Stockbridge v Gutteridge and anr – QBD, 2 December 1996
Claimant: Liam Stockbridge, 24
Incident: Road traffic accident
Injuries: Claimant was a passenger in the rear seat of a vehicle and sustained multiple injuries, including severe head wounds. Although he is now tetraplegic and confined to a wheelchair he is capable of managing his own affairs. Claimant was an apprentice lift engineer at the time of the accident
Award: £1.3m (agreed damages)
Judge: Mr Justice Curtis
Plaintiff's counsel: John
Reddihough
Plaintiff's solicitor: Bindman & Partners
Derrick v Leicestershire Health Authority – QBD 26 November 1996
Claimant: Leanne Derrick, 1Incident: Medical negligence
Injuries: Claimant was born severely brain damaged at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 1985. She was delivered eight hours after her mother was admitted to hospital and is now quadriplegic and will rely on others for care for the rest of her life. It was contended on behalf of the claimant that there were warning signs of foetal distress during labour and that the child should have been delivered earlier. The health authority claimed that foetal blood samples entitled medical staff to assume that the baby was not in any distress. Settlement was reached in order to avoid risk of the claimant failing in the claim which had earlier been valued at around £1m
Award: £350,000 (agreed damages)
Judge: Mr Justice Alliott
Plaintiff's Counsel: Simeon Maskrey
Plaintiff's solicitor: Dawson & Co, London agent for Osborne Morris & Morgan
