Neurology and Neurosurgery compensation claims

Our Neurology and Neurosurgery claims expertise

Our medical negligence team specialise in neurology negligence and neurosurgery compensation claims. We have many years experience dealing with these claims and will ensure that you receive the highest award possible for your injuries and any rehabilitation, treatment and care that you require.

What is neurology and neurosurgery?

Neurology relates to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system, most commonly involving the spinal cord and the brain. Neurosurgery is the surgical speciality involved with treating these conditions by neurosurgeons.  Neurosurgeons often work closely with neurologists. 

Neurology

A Neurologist is trained to investigate, diagnose and treat a wide range of neurological disorders including:

• traumatic brain injuries and tumours
• headaches and migraines
• epilepsy and seizures
• memory problems and disorders of intellect such as Alzheimer’s and forms of dementia
• stroke and Transient Ischaemic attacks (TIA)
• facial pain
• dizziness and blackouts
• Parkinson’s disease, tremors and disorders affecting movement
• Multiple Sclerosis and other inflammatory disorders of the nervous system
• balance disorders
• tingling, pins and needles and numbness
• muscle weakness, pains and cramps
• sleep disorders

Many Neurologists specialise in one or more of the above disorders. A large area of their work involves neurological examinations and observations such as assessing muscle strength and movement, balance and reflexes, sensation, memory and speech and other cognitive abilities.

During medical examinations neurologists use a variety of diagnostic tests, including:

• CAT (computed axial tomography) scan
• MRI/MRA (magnetic resonance imaging/ magnetic resonance angiography)
• lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
• EEG (electroencephalography)
• EMG/NVC (electromyography/nerve conduction velocity)

The accuracy of these tests and their reporting is essential to this area of medicine. An instance of medical negligence at the diagnostic stage can have a devastating effect on the patient.

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is the surgical speciality involved with treating these conditions by neurosurgeons. Typical conditions managed by neurosurgeons include:

• hydrocephalus (fluid/water on the brain)
• trauma of the head and spinal cord
• brain tumours; infections of the brain
• spinal disc herniation
• anatomical malformations of the brain and spinal cord
• treatment for various neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, stroke, etc.

Neurology and neurosurgery negligence

Surgeons need to be extremely skilled as the surgery is often intricate, but mistakes do sometimes happen and they can have devastating, life-altering consequences.

Similarly, if a neurologist makes an medical mistake in diagnosing or treating a neurological disorder, the effects can also be life-altering.

Neurology and neurosurgery claims

Some of the most devastating medical and clinical negligence claims are those which involve neurological injury to the brain or spine.

Many clinical negligence claims in this area involve a failure to diagnose crucial conditions, meaning that doctors either fail to administer the correct treatment or administer the wrong kind of treatment, with catastrophic consequences for the patient. We have dealt with many claims including the following:

• Failing to test adequately and consequently misdiagnosing a subarachnoid haemorrhage, causing permanent brain damage.
• Failing to adequately manage medication for epilepsy.
• Failure to diagnose a brain tumour
• Failure to diagnose and treat spinal conditions causing permanent incontinence and disability.
• Failure to identify and treat drug toxicity causing tremors and seizures leading to death.
• Failure to manage multiple sclerosis causing exacerbation of disability.

The treatment itself could have been negligent, or the operations negligently performed by neurosurgeons. Occasionally the patient may not have provided what is known as 'informed consent' to a surgical procedure, or course of treatment, and can allege that if they had been made fully aware of the risks involved they would not have provided their consent.

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