Sarah Pritchard has successfully defended a General Practitioner alleged to have failed to consider a diagnosis of septic arthritis in a post-partum patient. The Claimant contended that the Defendant’s presumptive diagnosis of groin strain following labour was not tenable at 9 days following delivery and other conditions (including septic arthritis) should have been considered. She alleged that had other conditions been investigated (principally by way of blood tests), septic arthritis would have been diagnosed before significant destruction of her hip had occurred (she ultimately required a total hip replacement). The trial was heard over 5 days in Sheffield and involved significant factual disputes regarding the GP’s home visit and complex expert medical evidence regarding issues of causation. Damages had been agreed (subject to liability) in excess of £100,000. The claim was dismissed with an order for the Claimant to pay the Defendant’s costs in full.
