Multimillion pound settlement for promising gymnast and dancer forced to have arm amputated

The woman, who we have called Emily (not her real name), was 12 at the time of the fracture and amputation two weeks later, which came as a result of her suffering from compartment syndrome – a condition which sees pressure build in muscles around the injury site and restrict blood flow. 

Emily had been a promising gymnast and was an award-winning dancer. She underwent four exploratory surgeries throughout the ordeal before the compartment syndrome was correctly identified, at which point it was too late to save her arm and hand. 

Emily suffered the fracture to her right upper arm just above the elbow (a supracondylar fracture) in June 2020 from a trampolining accident while practising gymnastics. She was taken to Bedford General Hospital where the fracture was identified.  

It was also noted that Emily had no palpable radial pulse (between the thumb bone and wrist) and was experiencing reduced sensation in her right forearm and hand.  

Emily had surgery to stabilise the fracture that evening, but was still experiencing circulatory issues in her right hand, which remained cool, pale and pulseless.  

As a result, Emily underwent an exploratory procedure at the site of her wound, during which she was given a graft to replace two centimetres of her brachial artery (located in the upper arm, near the site of the fracture).  

However, no tests were done to check for compartment syndrome, a possible cause of circulation loss which can occur following a break or fracture.  

Emily continued to struggle with a lack of circulation in her lower arm and hand into the early hours of the next morning, with an oxygen probe indicating there was a lack of blood flow. 

Later that morning, further exploratory surgery was undertaken to investigate the issue and repairs to the artery graft were made, but still no tests were undertaken to explore the possibility of compartment syndrome. 

In the days that followed, the condition of Emily’s hand varied between cool and warm, and different levels of oxygen saturation – a pattern consistent with the slow deterioration of muscles in the forearm due to vascular issues. 

Five days after her admission, Emily underwent another surgery after a scan revealed more issues with the artery graft. In the two days following, Emily underwent surgery twice more as issues continued to be identified with the graft and circulation in her hand.  

This meant that since her initial surgery to put the artery graft in place, Emily had now undergone four further surgeries to repair the graft and address technical errors. 

During the fourth of these surgeries, now a week after Emily’s admission, tests and treatments were undertaken for compartment syndrome, such as decompression of the wound and a fasciotomy.  

However, by this point there was extensive necrotic muscle which had to be removed, and amputation was now a possibility. As a result, Emily was referred to a specialist paediatric unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).  

After being transferred by blue light ambulance to GOSH, Emily underwent further surgery to remove dead tissue and began treatment attempting to save her hand. However, the damage that had already occurred was too severe, and a decision was made to amputate Emily’s right arm below the elbow. 

The amputation was a highly traumatic experience for Emily and has led to severe impacts on her life. She experienced pain from the amputation site, phantom limb syndrome, and an uphill struggle to re-adjust having lost her dominant right hand. She has had to re-learn various key functions such as writing with her left hand.  

In 2020, Emily’s family contacted Angharad Vaughan at Leigh Day to investigate a potential medical negligence claim. A detailed investigation into liability was done, obtaining input from a number of different medical and surgical experts, all of whom advised that the care Emily had received was negligent. A letter of claim was then sent  to Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in February 2023 and Court proceedings were issued later that year in November. 

In the claim, Emily’s legal team argued that there was a failure to recognise the high risk of compartment syndrome at various junctures during her stay at Bedford General Hospital and a consequent failure to carry out treatments for the condition, amounting to negligence.  

Emily contends that had these steps been taken, her arm and hand would have been saved and she would have achieved near complete recovery of function in her right hand.  

The Hospital Trust defended the claim, which listed to go to trial in June 2026. The claim was settled in January 2026 following a round table meeting for £3 million. 

Leigh Day partner Angharad Vaughan, who represented Emily, said:  

“This was a tragic case. Emily, as a young girl of 12, lived through an ordeal of awful pain and suffering, hope, dashed hope and devastation over a matter of weeks. She witnessed her arm and hand deteriorate during the week she spent in hospital and underwent multiple operations which did not resolve the issue. She then experienced the trauma of having her right dominant arm amputated, and has had to re-adjust many aspects of her life to adapt while experiencing the pain and distress of recovering from such a surgery. She has already had to overcome so much at such a young age and has been immensely brave and determined in her approach to her rehabilitation.  

“While no amount of money can ever truly compensate Emily for the loss of her arm, I am pleased to have achieved a significant financial settlement for her, which will give her the financial means she needs to access rehabilitation, prosthetics, aids and equipment, and ensure her life is as comfortable as possible in the future.”