Melanie Maxwell suing Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service for alleged negligence

A woman claims she did not get the help she desperately needed until she collapsed in a public bathroom.

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MELANIE Maxwell claims she went to the emergency department three times in two days complaining of severe leg pain.

It was not until she collapsed in a public bathroom on her third visit for her to be admitted and a specialist called, it is alleged in documents filed in the Southport District Court.

Ms Maxwell alleges it took four days to be diagnosed with compartment syndrome – which required surgery to fix.

Robina Hospital.

The 29-year-old claims she now walks with a limp and often needs the use of a cane.

The former Transport and Main Roads worker is taking the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service to court, arguing they were negligent when providing treatment to her.

She has not specified a dollar figure she would like in compensation.

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Ms Maxwell claims the hospital and health service did not properly examine her the first two times in emergency, did not assess her symptoms properly, did not carry out pain scores at regular intervals, failed to note abnormalities ­present and did not escalate her case in a timely manner.

She alleges she cannot play sports, lost her job, suffers chronic pain, has become more reclusive and needs help with jobs around the house.

Ms Maxwell claims she first went to the Robina Hospital Accident and Emergency about 11.52am on November 23, 2017 after she started to experience severe pain in her lower left leg while driving.

Gold Coast University Hospital. Picture: Mike Batterham

After an X-ray and examination Ms Maxwell was discharged and told to see her general practitioner, it is alleged in the court documents.

Ms Maxwell claims she went to the Gold Coast University Hospital emergency about 7.50pm that night after her pain continued and was released again about 10pm.

It is alleged she then went to an after-hours medical clinic where she was given an injection for the pain and told to see her GP the next day.

The next day her GP “observed (Ms Maxwell’s) left lower leg to be red in colour, hot to touch and reported as being tender of the left lateral foot”.

Just after 10pm on November 24, 2019 Ms Maxwell returned to the Robina Hospital emergency where she waited to see a doctor. It is claimed that about 2am on November 25 nurses found her collapsed on the floor of the waiting-room toilet.

Southport Courthouse. Picture: Scott Fletcher

Ms Maxwell alleges it was then she was admitted to the short-stay unit and an ultrasound to exclude deep vein thrombosis was ordered.

About 8.30am two days later Ms Maxwell was diagnosed with compartment syndrome and was in surgery just after midday to have pressure relieved, it is alleged in the court documents.

“The surgeon identified that the plaintiff’s muscle belly in the lateral compartment was discoloured, non contractile and non-viable,” it is alleged.

She was released from hospital on December 11, 2017.

Ms Maxwell says she is now on a disability support pension.

A spokeswoman for the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service said she was unable to comment while the matter was before the courts.

“The hardworking doctors and nurses at Gold Coast Health are dedicated to patient safety and providing a high level of care to our community,” she said.

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