Deep Vein Thrombosis Compensation, DVT Claims

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) negligence claims

Information about DVT claims
How much can I claim?
What can I claim compensation for?
Making a claim for compensation

It is estimated that more than 10,000 patients have died from DVT as a direct result of hospitals neglecting to follow correct practice.

A deep vein thrombosis or DVT is a blood clot that forms in the deep vein, usually of one leg but sometimes in other parts of the body can be affected.

In some cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) there may be no symptoms, but possible symptoms can include:

pain, swelling and tenderness in one of thelegs (usually the calf)
a heavy ache in the affected area
warm skin in the area of the clot
redness of the skin, particularly at the back of the leg below the knee

Causes of Deep Vein Thrombosis

In normal circumstances blood flows quickly through the veins and does not clot. The flow of blood in the leg veins is helped along by movement of the body such as leg movement as the action of the muscle squeezes the veins. A DVT can happen for no apparent reason but the following factors increase the risk of having a DVT:

Some older people are at high risk of DVT (particularly if they have poor mobility or have a serious illness such as cancer)
Pregnancy
Immobility (caused by a surgical operation that lasts more than 30 minutes, long journeys by plane or train, illness or injury)
The contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
People with cancer or heart failure
Obesity
Being male. Men tend to develop a DVT more often than women.
Damage to the inside lining of the vein (caused by a previous instance of DVT, vasculitis – inflammation of the vein wall, or by use of certain drugs –i.e. chemotherapy drugs)

Diagnosing Deep Vein Thrombosis

The symptoms of DVT can make it difficult to diagnose the condition. Sometimes it is difficult for a doctor to be sure of the diagnosis from just the symptoms, as there are other causes of a painful and swollen calf. However, there are tests which can help to diagnose DVT where it is suspected, there include;

D-dimer blood test. This detects fragments of breakdown products of a blood clot. The higher the level, the more likely you have a blood clot in a vein.
An ultrasound scan of the leg, which can often detect a clot in a vein. A special type of ultrasound called a Doppler ultrasound may be used. This can look at blood flow through a vein can show up any blockages.

The failure to identify a relatively small DVT can represent medical negligence and condemn the patient long term suffering and disability for a condition that could have been treated completely successfully.
If you have suffered as a result of late diagnosis or misdiagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

How much can I claim?

A number of factors will determine the value of your settlement:

The type of injury and how severe the injury is
Did you recover fully from the injury or do you have ongoing problems
What are the long term effects on your health
Did the injury cause you other losses such as loss of earnings

What can I claim compensation for?

Pain and suffering
Loss of earnings
The loss of comfort/convenience/quality of life caused by your injury
Medical care costs
Costs involved in adapting your home to meet your new requirements as a result of your injury
Other out of pocket expenses incurred whilst receiving medical treatment, such as travel expenses

Making a claim for compensation

A specialist medical negligence solicitor can assess your case and inform you about:

How strong your case is
The likelyhood of making a successful claim
The amount of compensation you may receive if your claim is successful
Pursue a claim on your behalf