clinician then failing to take this possibility into account or ordering further imaging. Another reason scapular injuries can go undiagnosed is inexperienced junior doctors failing to consult with a senior colleague.
Failure to diagnose a scapular injury can result in a patient not receiving treatment in time and suffering unnecessarily. It can also lead to the bone healing incorrectly, which itself is difficult to treat once the bone has fused. Delayed or misdiagnosis of scapular injuries can cause patients to suffer from long-term chronic pain, or the function of their shoulder girdle can be inhibited, affecting them for the rest of their lives.
If treated correctly, and with use of rehabilitative physiotherapy, patients with scapular injuries can heal fully and patients can resume day-to-day activities in as little as 6 weeks.
If a medical professional fails to diagnose this type of injury, the patient may be able to bring a scapular medical negligence claim and receive compensation for the effect of the negligence on their health. Medical negligence claims can include the cost of further treatment and therapies, along with lost earnings and, of course, compensation for ‘the pain and suffering’.
If you or someone you know has suffered from a misdiagnosis of a scapular fracture, and would like to speak to one of our specialist lawyers about making a scapular medical negligence on a No Win, No Fee basis, then contact our free confidential helpline.