Foot drop is a medical condition where the individual is unable to properly lift the front part of the foot resulting in the dragging of the foot on the ground. Drop foot is the result of moderate to severe damage to the peroneal nerve, trauma to the sciatic nerve, or general paralysis of the muscles. Damage to the nerve is often the result of accidents, dog bites, workplace injuries, acts of violence including the use of lethal weapons, and medical (surgery) malpractice. Victims of foot drop or other types of severe nerve damage caused by the negligent or intentional acts of others are entitled to monetary compensation from all at fault parties.
Signs and Symptoms of Foot Drop:
- Feeling of numbness or buzzing from the knees to the top of the toes
- Inability to lift up your foot or toes – resulting in the dragging of your feet
- Uncontrolled slapping of the toes against the ground
- Atrophy of the muscle around the leg
- Exaggerated swinging of the hip
Common Causes of Nerve Injury resulting in Foot Drop:
- Medical Malpractice – Negligent surgical methods and errors
- Auto Accidents – including Truck Motorcycle and Pedestrian collisions
- Workplace Accidents – industrial and heavy machinery mishaps
- Defective Products – Including defective medical implants, hip replacement implants
- Dog Bites and puncture wounds
- Sports Injuries – Yoga Foot Drop
- Birth Injuries – Delivery Trauma, Cerebral Palsy
- Direct trauma to the sciatic nerve
- Acts of violence – illegal/negligent use of firearms, assault, and battery
- The severity of the injury
- The permanence of the injury – disabilities associated with the injury
- Requirement for home care, nursing care, and transportation
- Costs of future medical care including rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering associated with the injury suffered
- Lost wages and reduction of future income
- Availability of punitive damages as a part of the verdict
I Had a dermoid cyst removal surgery- 6/2013. upon waking from surgery, I could not feel below my left knee to my toes. The dr. said, probably just swelling…. or side effects from anesthesia, numbness, burning, drop foot was later determined & had to had tests then surgery on my paroneal nerve, now had a second opinion & it is permanent, it will never get better. I have total numbness, almost nightly excruciating muscle cramps, delayed sensations & burning sensations & drop foot. I am now 19 years old & wonder what else could become of this
Drop foot due to dr neglect. Never told by dr of the drop foot. Rehab informed me of foot 6 days after released frm hospital. Never told by dr of anything to do for drop ft or a recommendation for a specialist.excriciting pain and muscle cramps, burning & numbness in foot and toes and uneven gait has caused tremendous back pain and hip pain. I am 71 & can’t function daily. I have fallen many times and have broken fingers, toes and hit my head as a result of my drop foot. I need to file in 10 days because statue of limitations. Surgery on my back was Oct 15, 2012.
Drop ft
Drop foot due to dr neglect. Never told by dr of the drop foot. Rehab informed me of foot 6 days after released frm hospital. Never told by dr of anything to do for drop ft or a recommendation for a specialist.excruciating pain and muscle cramps, burning & numbness in foot and toes and uneven gait has caused tremendous back pain and hip pain. I am 71 & can’t function daily. I have fallen many times and have broken fingers, toes and hit my head as a result of my drop foot. I need to file in 10 days because statue of limitations. Surgery on my back was Oct 15, 2012.
I had a spinal fusion l4 n l5 and now have drop foot in right foot…had nerve testing…they said stretched pereoneal nerve…do I have a case? Fusion was Aug 1st 2013.
It was noticed after my June fusion l5s1 after 12 weeks Dr said that I had a left foot drop that was in 2014 please call if you can
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I had spinal surgery March 3rd 2015 . When I woke my whole left leg was numb. I then went through so much learning how to walk and use this leg. Now after a year I have a drop foot that seems to not be getting any better.
I had right hip replacement September 25, 2014 resulting in nerve damage done during surgery and now have “drop foot”. I was told by surgeon that nerve could/would come back eventually. It is now over a year and a half and no improvement. What are my recourses as far as a malpractice lawsuit? Surgery was done at Community Hospital in Munster, IN. Thank you.
It happened during delivery, i was admited to the hospital for induction on may 12 and got induced on the may13 and my water breaks on the may 13 , but my cervix wasnt open for long hours … the baby had to wait without water for 1 full day, i took anesthesia on may 13. the cervix to open on the 14. I first i wanted the natural birth and they let me push for a long hours for 7 hours and finally told me that he is stacked in the birth cannal and thwy have to use forsapes to pull him out and they tried but was not successful. Finally they said i have to have C-section and they pushed back the babh and he was delivered. After that i noticed that i got a nerve damage on my both leg and not able to walk. And the hospital discharge me with medication and a home physiotherapy arangemet. How ever , its been more than a month but the improvement is very little . The Doctors said its a pernoral nerve damage. I have a foot drop on My right leg and its not working at all . I always need a waker to move to places or some one has to hold my hand. let me know
I have foot drop after hip surgery and post opp.discharge instructions . Can you help me
I have drop foot after left hip surgery. Physician gave me no help in figurING what to do, even when I returned for follow up visits. I had a neurosurgeon try to release the stretched sciatic nerve with no change. I have constant problems with gait and pain everywhere from the git chsnge. I suffer depression and an inability to have a regular life. I was a very active senor and no longer can exercise like I did or have a noreal life with friends. A lawyer told me without a letter er from the neurologist to say the surgeon make a mistake I have no case, yet I went into surgery walking correctly and got out very disabled. Can you help?
