Clinical Negligence
Bill has been a KC for 29 years, and during that time he has only represented claimants who have suffered catastrophic brain or spine injury. Because of his specialism in brain and spine, the mechanism is varied, but a significant proportion of his practice, starting nearly 30 years ago, has always been in relation to clinical negligence; usually, but not always, leading to cerebral palsy.
He has represented well over 1,000 catastrophic brain or spine injury claimants, and has won hundreds of millions of pounds in client compensation. Bill regularly finalises over £50 million of claims a year. He travels the country seeing injured people and their families, at their convenience, and believes passionately in the rights of those who have suffered catastrophic injury, and their families.
Bill has been awarded Personal Injury Barrister of the Year twice, UKABIF Lawyer Innovator once, and The Times Lawyer of the Week once.
He is an accredited mediator and supports mediation and ADR when appropriate.
Clinical Negligence Cases
EXAMPLES OF RECENT CASES:
P – negligent management of birth – settled for £20m.
DH – failure to operate on a subdural haemorrhage in time, leading to extremely severe brain injury – ongoing.
EL – failure to diagnose micrognathia leading to extremely severe brain injury and eventual death – ongoing.
C – failure to diagnose viral induced encephalitis, leading to severe brain injury – ongoing.
EL – micrognathia not recognised at birth – glossoptosis – obstruction of airway – profound hypoxic insult – ongoing.
CH – pathological CTG trace for at least 45 minutes – not noticed or heeded – ongoing.
VH – reduction of fetal movements – high risk – suspicious or pathological trace misinterpreted as normal – ongoing.
HT – prolapsed cord not recognised – ongoing.
BP – reduction of fetal movements – negligent telephone advice, followed by negligent interpretation of the CTG trace – liability agreed at 80% – quantum ongoing.
AC – failure to note presence of meconium appropriately, and to monitor CTG trace – liability admitted – quantum ongoing.
MLG – failure to diagnose staph aureus infection leading to septic shock – liability eventually admitted – quantum ongoing.
JA – failure to recognise a suspicious trace, and to continue to monitor – shoulder dystocia – ongoing.
MB – failure to identify fetal growth restriction – discontinued.
JB – overdose of morphine whilst on patient controlled anaesthetic device – settled for about £4 million (lump sum and periodical payments).
NC – use of unlicensed Misoprostol for stillbirth delivery – liability admitted 3 weeks before trial (following offers of 25% and 35%!!) – settled for about £4.5 million (lump sum and periodical payments).
