When you go to the doctor for treatment, you have every right to expect competent and thorough care. Unfortunately, if a medical team acts negligently, carelessly, or makes any key mistakes, it could drastically affect the life of the patient.

Cauda Equina Syndrome is a serious and rare medical condition that affects the spinal nerve roots at the base of the spine. This condition can be extremely damaging and worsens over time, which is why doctors must respond to any potential case of Cauda Equina quickly. If medical professionals fail to timely diagnose or treat this condition, the patient could suffer paralysis, severe pain, and other serious side effects.

Why Choose Wagner Reese?

If you suffered from Cauda Equina Syndrome and your doctor failed to provide you with competent care, you could have a viable medical malpractice claim. Our experienced attorneys at Wagner Reese are passionate about fighting for victims’ rights, and we have ample experience taking on big hospitals and medical professionals in medical malpractice cases. To date, our firm has recovered more than $300 million in compensation, and we pride ourselves on our ability to provide personalized legal support to each and every client we represent.

Do you think you have a case? Call (888) 204-8440 to discuss your Cauda Equina case with our Indianapolis medical malpractice attorneys.

How is Cauda Equina Syndrome Caused?

Cauda Equina Syndrome can occur when the spinal nerve roots are compressed. These nerves are located at the lower end of the spinal cord, and when compressed, they can have a major impact on the functionality of the lower portion of the body.

This condition can occur as a result of lumbar disc herniation, the growth of tumors near the base of the spine, birth abnormalities, spinal hemorrhages, and other localized infections and conditions that impact the lower spine. It is also possible for Cauda Equina to develop because of medical negligence.

Common symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome include:

  • Loss of sensation in the buttocks and genital region
  • Numbness in the legs and lower extremities
  • Severe lower back pain
  • Sudden and worsening bladder control problems
  • Weakness in the legs and pelvis

If a doctor makes a surgical mistake when operating near spinal nerve roots or while administering spinal anesthesia, he or she can ultimately cause the development of Cauda Equina. Violent injuries to the spine, such as car accidents, can also cause this condition to develop.

Do I Have a Medical Malpractice Case?

Due to the rarity of Cauda Equina cases, many patients are misdiagnosed, which leads to a delay in necessary treatment. If patients with Cauda Equina do not receive immediate treatment, their symptoms will most likely worsen, and the chances of long-term damage can certainly increase.

If you have Cauda Equina Syndrome and your doctor failed to diagnose you, misdiagnosed you, or failed to provide timely care, your condition could have worsened, putting you at risk of life-long side effects. If left untreated for too long, Cauda Equina can worsen and may lead to permanent paralysis and sexual dysfunction.

How Doctors Should Diagnose and Treat Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome is a medical emergency, and every hour matters once symptoms appear. The standard of care requires that any physician who encounters a patient presenting with the hallmark symptoms of the condition move quickly to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. Delays in this process are a central issue in many medical malpractice claims involving Cauda Equina.

When the condition is suspected, the proper steps a treating physician must follow include the following:

  • MRI imaging: An emergency MRI is the accepted standard for diagnosing Cauda Equina Syndrome and should be ordered without delay when symptoms are present.
  • Neurological examination: A thorough physical evaluation assessing sensation, motor function, and bowel and bladder control is a required part of the workup.
  • Urgent surgical consultation: Once imaging confirms compression of the cauda equina nerve roots, a spinal surgeon must be consulted immediately.
  • Surgical decompression: According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, treating patients within 48 hours of symptom onset provides a significant advantage in improving neurological outcomes.
  • Post-operative follow-up: Patients require ongoing rehabilitation and monitoring after surgery, as recovery of bladder and motor function can continue for months or years.

When a healthcare provider fails to follow these steps in a timely manner, the consequences for the patient can be permanent. That failure is the basis of many viable malpractice claims.

Long-Term Consequences of Delayed Treatment

The harm caused by a delayed Cauda Equina diagnosis is not always limited to the initial period of injury. Many patients who did not receive timely treatment go on to face permanent, life-altering conditions that affect every aspect of their daily lives. Understanding the full scope of these consequences is essential when assessing what compensation a victim may be owed.

