Elizabeth Massam’s story.
I was working as a support worker with adults with learning disabilities when I was diagnosed with vascular disease. This affected the blood flow to one of my legs so surgery was scheduled to bypass blood from a different artery. Unfortunately the surgery went wrong and the surgeon accidentally cut through my bowel and I almost died in hospital. It took 3 days before the hospital realised I had sepsis and that my bowel was leaking into my stomach. I was in intensive care for months and it was not certain I would survive. I have a complex medical history which was not fully considered before the operation and I survived only because the contents of my bowel had pooled in an area of scar tissue caused by the radiotherapy I’d had many years before.
I was lucky to survive and I am very grateful to the nurses who cared for me in intensive care. Nevertheless I have been left with significant life changing injuries. As I have a short bowel I have to be on a special diet with limited liquid. I take over 100 tablets a week and have Magnesium infusion twice weekly. My mobility is massively affected as the bypass had to be reversed. My memory was also impacted by the sepsis and the many weeks that I spent under sedation and on a ventilator.
I had originally been told my quality of life would improve when they fixed my bowel but it turned out that was not possible.
Due to my life changing injuries I was not able to return to work as I had hoped and physically and mentally I was struggling. It took me some time before I explored taking out a clinical negligence claim for some additional financial support that could help improve the quality of my life. I first tried to go through trade union solicitors but they were not helpful. I then was advised by my daughter to contact Helen Clifford who came highly recommended by colleagues in the trade union and H&S movement. This proved to be the best decision I made.
Helen put me at ease straight away, she was empathetic and caring and took the time to listen to what had happened to me. She requested full medical records and began seeking expert witnesses. Helen made sure that I would not suffer financial detriment should my case not be successful and I had after the event insurance in place to protect me. She always kept me up to date with progress and gave me lots of reassurance about the merits of my case. I could not have gone through this process without Helen and her support. I feel very grateful to have found such a highly skilled and compassionate lawyer to represent me. Helen fought hard to get me the best financial settlement possible and I will be forever grateful for this as it has significantly improved the quality of my life and that of my family.
I can recommend Helen to anyone who has experienced similar who also needs to be supported by a lawyer who listens and cares and has the skills and knowledge to get the best results for her clients. Thank you so much Helen. I will forever be thankful for all she has done for me and the difference she has made to my life. Helen is one in a million and I will never forget her.
Helen commented “despite Counsel & our expert taking a negative view of the merits of the claim, I was adamant that we would win. Elizabeth sustained life changing injuries & I am very pleased with the outcome”.