Verity Danziger

Chambers UK 2011: "very clever with an ingenious ability to tactically outmanoeuvre the other side"

Verity Danziger specialises in clinical negligence claims for claimants. She joined Kingsley Napley in 2007 and became a partner in 2010. 

Prior to returning to claimant practice at Kingsley Napley, Verity spent six years at leading defence firm, Capsticks.  Verity’s background in defence practice has honed her tactical approach to litigating.  She uses this experience to achieve the best results for her clients and she is known for her rigorous approach in identifying the issues that are at the heart of a claim and the evidence that will be required to succeed. 

Verity has extensive clinical negligence experience. She acts for clients with serious injuries arising from all aspects of medical and surgical practice – against GPs, NHS hospital Trusts and doctors in private practice. Verity has a particular interest in cases arising from the delayed diagnosis of cancer and cases relating to complex neurological injuries.  Verity acts for children who have suffered brain damage either at birth or shortly afterwards, Verity also acts for several clients who have sustained long term neurological damage either following spinal surgery, or because of a failure to identify and treat signs of an impending stroke.

Her current cases include:

Mr S v A NHS Foundation Trust (2010)

Verity acted for Mr S and his family to seek compensation for the delay in identifying that Mr S had a brain tumour.

In 2005, Mr S had an MRI scan of his brain which was reported as clear.  The following year, he became eligible to take his pension. The MRI scan had not identified any problems so Mr S decided to purchase annuities, rather than to take his pension fund as a lump sum.  Sadly, though, in May 2007, Mr S was diagnosed with a brainstem tumour and he died in the summer of 2009. 

Mr S's medical experts agreed that Mr S's life had not been significantly curtailed by the delay in diagnosis and treatment. Instead, the compensation claim was for the compromise to Mr S's quality of  life between the end of 2005 and mid-2008  - the point at which it was considered that Mr S would have begun to deteriorate even if there had been no delay.  The claim also sought a contribution to the funds that Mr S had lost by choosing pension annuities instead of a lump sum. The claim settled in early 2010 for £175,000.

Mr L v B NHS Hospital Trust (2009)

Verity acts for Mr L who was injured by hospital care at the time of his birth. Mr L’s mother was admitted to hospital but her labour was not appropriately monitored and the hospital failed to prevent her from suffering a ruptured uterus.  As a result of the rupture, Mr L did not receive sufficient oxygen and he suffered a brain injury. He has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Judgment has been entered for Mr L and the value of his claim is currently being investigated. His compensation is likely to be for a very significant sum.

Ms R v C NHS Hospital Trust (2009)

Verity acts for Ms R who was born with Down’s Syndrome. In the early months of her life, Ms R’s bowel perforated. Ms R was rushed into surgery but she suffered from peritonitis, septic shock and hypotension. As a result, she sustained a brain injury which has severely affected her cognitive development, her vision, her mobility and her speech.  Judgment has been entered on Ms R’s behalf and her claim will be finally quantified when she is a little older. It is anticipated that the value of her compensation will be very significant.

Professional Societies

• Verity is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) 

Articles and publications

• Ham & High, 25 June 2011:report on Verity's success in a clinical negligence claim for compensation, relating to allegations of a delay in the diagnosis of a breast cancer sufferer.