Can i sue the NHS for negligence after i broke my collar bone & they told me it was badly bruised?

Question

I tripped over the threshold & banged my shoulder on the wall. The following morning unable to move my arm i went to the casualty dept, the doctor said it was badly bruised & to take painkillers, i was never offered an x-ray! I lost weight & noticed a lump on my shoulder & it was slightly lower than the other side, after research it maybe that it was broken & fused itself back together! To this day now i still can't sleep on that side! Anyone got any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

yes  You can but contact a solicitor dealing in Medical neglicence first

Answer 2

No because you can not prove it was broken.

Answer 3

my son has broken a collar bone twice and both times was given a sling and paracetamol, even if you had had an x ray the best treatment is sometimes just to let nature take its course.

if it is bothering you then visit your doctor.

if you are going to sue anyone then sue the idiot that caused you to have the trip in the first place,(you dont mention how it happened so probably yourself) cos some injuries never heal completely and we all have imperfections on our bodies caused by life itself

Answer 4

If you were not given an x-ray check ( for whatever reason ) then you have a case,normally they are settlled out of court.Get yourself a no win no fee solicitor and proceed,if you feel you must.But,do as RHIANNA ( above ) says and tell the hospital complaints office,make sure they register the complaint.

Answer 5

Yes, they were negligent.  A doctor can take a new x-ray and tell that it was broken.  The notes that the casualty dept took should indicate that it was badly bruised when you went in.

Answer 6

well how do you know its broken ?? maybe its just age catching up with you

Answer 7

Yes, but the cost & hassle will outweigh the benefit. The only winner will be the lawyers.

Answer 8

It is strange they didn't offer an X-ray. There is a complaints procedure at every hospital. Go through the correct channels and take it from there.

Obviously, for any compensation it would have to be proved that the hospital were negligent, the bone was broken and significant damage was done as a direct result of them not spotting your broken collar bone...if indeed it was broken

Edit

To Papaver below..

If a patient comes into A & E with a possible injury to the Clavicle an X-ray IS generally done to determine, also an examination of the blood vessels and nerves surrounding the clavical needs to be checked, although rare, they can be injured.. Before giving people incorrect advise it's always advisable to check your facts first.

The NHS's lack of funds (or rather the NHS's poor management/incorrect use of funds) is neither the patients fault or concern. If a patient has incurred damage due to a Dr's incompetence, then this needs to be looked into.. for the safety of future patients and of course if this has caused significant damage from a bone that fused incorrectly (because a break wasn't spotted and appropriate aftercare wasn't given) and the patient is unable to work for example, then compensation should be given. His collar bone may not have been broken in the first place..this would have to be determined first.

It makes no difference how the patient received the injury, if further damage was caused by an incorrect diagnosis, then there is grounds for a complaint. That's the simple answer to the askers question. Maybe you should stop judging the asker and making him/her out to be a 'money grabber' and just answer the question he/she has asked.

Answer 9

just get on with your life?, at least you ain`t dead  

Answer 10

Even if it is broken they don't do anything except advise rest for 6 weeks so I don't think you would really get anywhere on the negligence front although if it was all shifted out of place he should have felt that (an x ray would show that even now) I would however get it seen by an Orthopaedic consultant to see why its still painfull though, could be more damage than just the collar bone, it should be getting a lot better.

Answer 11

Now WHY would you want to do that?

The NHS is struggling to care for sick people, not enter into lawsuits.

You were the person who fell over-You weren't pushed by the NHS!

X-Rays aren't done as a routine part of diagnosis.

The doctor made his diagnosis at the time according to what he saw and felt on examination.

It was up to you to go and see your GP after that if you needed any further treatment or advice.Casualty(A&E) don't provide ongoing care.

What proof have you, that it was broken and had fused itself?

You say that after research---maybe it was broken.

The usual treatment for a #clavicle is to immobilise it in a sling and it will fuse itself in about 12 weeks