British man sent home from hospital with paracetamol after breaking neck in Phuket

[webfact]

 

British man sent home from hospital with paracetamol after breaking neck in Phuket

 

Picture: Caters News Agency

 

A British man has claimed he was sent home from hospital with only painkillers, despite suffering from a broken neck.

 

Anton Frolov fractured his neck after hitting his head on the seabed while swimming during a holiday in Phuket in 2015.

 

The incident resulted in Mr Frolov being knocked unconscious with onlookers having to pull him from the water.  

 

Mr Frolov, then had an x-ray at a local hospital in Phuket was given the all clear while in Thailand but decided to visit his local hospital when he returned home to Kent, England.

 

He was then transferred to Tunbridge Wells Hospital who sent him home with painkillers without carrying out further tests. It wasn’t until three months later the extent of his injuries were discovered.

 

Mr Frolov was told by a physiotherapist to go to the gym to strengthen the muscles in his back. However, that was only causing more damage.

 

“I had been going to the gym to try and strengthen the muscles in my neck but I was actually risking my life”, Mr Frolov told the Daily Mail.

 

“I was in daily pain and the only pain relief I had was paracetamol and co-codamol.”

 

The severity of his injury was only discovered when Mr Frolov had an X-ray at a private hospital.

 

“Three months after banging my head on the seabed I was still having pain so I decided to pay privately to get my spine checked.

 

“Once I’d had an X-ray the osteopath called me and said I had to go to hospital immediately as I had an unstable fracture in my neck”, he explained.

 

“It’s a bit crazy to be called and told your neck is broken, especially as I had been walking around with it for so long.”

 

Mr Frolov is now suing Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust for not carrying out an X-ray and has hired a legal firm who specializes in negligence to take up his case.

 

“When health professionals tell you everything is ok, you take their word for it. They’re the experts and you trust them.

 

“After finally having surgery I was told I’d been extremely fortunate and that it was something of a miracle to be walking around, as because of the fracture and the position of the broken bone, I could have been paralysed at any moment, he added.

 

“If I had gone a few more days without it being discovered, I don’t like to think what could have happened because I was told it was getting more dangerous day after day.”

 

Solicitor Sue Jackson said: “This is a shocking case where a failure as simple as not taking an x-ray could have had life-long consequences, and perhaps even fatal.

 

“Given our client's injury history... and the fact there was no copy of the x-ray taken in Thailand, we argue that Tunbridge Wells Hospital should have conducted full and thorough checks, including its own x-rays.

 

“Even though Mr Frolov was fortunate not to suffer serious, life-changing injuries as a result of this error, he has still suffered hugely and it has had a big impact on his quality of life.

 

“Following surgery in which he had two bolts inserted to strengthen his neck, he has been left with restricted movement and the prospect of suffering pain for the rest of his life.”

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-03-07

[ezzra]

The irony is that, even that paracetamol is locally made and sourly lacking the qualities

of an US UK Aust equivalent product,

[ratcatcher]

4 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The irony is that, even that paracetamol is locally made and sourly lacking the qualities

of an US UK Aust equivalent product,

Are you saying that there was a problem with the Paracetamol that Tunbridge Wells hospital prescribed?

[off road pat]

Yeah, Happened to me after I got a stroke in Bang Sapan. They gave my wife paracetamol and that was it. Moved over to Prachuap kiri Khan and they did the same !!!!!

[wotsdermatter]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

Tunbridge Wells Hospital who sent him home with painkillers

 

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

I was in daily pain and the only pain relief I had was paracetamol and co-codamol.

 

7 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The irony is that, even that paracetamol is locally made and sourly lacking the qualities

of an US UK Aust equivalent product,

Please reread the original because the medication was not from Thailand, which is what you appear to refer to in your comment.  The prescribed drugs came from a hospital in England.

[Jeremy50]

Don't dive into shallow water. Amazing how people expect everyone to pick up the tab for their stupidity nowadays. 

[johncat1]

Why are they only concentrating on the negligence of the UK hospital and forgetting the negligence of the original hospital in Phuket ?

Is it because he knows it would be a complete waste of time taking legal action against a Thai hospital ? 

[Briggsy]

2 minutes ago, johncat1 said:

Why are they only concentrating on the negligence of the UK hospital and forgetting the negligence of the original hospital in Phuket ?

Is it because he knows it would be a complete waste of time taking legal action against a Thai hospital ? 

Yes, that is right. Because of a complete lack of accountability it is effectively impossible to have a Thai court rule against a Thai hospital or Thai doctor unless the plaintiff is more senior in the Thai social structure. It does happen very occasionally where the lack of care was egregious and the patient is very determined but it takes years.

[Walter Travolta]

10 minutes ago, johncat1 said:

Why are they only concentrating on the negligence of the UK hospital and forgetting the negligence of the original hospital in Phuket ?

Is it because he knows it would be a complete waste of time taking legal action against a Thai hospital ? 

yes

[Walter Travolta]

17 minutes ago, Jeremy50 said:

Don't dive into shallow water. Amazing how people expect everyone to pick up the tab for their stupidity nowadays. 

where does it say he expected anything? A hospital is obliged to take care after an accident

[faraday]

Although mostly I found the NHS to be ok, there were several times they were awful.

 

My lovely Mum collapsed about 2 years ago. Ambulance called, she was unable to move her right side.

 

She was in A&E for four hours before she had a proper examination, they then apologised for 'missing she'd had a stroke'.

 

Perhaps, if she'd been given 'clot busters' earlier, it might have lessened the stroke. She was however 89.

 

Mum died 3 months later.

 

 

 

 

[Psimbo]

21 minutes ago, johncat1 said:

Why are they only concentrating on the negligence of the UK hospital and forgetting the negligence of the original hospital in Phuket ?

Is it because he knows it would be a complete waste of time taking legal action against a Thai hospital ? 

Negligence? A lot depends on the definition of a 'broken' neck. A hairline fracture can be difficult to detect, especially straight after an injury, where swelling has occurred. If this had been a serious break he would have been paralysed and not continued on for  3 months. I also notice that the original incident happened in 2015 so not exactly life-threatening but the timeline post injury is a bit lacking in the report.

 

Far easier to bash a hospital than actually be aware of the circumstances though. The source of this article is The Daily Mail- any Brit will be able to tell you that they love articles which get people frothing about 'Jonny Foreigner'.

 

To me this speaks volumes. Mr Frolov is now suing Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust for not carrying out an X-ray and has hired a legal firm who specializes in negligence to take up his case. 

[Sheryl]

If they did not carry out an Xray that is indeed negligent.

[ratcatcher]

Just now, Sheryl said:

If they did not carry out an Xray that is indeed negligent.

Negligence on behalf of the British hospital.

[hgma]

31 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Yes, that is right. Because of a complete lack of accountability it is effectively impossible to have a Thai court rule against a Thai hospital or Thai doctor unless the plaintiff is more senior in the Thai social structure. It does happen very occasionally where the lack of care was egregious and the patient is very determined but it takes years.

I am on treatment and every (new) action taken is standard signing a declaration of refraining from  suing the hospital before any action can go forward in the Thai North East Hospitals.....all risks are mine including the bills.

[Radar501]

Whenever I get a headache, I just follow the instructions on the paracetamol box.

 

'KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN'

[anon789561]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The irony is that, even that paracetamol is locally made and sourly lacking the qualities

of an US UK Aust equivalent product,

Although not really relevant to the story. Just wondering what makes you think that?

[faraday]

Didn't see the original injury was in 2015.

 

If his neck pain was so bad why didn't he keep going back to his GP, & ask for a neck X ray?

[anon789561]

6 minutes ago, faraday said:

Didn't see the original injury was in 2015.

 

If his neck pain was so bad why didn't he keep going back to his GP, & ask for a neck X ray?

just wondering how he can prove that the fracture is not more recent. The Thai hospital didn't see it after X-Ray, The Brit Hospital didn't detect it. He was walking around fine for 3 years. Maybe it wasn't there to be detected and happened more recently? I'm no Doctor and certainly wouldn't take anything the daily mail writes as gospel. One things for sure, he's after a claim up

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

just wondering how he can prove that the fracture is not more recent. The Thai hospital didn't see it after X-Ray, The Brit Hospital didn't detect it. He was walking around fine for 3 years. Maybe it wasn't there to be detected and happened more recently? I'm no Doctor and certainly wouldn't take anything the daily mail writes as gospel. One things for sure, he's after a claim up

You do have an untrustful suspicious mind .

