Medical Negligence & Personal Injury

Breast cancer accounts for almost 15% of all new cancer cases and affects both men and women.  There are an estimated 150 new cases every day.  Sarah Harding’s death earlier this year was a tragic reminder that breast cancer also affects young and premenopausal women.

Today the Supreme Court has handed down its Judgment in this long-running case, and in plain terms, Lady Brownlie has won the Appeal.

The Supreme Court of England & Wales has this morning decided in Lady Brownlie’s favour, and dismissed the Defendant’s Appeal by a majority of 4 – 1 in FS Cairo v Brownlie.

On 6 July 2021, the Health and Social Care Committee published its report into maternity care in England. The report looks at maternity care across the country and analyses the progress of the Government so far in its commitments to improving maternity care.

Over the summer, the government suggested changes to the Highway Code to improve road safety for vulnerable road users. If the proposals are approved, they will change how pedestrians, cyclists and motorists are expected to behave on Britain’s roads.

According to the Urology Foundation, one in two of us will be affected by a urological condition in our lifetime.

10^th September is World Suicide Prevention Day. Each year, on the same date, communities and organisations campaign on a global scale to raise awareness of the tragedy of suicide and explore ways in which we can all help to prevent it.

When a loved one dies, grief is difficult and there can be a lot to deal with.  If someone dies as a result of medical negligence or personal injury, then it’s important to consider who can bring a claim. 

Whether the claimant or defendant, successful parties to civil litigation can be disappointed to hear that they are highly unlikely to recover all of their legal spend.  The losing party is only required to pay what is considered reasonable and proportionate.  A key feature in what is recovered is the reasonableness of the hourly rates charged by the successful litigant’s solicitors.

An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition, requiring early diagnosis and treatment. Sadly, classic symptoms are often misdiagnosed or dismissed, which quickly lead to the patient’s death. We have experience of successfully investigating claims of this nature.

Much has been said about the 2020 Court of Appeal judgment in Swift dealing with the disputed method by which claims for the cost of special accommodation following severe injuries are calculated, and rightly so; it was a privilege for one of the authors of this article to work on a case of such wide application and with such benefit for so many Claimants. 

The recent decision in the case of Malik -v- St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides a further example of this approach.  Mr Malik required emergency spinal surgery in the form of a laminectomy and discectomy at T10/11.  No criticism was made of the performance of the surgery.  Post-operatively Mr Malik experienced ongoing numbness and weakness in his left leg.  His surgeon recommended further revision decompression surgery which unfortunately left Mr Malik with an incomplete paraparesis.  He was classified as a T7 ASIA D paraplegic.

On the 28 July 2021, the Government unveiled the highly anticipated National Disability Strategy (‘the strategy’). Pledged in the Government’s 2019 manifesto, the aim is to “improve the everyday lives of disabled people”. The Prime Minister described the strategy as the most comprehensive, concerted, cross-government plan relating to disability ever. A bold claim, but is it justified?

Chimamanada Ngozi Adichie, celebrated author and feminist talks in Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail Podcast about the death of her father, and then her mother, 9 months later. Adichie speaks very eloquently about the many emotions that grief provokes.

July is International Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Awareness Month. As medical negligence specialists at Kingsley Napley, we have acted for many families who have been affected due to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of a GBS infection.

The Nursing Times recently published an article on blame culture within midwifery, which is apparently affecting staff retention. The article discussed a hearing of the Health and Social Care Select Committee which has been leading an Inquiry into the safety of maternity services in England

The FCA has launched a consultation on a technical note setting out guidance for companies applying for listing which have cannabis-related businesses. As with all companies applying for listing, those with cannabis related businesses must be assessed for eligibility for listing under the Listing Rules.  Because of the legal complexities around cannabis businesses the FCA applies additional due diligence requirements to them.    

June is Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal death) Awareness Month. We are blogging to raise awareness of the work carried out by Sands and their contribution to improving bereavement care and funding research into saving babies’ lives. 

This week is Cervical Screening Awareness Week which is run by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. This week aims to reduce confusion about human papillomavirus (HPV), de-mystify cervical screening results and highlight the importance of attending cervical screening appointments. 

We’ve been running trials of E-Scooters in various parts of the UK for nearly a year and London finally followed suit this week in four boroughs with Canary Wharf to follow a little later.