Susan | Medical Negligence

Susan's clinical negligence case settled for a record £3.9 million. Susan had suffered devastating brain injury during routine surgery at the age of 5 years, and through the devoted care of her family and army of volunteers and carers had achieved a quality of life despite her disabilities. However, very substantial funds were needed to ensure all her needs would be met for the rest of her life.

Other solicitors had been instructed since shortly after the accident but, when we were first contacted by her family there was little prospect that Susan would be properly compensated for her injuries, indeed the majority of her claim was within weeks of being struck out. Susan's family requested we take over the case and, as we were confident we could improve the position, and the alternative for Susan was dire, we agreed. We immediately applied for substantial interim payments to enable a full team of carers to be employed and for suitable aids and equipment and a vehicle to be purchased. Those funds had not previously been applied for and so the enormous physical burden of caring for Susan had continued to fall on her parents.

In addition many essential therapies and equipment could not be afforded. There was therefore a real and serious danger that the final award would reflect the existing and very unsatisfactory state of affairs, rather than Susan's true needs. Sixteen Months later, just before trial, record damages were agreed, calculated to enable Susan's true needs to be met for the rest of her life, and for Susan to enjoy the quality of life her family were rightly determined she should have.