Ankle fractures and surgical negligence: can I make a claim?

Suffering from an ankle injury is never easy, and can have a long-lasting impact on your life. Ankle fractures can be particularly difficult to live with and hard to recover from. However, they are quite common; over 75 per 100,000 adults under fifty years old suffer from an ankle fracture per year, with that number rising to 104 for older people. It can be even worse if you encounter medical negligence with an ankle fracture.

In this article, we will explore how medical negligence can occur with ankle fractures and some of the most common complications during ankle fracture surgery. We will also look at how this can lead to further complications, how much you may be able to claim and how a medical negligence solicitor can help you.

Read on to find out more, and to discover how contacting a law firm such as Wake Smith can help you to understand your rights and provide guidance on the likelihood of success when making a claim.

How can negligence occur with ankle fractures?

Ankle injuries often happen as a result of a genuine accident. However, there are some ways in which they can be considered medical negligence. For example, if you go to see a medical professional with an ankle fracture, you may be misdiagnosed, or they may miss the injury entirely.

Even if your issue is not initially an ankle fracture and is correctly diagnosed with a treatment plan put in place, it is possible for clinical negligence to occur. If you are not given the correct surgery, this can lead to a fracture.

Should you see a medical professional with an existing ankle fracture and it is not correctly repaired, this is also counted as medical negligence.

What are the most common complications during ankle fracture surgery?

There are some risks that are generally present if you require an operation to repair your ankle fracture. Some common complications with ankle surgery are not always due to medical negligence. Your surgical site may become infected, or you may suffer from some lasting nerve damage.

You may also find that bone misalignment can occur, and in some cases, blood clots.

While these are common complications, an ankle injury claim may still be possible. Even if these risks have been discussed and understood ahead of your surgery, they can still be caused by negligent acts. These include incidents such as surgery being performed in an improperly sterile environment, or you have not been given sufficient advice when healing. If these risks are not explained before your surgery, then you have also been a victim of medical negligence in some cases.

To find out more about common hospital negligence cases, please visit us on our website.

What further complications can a fractured ankle lead to?

While an ankle fracture, sprained ankle or broken ankle may not seem to be life-changing injuries, and in many cases will heal well, there can be further complications caused by these injuries, especially if they have been improperly handled by medical professionals and surgeons. You may find that your mobility is limited and weakened if you have struggled to heal well from an ankle fracture, and post-trauma arthritis can also occur. You may find that you are more prone to future injuries such as fractures at the same site.

It is vital to seek legal advice as soon as possible for your ankle injury compensation claim. If you have suffered from medical negligence that can have long-term impacts, the compensation you receive may help you to seek further treatment to repair residual damage and lessen the chances of more complications going forward.

How much can I claim for an ankle fracture?

When seeking legal advice for a medical negligence claim, you may wonder how much you can claim. This varies based on how the ankle fracture was originally caused. It will also depend on whether your particular fracture can be classed as medical negligence.

You can discuss your options with our expert team by filling out our online form.

How can a medical negligence solicitor help me?

Seeking support and guidance from a medical negligence solicitor is essential if you want to make a claim and potentially achieve compensation. Medical negligence solicitors are experienced in all areas of medical malpractice and know exactly what to look for when advising you. They will also be able to explain to you the process of making a claim in more detail so that you are more likely to achieve compensation.

How can I make a surgical error claim?

Making a surgical error claim is not always straightforward, but there are some first steps you can take yourself. Ensure that you have collected all the necessary evidence of clinical negligence, such as letters and emails that you have exchanged with the medical body in question, and evidence of how the injury was initially caused. You should also make careful notes of the consequences of the error, any additional complications and harm that was caused, as well as potential future issues created by the negligence.

When making a personal injury claim, you should contact a law firm such as Wake Smith in order to get the best advice and help with your ankle injury case.

How Wake Smith can help

Wake Smith can pursue all types of negligence claims, helping you with the guidance and representation you need to improve your chances of success. We can begin a discussion with you that includes realistic outcomes, and our initial consultation is free.

In most cases, we will contact the medical body on your behalf and begin discussions. It is very unlikely that your claim will go to court, as most medical negligence claims are settled out of court. If you do need to take your claim to court, we will protect your interests here, as well.

Get in touch to find out more.

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