RJW on standby for claims against BBC and Stoke Mandeville hospital over Jimmy Savile allegations
Related images
Russell Jones & Walker (RJW) is preparing to launch a case against the BBC and Stoke Mandeville hospital on behalf of alleged victims of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile.
Partner Liz Dux is instructed on the case which claims that boththe BBC and the hospital owed a duty of care to the claimants and should be heldvicariously liable.
Dux regularly advises the Crossroads Women’s Centre and Women Against Rape in their work obtaining compensation for victims of sex abuse, assault and rape.
She told the BBC Radio 4’s World at One today that Jim’ll Fix It presenter Savile was working as an agent of the BBC and the hospital, and that if there were suspicions from managers, that duty of care would have been “heightened”.
The women are preparing legal action seeking compensation for claims of psychological damage.
Dux told the BBC: “The stories I have been told so far are all very similar sounding so they sound very credible and a lot of them have been backed up by witnesses. I would say these cases have good prospects of succeeding.
“They want some form of recognition as to what’s happened to them in the past. They want to be taken seriously, they are not interested in the financial compensation at all, they just want the cathartic process of telling someone what they have been through and someone believing them for a change.”
She added that it was not necessary to prove managers at the BBC or Stoke Mandeville were aware of the alleged abuse to secure a vicarious liability ruling against each organisation.
Counsel is yet to be instructed.
Readers' comments (7)
Anonymous | 13-Oct-2012 8:47 am
Nobody filed a complaint to the Police when Saville was alive and could have defended himself. Those who complain now can win compensation. I don't know whether Saville was innocent or guilty - but I worry about this new 'no smoke without fire' legal test will lead to terrible injustice.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 13-Oct-2012 9:51 am
A hospital forced to sell the scanner from a children's ward, so Liz Dux can boost RJW's PEP.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 14-Oct-2012 12:55 pm
Interesting. I would like to know how this particular firm already has instructions.
I would also like to see preliminary issues on 1. limitation and 2. if a duty of care actually exists.
The fact that Saville is not around to defend himself is interesting and quite how a court would decide whom to believe when it is only going to hear one side seems to be unbalanced I suspect that this may turn out not to be about the merits, but how much the BBC and NHS want to put in the kitty rather than spending telephone numbers in legal costs.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 14-Oct-2012 3:33 pm
Will money really make it better?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 15-Oct-2012 11:10 am
This looks like an advert for instructing Liz Dux.
Why not go against Sir Jimmy Saville's estate? Oh, it's because there's less money to be had there...
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Pro Bono | 17-Oct-2012 4:27 pm
"They want to be taken seriously, they are not interested in the financial compensation at all, they just want the cathartic process of telling someone what they have been through and someone believing them for a change.”
OK, so why not just tell the police? They seem all too ready to believe anyone with a tale of abuse by JS, and it's so much easier now that he's not inconveniently around to deny it,.
The alleged victims can have as much catharsis as they like, and it's all free.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
ANDREW | 22-Nov-2012 1:36 am
I am a survivor of this terrible time and it really happened and i agree no money will help trying to survive this horrible experieince but it is time this should be exposed!!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment