Woman's £1.2m damages for amputation error

A woman has won £1.2m compensation after having a leg amputated after she was wrongly diagnosed with cancer.

A woman has won £1.2m compensation after having a leg amputated after she was wrongly diagnosed with cancer.

Vicki Gilbert, 27, was told she had a malignant bone tumour by doctors in Birmingham eight years ago.

She underwent chemotherapy and extensive surgery to remove her knee and most of her shin bone.

But less than a year later she was told she did not have cancer and that surgery had been unnecessary. Instead, she had a harmless bone cyst and most of her treatment had not been needed.

Part of her leg was replaced by a titanium implant which caused her a great deal of pain, leading to the amputation of her leg from just above the knee in September 1996.

She has now been awarded the damages by South Birmingham Health Authority to settle her claim for mis-diagnosis of her condition and subsequent unnecessary treatment.

Mrs Gilbert, a college sports lecturer from Leeds, who also works as a disability equality trainer, said: "What has happened to me shouldn't have happened, but it did and I've got on with my life.

"But it shouldn't happen in vain and I very much hope the regularity with which these clinical mistakes are occurring is being recognised and that something is done about it."

A spokeswoman for South Birmingham Health Authority said: "We can confirm that a settlement has been reached with Mrs Gilbert and we are pleased that this matter has now been brought to a conclusion.

"The Health Authority did admit liability some time ago and has not been contesting the case.

"We are very sorry for what happened and we wish her well for the future."