just had surgery on my right hip I have foot drop going to haveva nerve conductor test done next month I am in alot of pain and it seems nobody cares please help surgery Aug.11 2016
I had a total right hip replacement (not the anterior approach) on September 12, 2016. I first noticed there was a terrible problem when I was having to get back into bed after going to the bathroom. I had this strange pain in my right inner thigh like I had boiling oil in a vein or something. It was probably the worst pain I have ever had in my life. None of the nurses had one bit of sympathy. I told them I have a very high pain tolerance but of course they didn’t believe me. Something was wrong! Then I developed tremendous burning pain in my right foot with electric shocks from time to time. I could not pick my foot up to put a sock on or a shoe. I had to get a nurses help to just put my foot on the foot rest on the wheelchair. I still can’t pick my foot up. Nobody told me what this was. I just thought this went along with hip replacement surgery. Since coming home my foot has improved a minuscule amount. I had a baseline EMG about 2 months post surgery and then just last Friday (at 5 months). Little change and Dr. said it was unlikely I would ever be back to how I was before the hip surgery & that her opinion was that this was a result of a stretch injury to the sciatic or peronial nerve. I am a very successful Owner Broker of a Real Estate Company and can’t drive at all anymore. I walk with a cane which makes clients leery of listing with me, I think. I am devastated. I am worried for the future of my career and having to depend on other people for transportation.
L4 L5 L5 S1 Fusion on 3-30-17 resulting in right side foot drop.
I had full hip replacement in March 2017 and ended up with drop foot. I was told that it should get better within a month or two by the surgeon. After recovery at home, going to therapy for 21/2 months, no change in my condition. I saw the doctor once a month, and then after that, every 3 months. I had the nerve conduction, and the result was the doctor assumed that I had a pinched nerve during surgery, or my sciatica was the problem. At this point nothing has worked. I walk with a brace and that does keep me from falling and I am able to do some things. I will say that the brace is painful at times and not fun to wear. I spoke to two major law firms in the Tampa area and neither one was interested in helping as a result of what they say everyone signs when you have hip surgery. Since drop foot is one of the side effects of hip surgery, and the doctor did not do anything on purpose, he or she is not guilty of “Malpractice”. I think I should receive some kind of compensation because my life as I knew it, is over! Just one last note, I can drive but it’s hard to do anything else. Pain is constant with burning, pain in the toes at night, and walking without shoes, it feels like you are walking on rocks. That’s it. Thanks
I had hip replacement on June 21, 2017 during surgery my sciatic nerve was damaged and now i have a severe drop foot. Six months after little improvement. I am unable to drive. I am looking for a malpractice lawyer in California
Severe foot drop left foot. Less severe in right. Always in pain This result of hip repair surgery 1 year later has gotten worse not better. Can you please help me. I’m 58 and this pulled me out of work force To early to retire and no income. I Am in pain 24/7 Surgeon keeps stringing me on like it’s no big deal. Well it is my life is destroyed
I had hip replacement surgery on 8/6/2018 i woke up with excruciating pain in my left leg, left foot never woke up had nerve test done on 8/21. I was told I don’t have a pinched nerve should wake up in 1 to 6 months but nobody can figure out what happend or I’m
being lied to, my nerve is not working where the wedge strap was strapped to my leg what can I do?
I had a total knee replacement revision 12/3/2018. Woke up couldn’t feel my foot, it was numb. Doctor said I had drop foot. Never heard of this. But said hit a nerve
I had two TKR in 2018. My first one was March 5th, so far no problems. I had my second knee replacement Oct. 1st 2018. When I would walk my left foot didn’t walk normal. I would walk with it pointed outward. Due to this the next month I had sciatic nerve travel down my leg and into my foot. My foot went numb and I have never gained control of it. I was sent to have a brace made for my leg, to try and straighten out my foot. I have had shots in my back which helped for a few days with the back pain, but my foot was still numb. I then went to my orthopedic Dr. and was asked if anyone had done a test on my foot to see what kind of damage I have suffered. They hadn’t. I was sent for the test and was told I did indeed have drop foot and from the results of the study the doctor said it was from my knee surgery, the damage was from my knee down into my foot. I have fell several times and couldn’t drive at all for months and now when I drive I have to pick my leg up so I can move my foot to the pedals. I am now suffering from pain in the front of my leg at the top and was told that this is from walking uneven in my right leg. I’m not sure if this will ever go away. I think this is grounds for a lawsuit due to all the pain and suffering..
I had TKR on 1-28-19 a month later i noticed I cant raise my foot and i have severe pain, went back to dr who said he doesn’t know what happened went and got an emg who said I have severe nerve damage he didnt know if i would ever get it back was sent to get a brace, and stated a new job but had to leave job because i couldn’t do it, do i have a case.
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