JMW Solicitors: Supporting victims of devastating SCI cauda equina syndrome

By Eddie Jones, head of medical negligence at JMWSolicitors LLP. 

Photograph: Eddie Jones

As specialists in medical negligence claims JMW Solicitors has links with several support services and charities that can offer our clients an additional lifeline following a serious injury.

One of our particular areas of expertise is the spinal condition cauda equina syndrome (CES), which can be caused if worrying ‘red flag’ signs are overlooked or not treated with enough urgency by healthcare professionals.

This is a highly specialist area as many people have never heard of cauda equina syndrome, or its devastating consequences. Sadly if the window of opportunity to treat the condition is missed the result can include permanent disability, incontinence, sexual dysfunction and pain.

The standard of CES care is an ongoing issue and JMW is working with the SIA to hopefully improve the situation and enable more victims to be treated in specialist spinal centres sooner rather than later. However, as a huge organisation which serves the needs of people affected by spinal cord injuries of all natures, even the SIA’s experienced team can learn from support services that are dedicated to the CES cause.

That’s where the Cauda Equina Syndrome Association (CESA) comes in as this JMW supported organisation is fighting to raise awareness of CES and provide sufferers with assistance with the issues they are dealing with.

CESA was established in 2013 by my client Claire Thornber, who is living with permanent CES after mistakes were made by a Lancashire hospital. Claire is now supporting hundreds of people affected by CES and their families across the UK through the CESA Facebook group and via the website www.cesassociation.org.uk.

Claire is doing vital work to support people affected by CES who can find their condition incredibly isolating and debilitating. Just having the opportunity to speak to someone who has experienced what they are going through has been a huge help to some of the sufferers I am representing.

Claire’s specialist knowledge of cauda equina syndrome is what makes the support she offers so tailored to the clients she serves. On the legal side of the coin that is also what JMW is proud to be able to provide to sufferers whose CES was avoidable with better medical care.

Ensuring these clients have access to the care package that they require is what makes our work so rewarding and teamed and with added support from CESA and the SIA hopefully we are making a real difference to sufferers’ lives.

Find out more about how JMW helps people affected by cauda equina syndrome medical negligence here: http://www.jmw.co.uk/services-for-you/clinical-negligence/spinal-injury-claims/cauda-equina/.