Physical Consequences

Patients whose treatment was delayed may suffer from permanent loss of bladder or bowel control, sexual dysfunction, chronic pain, and varying degrees of paralysis in the lower extremities. Some require assistive devices or ongoing catheterization for the rest of their lives. These are not minor inconveniences; they are profound physical disabilities that require continuous medical management and significantly reduce a person’s independence.

Emotional and Financial Consequences

The psychological toll of a permanent disability caused by a preventable failure is significant. Many Cauda Equina patients experience depression, anxiety, and a loss of identity tied to their inability to perform activities they once took for granted. The financial burden compounds quickly with the costs of long-term care, home modifications, medical equipment, and lost income. A catastrophic injury claim accounts for all of these losses, not just the initial medical bills.

Indiana’s Medical Malpractice Laws and How They Apply

Indiana has specific laws that govern medical malpractice claims, and understanding them before you file is critical. The state imposes a two-year statute of limitations on most medical malpractice claims, meaning you generally have two years from the date of the negligent act or from when you reasonably discovered the harm to initiate a claim. Missing this deadline forfeits your right to any recovery, regardless of how clear the negligence may be.

Indiana also requires that malpractice claims be submitted to a medical review panel before a lawsuit can be filed in court. This panel reviews the evidence and issues an opinion on whether the medical provider met the applicable standard of care. While the panel’s opinion is not binding on a court, it plays a meaningful role in how cases develop. Additionally, Indiana caps total recovery in medical malpractice cases at $1.8 million, with individual provider liability capped at $500,000. Working with an attorney who understands these rules from day one is the most effective way to protect your rights throughout the process.

What Compensation May Be Available in a Cauda Equina Malpractice Claim

When a physician’s failure to timely diagnose or treat Cauda Equina Syndrome causes permanent harm, Indiana law allows the injured patient to pursue compensation for a full range of losses. The goal of a malpractice claim is to put the patient in the position they would have been in had the negligence not occurred.

Recoverable damages typically fall into two categories. Economic damages cover the concrete financial impact of the injury, including past and future medical expenses, the cost of ongoing rehabilitation and in-home care, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity. Non-economic damages address the less tangible but equally real effects, including physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent disability, and the loss of quality of life.

In cases where negligence results in a patient’s death, wrongful death claims may be available to surviving family members for additional losses, including funeral costs and loss of companionship. Wagner Reese works with medical and financial professionals to build a complete accounting of every loss our clients have experienced and are likely to face in the future.

Proving Medical Negligence in a Cauda Equina Case

Winning a Cauda Equina malpractice case requires more than showing that a bad outcome occurred. Indiana law requires proof that the healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care and that this failure directly caused the patient’s harm. Building this proof is a rigorous process that relies on the right evidence and the right professionals.

The Role of Medical Experts

In virtually every medical malpractice case, expert witnesses are essential. A qualified medical professional in the relevant field must review the records, examine the timeline of care, and offer an opinion that the treating physician’s conduct fell below what a reasonably competent provider would have done under the same circumstances. Without credible expert testimony, a malpractice claim cannot move forward in Indiana.

Evidence That Supports Your Claim

The records and timeline of your care form the foundation of any Cauda Equina malpractice case. Medical records, imaging studies, physician notes, and emergency department logs all help establish what symptoms were present, when they were documented, and what steps were or were not taken in response. Wagner Reese has handled complex failure-to-diagnose cases and knows how to build the evidentiary record necessary to demonstrate negligence clearly and compellingly. If you believe your condition worsened because of a physician’s failure to act, contact our Indianapolis personal injury team for a free, no-obligation case review.

Contact Wagner Reese for a Free Case Review!

If you were the victim of medical malpractice, our firm is here to help. We can gather evidence against the negligent doctor or hospital that failed to provide you with proper care, and our legal team can help build a solid case in your favor.

If you were wrongfully injured because of any carelessness or improper care, we want to help you seek justice and maximum compensation.

Contact Wagner Reese to discuss your situation with our Indianapolis cauda equina attorneys.