Keeley v West Essex Health Authority – QBD 15 January 1996
Claimant: Mark St John
Keeley (suing through mother Pat Keeley)
Accident: Medical negligence at birth resulting in cerebral palsy
Injury: Forceps delivery failed; delay in delivery of plaintiff; second stage of labour allowed to last three hours 50 minutes despite lack of progress and diminishing contractions; plaintiff left with athetoid cerebral palsy and epilepsy; physically handicapped but of good intelligence
Award: £1,300,000 (agreed damages)
Judge: Mr Justice Collins
Plaintiff's solicitors: Pannone & Partners (London)
Defendant's solicitors: Beachcroft Stanley
Davies v Lees – QBD, 14 January 1996
Claimant: Kim Davies, 36, and David Adam Davies, 6, suing through mother
Accident: Plaintiffs are widow and son (born after his father, a high flier in the army, was killed when a car crashed into him as he was riding a bicycle)
Injury: Fatal accident claim over loss of husband and father
Award: £315,000 (agreed damages)
Judge: Deputy Judge Anthony Donne QC
Plaintiff's solicitors: EL Murphy (Holborn)
Defendant's solicitors: Iliffes Booth Bennett
Belcher v Wessex Health Regional Authority – QBD 11 January 1996
Claimant: Winifred Belcher, 5Accident: Plaintiff admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon in July 1986 suffering from gynaecological problems
Injury: Full hysterectomy carried out but plaintiff developed septicaemic shock; three further operations carried out including one to drain a kidney; she developed deep vein thrombosis and additionally suffered withdrawal symptoms after being given morphine; after-effect of extreme nightmares
Award: £165,000 (agreed damages)
Judge: Judge Young
Plaintiff's solicitors: Wood Awdry Wansbroughs
Defendant's solicitors: regional solicitor for health authority
