§ PUBLISHED JUDGMENT · 2024
Jessica Tuffin v University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
[2024] EWHC 3318 (KB)·High Court (King's Bench Division)·20 December 2024
After spinal surgery the hospital failed to give Ms Tuffin the prescribed anti-clotting injection, and she developed a deep vein thrombosis and post-thrombotic syndrome; three years later her leg was amputated above the knee. The judge held the trust liable for the DVT and its after-effects but found the amputation was caused by complex regional pain syndrome from the surgery itself, not the clot.
Outcome
Mixed outcome
Sum stated in judgment
Not stated
Claim type
DVT & Blood Clot
Decided
Liability decided at trial
§ WHAT HAPPENED
The facts, in brief.
Defendant: University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust · this trust’s claims data
Injury: Deep vein thrombosis of the left iliac veins and post-thrombotic syndrome after omitted Clexane; left above-knee amputation three years later (found to be caused by complex regional pain syndrome, not the DVT)
Specialty: Spinal surgery / thromboprophylaxis · England
§ WHAT THE COURT SAID
In the judgment’s own words.
“I find that the defendant is liable to the claimant for the DVT and post thrombotic syndrome but not for the CRPS and not for her left above knee amputation.”
The money
Trial of causation only; no damages figure. The trust was held liable for the DVT and post-thrombotic syndrome but not for the CRPS or the amputation.
§ WHY IT MATTERS
What this case shows.
A missed dose of thromboprophylaxis that causes a DVT is negligent, but compensation covers only the harm the clot actually caused. Where a separate condition drives the worst outcome, the claimant must show the negligence at least materially contributed to it.
Contains information licensed under the Open Justice - Licence v2.0. Judgments from Find Case Law, The National Archives. Summaries are ours; amounts only where printed in the judgment.
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