Cauda Equina Syndrome

The clinical negligence team at Thomson Snell & Passmore Solicitors are specialists in dealing with claims involving cauda equina syndrome, having acted on a large number of cases for patients nationwide.

What is cauda equina syndrome and what causes it?

Cauda equina syndrome (known as ‘CES’) is a rare disorder affecting the nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord, known as the cauda equina. The cauda equina gets its name due to its visual resemblance to a horse’s tail.

Most commonly, CES results from compression in the lower back following a ruptured disc, but it can also be caused by other factors such as narrowing of the spinal canal, a haemorrhage, fracture or infection. Under rarer circumstances, it can result from trauma such as a road traffic accident.

CES is a serious condition and should be treated as a medical emergency.

What are the warning signs of cauda equina syndrome?

The red flag symptoms to watch out for which should prompt immediate investigation include:

• A change in bladder function, such as difficulty initiating urinary flow or urinary retention (not being able to completely empty your bladder)
• A numbness, tingling or burning sensation on the buttocks, perineum, inner thighs or back of the legs (saddle anaesthesia)
• Sciatica-like pain in both legs
• Urinary or faecal incontinence.

Investigations by way of MRI scans are usually required to confirm the presence of CES.

How should cauda equina syndrome be treated?

Urgent surgical intervention is crucial to treat CES. Surgery aims to relieve the pressure on the nerves before damage becomes irreversible. Without it, CES  causes life-changing injuries and can have severe psychological implications.

What is the impact of delayed treatment of cauda equina syndrome?

Even with treatment, CES can have a life-changing impact on a person’s mobility, sexual function, and ability to work and drive.

Delayed treatment can cause severe leg weakness, foot drop, incontinence of both urine and faeces, as well as total paralysis.

Over an 11-year period from January 2008 to December 2018, the NHS received over 800 claims for incidents of CES. The majority (65%) of the patients affected were aged between 31 – 50 years.

Making a cauda equina syndrome claim

If you or a family member have been impacted by the delayed diagnosis and/ or treatment of cauda equina syndrome then we may be able to help secure compensation.

As a first step, we offer a free initial consultation to discuss whether there is a legal claim and what funding options are available. We would then conduct an in-depth investigation into the management and treatment you received in the hospital, or GP surgery, using your account of what happened, and your medical records and radiological imaging. We often also take advice from independent medical experts.

Once this is complete, we can then advise you on the strength of your case, and give detailed advice on the next steps, which usually starts with preparing a formal letter of allegations to the relevant defendant.

How long does it usually take to settle a cauda equina syndrome negligence claim?

It is impossible to predict how long and how many hours of work will be needed to bring a cauda equina syndrome case to a conclusion, as every claim turns on its own unique facts depending on the individuals involved. However, every effort will be made to achieve settlement outside the realm of court proceedings.

What compensation can I expect to receive from a cauda equina syndrome claim?

Compensation for cauda equina syndrome will depend on the severity of your condition and future prognosis. Your claim will be made up of various heads of loss covering the serious impacts of delayed treatment and/ or management.

These losses will involve a financial sum for the physical pain, suffering and loss of quality of life, and there is usually also an award for psychiatric or psychological damage.

Other losses claimed for may include loss of earnings from no longer being able to work, care costs, private therapies, travel expenses, adaptations to accommodation, and aids and equipment. Any reasonable financial losses incurred as a result of negligence will be considered to reflect the position that you have been left in.

What are the best law firms for cauda equina syndrome claims?

Choosing a law firm to represent you is an important decision. We have one of the longest established and experienced clinical negligence teams in the country. Our medical negligence solicitors have a reputation for winning complex medical negligence cases and we have helped thousands of people claim compensation. The size of our clinical negligence team, and our breadth of our knowledge, means we are likely to have already succeeded in recovering compensation for a cauda equina syndrome clinical negligence claim that is similar in nature to yours.

Contact us for a free, no obligation, initial consultation. We offer no win no fee agreements on the vast majority of our clinical negligence and personal injury cases.