Renee McMahon wins million-dollar payout after Lyell McEwin Hospital misdiagnosed cauda equina syndrome

An Adelaide mum has won a seven-figure compensation payout after a years-long fight over an error that cost her critical time to fix a dangerous condition.

Renee McMahon has settled her medical negligence claim with SA Health. Picture: Tom Huntley

A woman whose rare spinal cord injury was misdiagnosed at Lyell McEwin Hospital has secured a seven-figure compensation payout.

Renee McMahon, 40, said she was made to feel like a “drug addict seeking medication” when she presented to the northern suburbs hospital with extreme back and leg pain in August 2016.

The mother-of-one attended the hospital where she was given a morphine injection and attempted to send her home.

It took about 24 hours for Ms McMahon to be diagnosed with Cauda equina syndrome, a serious neurological condition in which the nerve roots in the spine’s horse tail are compressed.

Ms McMahon was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital at midnight and underwent two major surgeries the following morning to ease the herniation in her lumbar discs.

“I was in so much pain and was paralysed in my right leg … but I was diagnosed with a back strain,” she said.

“I knew straight away that I wasn’t being listened to. I was made to feel like I was a drug addict seeking medication.”

She immediately launched a medical negligence claim against SA Health through Maurice Blackburn lawyers, and after almost eight years, settled for a low seven-figure sum in February.

Ms McMahon was told she may never walk again but after two years in a wheelchair and intensive daily rehabilitation, she got back on her feet.

Ms McMahon saw a doctor at Lyell McEwin Hospital’s emergency department. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

However, with degeneration in her spine, Ms McMahon – who was also in a serious car accident in 2001 – said she will almost certainly end up in a wheelchair in the future.

She doesn’t blame any of the hospital’s medical staff for the incident but said the state government isn’t spending enough money on the health system.

“I hold no one at that hospital responsible for what occurred. The influx of patients at Lyell McEwin was the only reason my injury wasn’t picked up because they were so stressed and are still stressed to this day,” said Ms McMahon, who has struggled to work since the misdiagnosis, and is also battling mental health issues.

“It has only gotten worse. The health system is so broken. The ramping, everyone’s so overworked, it hasn’t gotten better.

“We haven’t committed enough dollars to these important hospital services.”

Her lawyer, Ric Traini, said the settlement was a significant sum which will make a big difference to Ms McMahon’s future.

“Renee’s case highlights the critical importance of listening to the patient, recognising any red flags, and acting promptly upon them to ensure long-term damage is avoided,” he said.

“While compensation cannot change the outcome, we are grateful that it will assist Renee with her rehabilitation and her future.”

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network acting chief executive Karen Puvogel said they “always strive to provide the highest quality healthcare and safety for all patients”.

“We have a range of safety and quality systems and processes in place to mitigate risk, and constantly review our practices to make sure we are doing all we can to give patients the best possible outcomes,” she said in a statement.

“Our thoughts are with the patient and her loved ones during this time.”