YARDLEY WOMAN LEFT WITH PERMANENT FACIAL DAMAGE BY DENTAL TRUST RECEIVES £15K

A woman from Yardley has received £15,000 in an out of court settlement after an NHS Trust in Birmingham left her with irreparable nerve damage and in constant pain.

Carol Russell sued the South Birmingham Primary Care Trust after surgery to remove an impacted wisdom tooth resulted in years of agony and permanent numbness in her face.

Carol explained: “I was referred to the Trust in November 2008 by my usual dentist to have my wisdom tooth removed. I wasn’t worried about the procedure at all as I thought it was straight forward. It wasn’t until a few days later when I thought something was wrong because the feeling in my face still hadn’t returned and I was in excruciating pain.”

Carol called the Trust for advice but was told by consultants that the numbness and pain she was experiencing was normal.

The pain and numbness Carol felt continued long after her surgery, however.

Carol explained: “I had never felt pain like it. I was extremely worried as the pain was constant and did not ease. I was finally told I needed a further operation to put right the mistakes.”

Carol’s pain continued after the second operation and did not regain the feeling in her face. She was prescribed painkillers by consultants but these did not help with the pain. This was when she was told that one of her nerves had been exposed and cut during the operation to remove her wisdom tooth.

Carol said: “After further appointments and complaining of the pain I was in, I subsequently needed a third operation to remove a band of scar tissue that had built up from my original operation. I was nervous, but hoped that this surgery would end the nightmare.”

After this third operation, Carol was still left in agony and with further prescriptions of pain killers not helping she turned elsewhere for further advice.

Carol said: “On visiting Birmingham City Hospital in May 2010, I was told the damage I had suffered was permanent, I would never regain the feeling in my face and the constant agonising pain I was in would continue.”

Carol underwent a fourth operation despite the poor prognosis from the hospital. Consultants attempted to freeze the damaged nerve in her face, but this also failed, leaving Carol with no more possible options.

Evidence provided to Carol’s lawyer, Jenny Wood, from leading dental negligence solicitors the Dental Law Partnership, showed the substandard practice at the South Birmingham Primary Care Trust resulted in significant injuries to Carol.”

Jenny said: “The level of settlement reflects the permanent damage and turmoil that Carol has endured, the lack of care shown by South Birmingham Primary Care Trust is evident. My client has not only suffered severe pain, but is now left with a lifelong injury.”

Carol said: “The pain in my face will never go away, I have been left with damage that cannot be corrected and the compensation I have received will never put right what’s happened to me.”

She continued: “I will have to take painkillers every day for the rest of my life. On top of that I can’t socialise in the evenings anymore because I have to wear a pain relief patch on my face for 12 hours a day. I shouldn’t have to live like this.”

The South Birmingham Primary Care Trust denied liability.