Litigation Personal Injury 9/6/98

Bryant v Wallis & anor - QBD 28 April 1998

Claimant: Graham Bryant, 47 years

Incident: Accident at work

Injuries: Claimant suffered fractured skull and injuries to right shoulder and neck in fall in 1992 whilst working on roof. He had climbed onto the roof using a ladder but then lost his footing and fell, hitting his head on the concrete below. Depressive illness followed in wake of accident

Award: £130,000 agreed damages on basis of 80 per cent liability

Judge: Mr. Justice Buckley

Plaintiffs' counsel: Richard Methuen QC

Plaintiffs' solicitor: Clarkson Wright & Jakes, Sevenoaks



Mathers v East Surrey Health Authority - QBD 21 April 1998

Claimant: Peter Mathers, 12 years

Incident: Medical negligence

Injuries: Clamant suffered severe brain haemorrhage at birth during forceps delivery at Redhill Hospital on Christmas day 1985. Liability admitted. Consideration now to be given to possibility of payment of part of the damages into a "structured" investment fund

Award: £1.8m agreed damages

Judge: Mr Justice Rougier

Counsel for plaintiff: John Grace QC

Plaintiff's solicitor: Clyde & Co



Pearse v Barnet Health Authority - QBD 22 April 1998

Claimant: Peter Pearse, 27 years

Incident: Medical negligence

Injuries: Claimant is highly gifted academically but has been left with severe physical disabilities as a result of brain damage at birth 27 years ago. He is currently a psychology graduate studying for a PhD at Leeds University. Court heard he had been afflicted by the most severe kind of cerebral palsy. He is confined to a wheelchair and is almost totally dependent upon others for the everyday tasks of life. He has limited use of his left arm, but no useful function of his other limbs. Most of the time he has uncontrollable movements, spasms in all four limbs and trunk. His speech is sometimes jerky, slurred and difficult to understand

Award: £2.3m agreed damages

Judge: Mr Justice Alliott

Plaintiff's counsel: Robin De Wilde QC

Plaintiff's solicitor: Evill & Coleman