Parklane Plowden clinical negligence barrister succeeds in birth brain injury trial worth up to £20m
Parklane Plowden Chambers barrister, Howard Elgot, represented the claimant against Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The case centred around an allegation that an obstetrician failed to give appropriate advice after being told that the mother was worried about reduced fetal movements. This led to the child being left with serious brain injuries.
According to Parklane Plowden, this is one of the year’s biggest and most significant fully contested clinical negligence liability trials. The full judgment can be read here.
The trial took place over three days in London’s High Court before Mr Justice Cotter. He was told by the defendant NHS Trust’s barrister during the handing down of the judgment that no offers of settlement had been made to the claimant by the Trust at any time during the litigation process.
Commenting on the settlement, Howard said: “I am extremely happy for the client and his family. They have been involved in this litigation for many years and I pay credit to their patience and perseverance in the light of the stubborn refusal of the Trust to countenance settlement of the claim on any terms.”
Howard was instructed by Chris Moore, joint head of the clinical negligence practice at London, Hull and Manchester-based Hudgell Solicitors.
Parklane Plowden has the largest specialist team of clinical negligence and healthcare law barristers on the North Eastern Circuit.
The team undertakes a wide range of complex and high value clinical negligence, regulatory and disciplinary work offering considerable experience in advocacy, alternative dispute resolution and advisory work.
According to the 2021 edition of legal directory, The Legal 500, Parklane Plowden Chambers is a tier one set on the North Eastern Circuit. The directory recommends 73 of the set’s barristers across 13 practice areas.
In its 2022 rankings, barristers’ directory, Chambers & Partners, placed Parklane Plowden as Band 1, the highest ranking a chambers can achieve, for its clinical negligence practice.
Originally formed in 2007 following the merger of Parklane Chambers in Leeds and Plowden Chambers in Newcastle, the set is home to 124 members.
In addition to clinical negligence, Parklane Plowden also specialises in personal injury; family; employment; chancery and commercial; court of protection; insurance; and litigation costs and funding.
Called in 1974, Howard Elgot is a specialist clinical negligence barrister. He is one of the very few provincial barristers to have been shortlisted as Barrister of the Year by the Law Society.
Media coverage:
BBC News - Hospital trust payout over baby boy's brain injury 'could total £20m'
Nottingham Post - Nottingham hospital trust could pay out £20m after boy born with cerebral palsy
Independent - Scandal-hit hospital to pay £2.8m after baby death
Tech Register - Scandal-hit hospital to pay £2.8 million after baby death
Phone Week - Scandal-hit hospital to pay £2.8 million after baby death
