Mike had been living with diverticulitis, a condition that affects the large intestine (bowel), causing tummy (abdominal) pain and other symptoms. He had previously needed surgery which resulted in him having a stoma. When the time came to reverse the stoma, and reconnect his bowel, he was told the operation would be routine.
However during this surgery mistakes were made. A hole was made in his bladder – not just once, but twice. Although one hole / tear can sometimes happen during surgery of this kind, two holes in two separate places is extremely unusual.
Because of this, his bowel and bladder became connected, meaning fluid from the bladder was able to leak into the bowel. One of these connections was surgically repaired shortly afterwards, but the second one was more complicated and could not be fixed at the time. As a result, Mike was left needing to live with a permanent stoma.
The impact on Mike’s life
After the operation, Mike became very unwell and had to return to hospital. He needed more surgery and a long recovery period. Living with a permanent stoma has had a huge impact on his daily life, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
He struggled not just physically, but mentally. Everyday activities became more difficult, and he needed extra support at home, at work and when going away on holiday – one of the things that brought him joy.
Taking legal action
After Mike was referred to Enable Law, Senior Associate Morgan Lister sent an early legal letter to the hospital explaining what happened, and setting out the allegations against them. The hospital quickly admitted that mistakes made during his surgery were negligent.
This meant Mike was able to receive interim payments while we gathered expert medical evidence and planned next steps.
Further surgery was initially planned to try to repair the second bladder connection, but Mike faced years of delays. Two operations were cancelled, the first due to the impacts of Covid and second due to the junior doctor’s strike. So eventually, after waiting around three years, he decided he could not put his life on hold any longer.
The surgery could have helped – but it also carried the risk of making things worse. Mike however just wanted to move forward with his life, and so he decided to live with his injury – and chose not to undergo any further surgery
Reaching a settlement
Morgan worked with independent medical experts, including a bowel specialist, a bladder specialist and a care expert, to fully understand how the surgical mistakes had affected Mike’s health and daily life.
We then negotiated a settlement of £560,000. Mike was delighted with the outcome. The settlement means he can move forward, live more comfortably, and focus on the things that matter to him. Mike said:
“From the moment I was introduced to Morgan at Enable Law, I felt confident that both I and my case were in safe and highly professional hands.
Morgan and the team supported me through an extremely challenging period of my life following the incident, and were always available to provide clarity and reassurance. I never felt like just a number; I was dealt with personally and with genuine care, and it was clear that my best interests were always at the forefront of their work.
I cannot thank them enough. They exceeded my expectations both in the quality of their service and in the outcome they achieved on my behalf.”
How Enable Law can help
At Enable Law, we support people who have been injured because something went wrong with their medical treatment. We know these situations are deeply personal and often life-changing, and we are here to guide you through the process with compassion and clarity.
If you or a family member believes something went wrong with your medical care, we are here to listen.
To speak to Morgan, or another member of our team contact us on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form so we can arrange to call you at a time convenient to you.
