Woman Loses Leg After NHS Fails to Follow Basic Procedures

A woman reportedly had her leg amputated after an NHS hospital failed to provide adequate care following a horse-riding accident.

Rachel Rutherford, 48, is suing Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust for over £300,000 in damages, claiming that its errors destroyed her quality of life.

Following five operations, surgeons determined her leg could not be saved, leaving Ms. Rutherford with severe phantom limb pain, depression, and significant mobility issues. According to legal documents filed with the High Court, she now endures ongoing pain, requires antidepressants, and depends on long-term rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust admitted to breaching its duty of care by failing to perform emergency surgery to relieve pressure on Ms. Rutherford's leg. However, it denies that this failure resulted in the need for amputation.

The incident occurred in 2020 when Ms. Rutherford was seriously injured after being thrown into a fence by a bolting horse, causing severe damage to her leg and knee. During an initial five-hour operation to repair a fractured tibia, consultant trauma and orthopedic surgeon Jon Matthews removed bone fragments and inserted metal supports.

He also instructed hospital staff to closely monitor her leg for signs of compartment syndromem, a condition caused by excessive swelling in a muscle compartment, typically treated with a fasciotomy to alleviate pressure.

Whitestone Solicitors

Rochdale