Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery Compensation Claims
If you have suffered an injury due to clinical or medical negligence on the part of a doctor or nurse involved in your ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery, contact the team of experienced medical negligence solicitors at Lanyon Bowdler today.
Whether you wish to make an official complaint, or you are seeking financial compensation to cover corrective surgery, rehabilitation costs or bills incurred during a period spent out of work, we have the necessary experience to provide expert legal advice and representation.
Contact Paula Nash, Head of Clinical Negligence or one of her team on 0800 954 9936, or complete our enquiry form, and arrange for your free initial consultation today.
Am I eligible to make a compensation claim?
The vast majority of ENT procedures are straightforward, and pose an extremely low risk to patients’ wellbeing. However, cases of medical negligence can occur during even the simplest of procedures, resulting in debilitating and disfiguring injuries. Common injuries resulting from ear, nose and throat surgery include:
• Damage to the facial nerve causing facial weakness
• Vocal cord damage either through surgery or during anaesthetic intubation
• Failure to diagnose and treat tumours of the nose and sinuses
• The diagnosis and management of throat or neck swellings and failure to diagnose tumours
• Incorrect treatment of inner ear problems affecting balance and resulting in Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
• Failure to correctly diagnose hearing problems leading to deafness
• Thyroid disease
If you have been affected by any of the above ear, nose and throat related conditions as a result of medical or clinical negligence, it is important that you contact a solicitor as soon as possible with the necessary expertise to provide a full and frank assessment of your case.
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) medical procedures
ENT, or otorhinolaryngology as it is also commonly referred to, often overlaps with plastic surgery, neurosurgery and maxillo-facial surgery. The ENT Consultant specialises in operations and disorders of the ear, nose and throat, dealing with issues such as deafness and hearing aid management, and is also involved with inner ear issues such as tinnitus and balance problems. Together with the maxillary facial consultant, ENT consultants also deal with throat and neck cancer.
The majority of ENT procedures are performed in order to improve patients’ quality of life, as opposed to being directly related to their health. Examples of such procedures include:
• Removal of minor nasal obstuctions
• Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea
• Rhinoplasty (nasal surgery)
• Pinnaplasty (ear surgery)
• Balance problems
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
• Facial pain
By far the most common compensation claims associated with ENT are related to damage caused to the bones surrounding the eye skull during Functional Endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). A frequently occurring complication of this operation is leaking of cerebral spinal fluid from the brain, which, if not successfully repaired, can lead to permanent loss of a patient’s sense of smell or, more seriously, meningitis.
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck. The specialties include:
• Cancers of the neck and of the head
• Cosmetic surgery on the face
• Surgery on the craniofacial area for adults or for children
• Trauma on the cranio-maxillofacial area
Common treatments involve:
• Surgery for all types of jaw correction, and reconstruction of facial symmetry
• Surgical treatment for sleep apnoea,
• Genioplasty, (cosmetic correction of the jaw)
• Cosmetic surgery performed either on the neck or on the head for example a rhinoplasty, (nasal operation) or otoplasty, (operation to correct enlarged, deformed ears)
• Dental implants
Contact a solicitor regarding your ENT compensation claim
If you have been affected by a case of clinical or medical negligence during an ENT or Maxillary facial procedure, you could be eligible to make a compensation claim.
For a free consultation with an experienced medical negligence lawyer call 0800 954 9936 or complete our enquiry form, and arrange for your free initial consultation today.