United Kingdom: Professional Negligence

Recent data reveals that maternal deaths in the UK have reached their highest level in 15 years, with six in ten deaths potentially preventable through better care. The findings expose critical failures in maternity services, including missed warning signs, treatment delays, and inadequate responses to deteriorating conditions.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder in adults and a leading cause of stroke, yet failures in its diagnosis and management frequently give rise to medical negligence claims. This article examines the clinical risks associated with AF, the established guidelines for its treatment, and the legal consequences when healthcare providers fail to meet expected standards of care.

A lending transaction has many moving parts and throughout its course will involve several professional advisors such as valuers, solicitors, surveyors, accountants and auditors. As a lender, you place considerable reliance on those professionals, and each one owes a duty to exercise reasonable skill and care.

If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, you may be wondering whether you are eligible for a personal injury claim. The answer to this question will depend on what happened, who was responsible and how the injury has affected you.

Catastrophic injury claims are seeing care costs spiral to unprecedented levels, with annual packages regularly exceeding £1 million and representing up to 53% of total claim values. As the number of claims falls but their severity increases, urgent questions arise about double recovery, the sustainability of private versus public care provision, and whether the current legal framework can withstand these mounting pressures.

Forceps deliveries are instrumental procedures used during childbirth when complications arise, but they carry significant risks if not performed correctly. Understanding when forceps use becomes negligent and what legal recourse is available is crucial for families whose babies have suffered birth injuries. This article examines the standards of care surrounding forceps deliveries and the circumstances under which medical negligence claims may arise.

Professional negligence claims require establishing four critical elements: duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and quantifiable loss. Understanding how courts assess the scope of professional responsibility and apply legal tests like the Bolam standard can determine whether a claim against accountants, solicitors, or other professionals will succeed.

The NHS has introduced HPV self-testing kits for cervical cancer screening, offering a convenient at-home option for those who have missed previous appointments. While this development improves accessibility and could save lives by detecting high-risk HPV early, it is designed to complement rather than replace traditional cervical screening, which remains essential for comprehensive cervical health assessment.

Stewarts’ client Andrew, who sustained a life-changing spinal cord injury following a delay in diagnosis and treatment of a spinal epidural abscess, has secured summary judgment in a claim against an NHS trust for medical negligence. Partner Nadia Krueger-Young and senior paralegal Holly Looker acted for Andrew.