A woman who was left with a broken jaw after undergoing surgery has been awarded a substantial sum in compensation, reports The Telegraph.
The incident occurred in December 2010 when Amanda Walker underwent surgery at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust Hospital after suffering a miscarriage.
When she regained consciousness after the surgery she became aware of intense pain in her jaw and was unable to fully open her mouth.
It was only after she visited a dentist because of the ongoing pain that she that she found out her jaw had been dislocated. She then discovered that this had happened during the operation when a doctor used ‘excessive force’ in fitting a mouth piece that was used to keep her airways open whilst under the anaesthetic.
Ms Walker had to undergo a number of operations to try and fix the damage that had been caused, and for five years was unable to open her jaw more than two centimetres. She experienced constant pain and could only eat a very restricted diet. She still faces the prospect of further operations in the future.
The Telegraph reports that she has now received compensation thought to be worth between £100,000 and £400,000, although the exact figure has not been disclosed.
A spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust apologised for the distress caused to Ms Walker, and said that the hospital had done all it could to learn from the incident.
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