Vascular Negligence claims.

Vascular negligence claims concern the blood vessels — and centre on two conditions where the margin for delay is brutally small: compartment syndrome and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

Compartment syndrome occurs when pressure builds inside a muscle compartment — typically after a fracture, crush injury or surgery — cutting off the blood supply to the muscle. It is treated with an urgent operation (fasciotomy) to release the pressure. The cardinal warning sign is pain out of proportion to the injury, worsening despite analgesia. Because it is frequently misdiagnosed or monitored inadequately, muscle dies, and patients are left with crippling contractures, chronic pain or an amputated limb that a timely fasciotomy would have saved.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a swelling of the body's main artery. A ruptured AAA is catastrophic — massive internal bleeding causing death or, in survivors, brain injury from the lack of oxygen during catastrophic blood loss. Claims typically involve a known aneurysm not monitored or repaired when it reached the threshold size, or classic rupture symptoms — sudden abdominal or back pain, collapse — misdiagnosed in A&E or by a GP as renal colic or a back problem, losing the short window for emergency repair.

These are high-value claims because the outcomes are severe: six figures for significant permanent limb damage, £500,000–£1.5 million or more for amputation or brain injury, and Fatal Accidents Act 1976 claims where a rupture proved fatal. The limitation period is generally 3 years from the harm or date of knowledge.