Howard Kennedy to fight negligence suit

Five other victims of the same accident received £3.25m between them two years ago, but claimant Ian Foyle says that he is now unable to get compensation because Howard Kennedy allowed his case to become statute-barred.
Foyle was injured in a gas pipe explosion in Creechurch Lane, Central London, in 1993. He instructed Ken-wright and Cox to seek compensation for him shortly afterwards, but a high court writ claims that the firm negligently failed to identify British Gas as the right defendant. In 1997, Foyle instructed Howard Kennedy to pursue his case for personal injury compensation. Foyle says that Howard Kennedy also brought a claim against an incorrect defendant and then added another incorrect defendant to the case. After admitting defeat against these defendants, Foyle alleges that Howard Kennedy refused to issue proceedings against British Gas.
Foyle says that before the five other claimants received their settlement Howard Kennedy had told him that he had no case against British Gas. Foyle claims that by the time he heard about the successful claim by the other victims, Howard Kennedy had allowed his case to become statute-barred and he could no longer pursue it.
Foyle is being represented by Byrt & Co. A spokesperson for Howard Kennedy said that the firm denies the negligence claims. Foyle is still pursuing British Gas, now Transco, for negligence in a separate action.