A PARALYSED woman has launched a legal battle for more than £300,000 in compensation after claiming medical negligence left her dependent on a wheelchair.

Diane Whyte, aged 61, blames the Royal Bolton Hospital and Salford Royal Hospital for failing to properly treat an infection and spinal abscess which, she alleges, led to a major spinal cord injury.

A writ issued at London's High Court and recently made public, states that the damage has left Mrs Whyte, of Bramley Road, Sharples, needing help with most activities of her daily life and she now has a reduced life expectancy, paralysed from the waist down with permanent incomplete paraplegia.

Mrs Whyte had suffered from sciatica for years, and the writ says that after an MRI scan showed bulging discs and compression of a nerve in her lumbar spine, she had surgery on the discs on June 16, 2017 at the Salford Royal Hospital.

But almost a fortnight later the wound became sore and felt as if it were burning, and she suffered lightheadedness and vomiting before falling as she carried laundry upstairs, the writ alleges.

After going to A&E at the Royal Bolton Hospital a doctor and nurse are said to have found her confused and discharged her.

But, three days later, on July 3, 2017, an ambulance took her back to the hospital where, after an examination, an infection was suspected and she was given intravenous antibiotics and transferred, as an emergency, to Salford Royal, the writ states.

Mrs Whyte underwent surgery to wash out the wound and, on July 11 had a further procedure for abscesses on both hands but, the writ states, two days later she needed morphine as pain in her back was so severe, followed by weakness in her right leg.

An MRI scan on July 16 revealed three abscesses on her back and her condition had deteriorated so that she was only left with a flicker of movement in her toes and needed urgent surgical decompression, claims the writ.

Mrs Whyte remained at the hospital until September 15, 2017, before spending three months at the North West Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport.

Her claim for compensation alleges that staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital failed to recognise she may have developed a abscess which could damage her spinal cord without prompt treatment.

And it is alleged that there were further failings at Salford Royal in not diagnosing and treating the abscess on July 14, and not using an MRI scan until July 16, allowing 48 hours of spinal compression.

If her condition had been diagnosed earlier, and she had undergone surgery on July 3, she would have made a full recovery with a return to normal life, the writ claims.

And if she had undergone surgery by July 14, the outcome would have been significantly different, and she probably would have had some weakness in her right leg, needing a walking stick, and possibly some problems with her bladder, but she would have been able to go back to work, it is alleged.

But because of the delays the writ says that she is left with profound and permanent disability. It adds that, among other things she suffers from weakness in her trunk, hips and legs, with spasms and spasticity, cannot walk, has surgical scarring, suffers pain, and is at risk of burns and pressure sores because of impaired sensation and restricted mobility.

Mrs Whyte is seeking damages, which the writ says are “expected to exceed £300,000” and a court order which will allow her to return to court to seek further damages if she suffers from neurological deterioration as a result of a cyst on her spine.

Due to legal proceedings, both hospital trusts declined to comment.