The Brit hospital didnt X-ray him and he wasnt walking around fine for three years , he had constant neck pain

[Stocky]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Solicitor Sue Jackson

Ambulance chaser.

 

As already pointed out, what took him so long, the guy's equally as negligent of his health. Now some Siren law firm has been whispering in his ear and he's looking for a pay day. I hope the court kicks him out, or the settlement is splendidly derisory.

[Just Weird]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The irony is that, even that paracetamol is locally made and sourly lacking the qualities

of an US UK Aust equivalent product,

The real irony is that the paracetamol was given to him IN THE UK.  It was not locally (Thai) made or prescribed, as you seem to be inferring, and was not a product " sourly" [sic] lacking anything.

[pearciderman]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

Yes, that is right. Because of a complete lack of accountability it is effectively impossible to have a Thai court rule against a Thai hospital or Thai doctor unless the plaintiff is more senior in the Thai social structure. It does happen very occasionally where the lack of care was egregious and the patient is very determined but it takes years.

 

Not sure where you get your dubious info from, but these two links should be more than enough to dispel your myth.

 

https://www.siam-legal.com/litigation/medical-malpractice-in-thailand.php

 

http://www.thailand-lawyer.com/medical-malpractice.html

 

 

[Just Weird]

1 hour ago, johncat1 said:

Why are they only concentrating on the negligence of the UK hospital and forgetting the negligence of the original hospital in Phuket ?

Is it because he knows it would be a complete waste of time taking legal action against a Thai hospital ? 

Why shouldn't they concentrate on the two UK hospitals' negligence?   Would you be happier if the Thai hospital was sued just because it is Thai?

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Ambulance chaser.

As already pointed out, what took him so long, the guy's equally as negligent of his health. Now some Siren law firm has been whispering in his ear and he's looking for a pay day. I hope the court kicks him out, or the settlement is splendidly derisory.

How can you be sure ?

Did you just make the bit up about a "siren law firm"?

[jenny2017]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The irony is that, even that paracetamol is locally made and sourly lacking the qualities

of an US UK Aust equivalent product,

It's not about Paracetamol. 

[Just Weird]

20 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

just wondering how he can prove that the fracture is not more recent. The Thai hospital didn't see it after X-Ray, The Brit Hospital didn't detect it. He was walking around fine for 3 years. Maybe it wasn't there to be detected and happened more recently? I'm no Doctor and certainly wouldn't take anything the daily mail writes as gospel. One things for sure, he's after a claim up

You'll find that the medical profession are usually able to determine the age of an injury very easily.

[saakura]

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

Are you saying that there was a problem with the Paracetamol that Tunbridge Wells hospital prescribed?

LOL...as always, he was being overzealous of bashing all things Thai and hit the keyboard without reading the article correctly!!!

[Thongkorn]

Been there done that. I was ill in Thailand. Few years ago. Went to a private hospital in Bangkok. After fifteen minute and some tests I was parted with 20,000 baht. Told I did not have Maleria or dengue. I was given 3 isotonic drink powder and Ten vitamin b tablets. I suffered on for two weeks. Mrs took me to a Thai government hospital one early morning, 2am, within 3/4 hours I got a diagnosis’s which I now know was correct. I had Lukimla.So don’t knock Thai government hospitals they are not all bad.

[jenny2017]

15 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why shouldn't they concentrate on the two UK hospitals' negligence?   Would you be happier if the Thai hospital was sued just because it is Thai?

Something similar happened to me when a speeding Kathey did a red light and almost killed me in my Pick up truck. I had been unconscious for a while and woke up in the hospital.  

 

   Five hours at the local hospital with a broken spine, two ribs and some other injuries, no X-rays taken and I went through hell for a few months. A private hosp[ital then made an X-ray, but they "weren't sure how serious" it was.

 

   Finally, the third hospital in a bigger city did the right tests and I was immediately in some funny looking gear to protect my damaged spine. . 

 

   No chance to sure anybody, the pain didn't let me think logically and I was at home in bed for a couple of weeks. To sue a Thai hospital seems to be a difficult task, aren't most doctors in government hospitals a sort of 'overqualified?'  Same same, but different.....