Litigation Personal Injury 09/04/96

Brimacombe v Bristol & Weston Area Health Authority - QBD 25 March 199Claimant: Nicola Brimacombe, 8, suing through mother Anne Brimacombe

Incident: Medical negligence

Injuries: Claimant discharged from hospital after birth; re-admitted after history of vomiting and diarrhoea; underwent operation for insertion of catheter into left kidney; ultimately suffered cardiac arrest leading to cerebral palsy

Award: £805,000 agreed damages

Judge: Mr Justice Bell

Plaintiff's solicitors: Over Taylor Biggs (Exeter)



Bakeup v Bradley - QBD 25 March 199Claimant: Patricia Bakeup, 4Incident: Road traffic accident

Injuries: Claimant waiting at bus stop; hit by passing car; received extensive skull injury and severe brain damage; accident has left her among other things with loss of sense of taste and smell, loss of sensation in mouth warning of temperature of food; subject to temper tantrums; talks incessantly; totally reliant on others for care but has insight into her condition

Award: £950,000 (agreed damages) adjourned for consideration of structuring

Judge: Mr Justice Bell

Plaintiff's solicitors: Peard Webster Pringle & John (Croydon)



Dixon v Lofthouse - QBD 26 March 199Claimant: Yvette Dixon, 3Incident: Road traffic accident

Injuries: Catastrophic brain damage; claimant hospitalised for eight months; claimant newly pregnant at time of accident and underwent termination; now wheelchair bound; extremely restricted mobility; poor short-term memory and difficulty in communicating; however, appears to have understanding of her predicament

Award: £600,000 (agreed damages) based on 50 per cent liability

Judge: Mr Justice Buckley

Plaintiff's solicitors: Osborne Morris & Morgan (Leighton Buzzard)