Stuart is a clinical negligence and inquest solicitor; a Partner; and co-Head of the Medical Negligence Team. He advises clients on the merits of pursuing medical claims against hospitals, GPs and private practitioners in their individual cases.
Using his breadth of knowledge gained over 25 years’ of experience, Stuart is focused on helping injured clients obtain not just compensation but answers and changes. Stuart makes time to get to know each client and their specific situation ensuring he is able to support them towards their desired objectives. For many this will be the award of damages to help fund any care, equipment and input necessitated by the harm they have suffered. Also, many of his clients want to ensure that improvements are effected as a result of what happened to them, so that others don’t have to go through the same experience.
Stuart is well positioned to support on both counts. Qualifying in 1992, he is accredited onto the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel; listed as a Notable Practitioner by both of the legal directories Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 for many years; and Stuart is also on the Inquest Panel of the Royal British Legion.
Chambers and Partners 2020 recognised how Stuart “impresses clients with his “very perspicacious and insightful” approach. He earns praise from a source for his ability to “explain things in a very clear and concise way, enabling us to make informed decisions every step of the way.”
In the UK Legal 500 2019, Stuart is described by clients as ‘highly experienced in the field of medical negligence’ and ‘a fantastic communicator’. With one client describing him as “Absolutely fantastic. He is a great communicator, he takes the worry out of the waiting and his calm manner puts everyone at ease. I could not imagine anyone doing a better job and he really has our best interests at heart.”
Stuart has lengthy experience in a number of specialist areas including; birth claims, particularly those leading to Erb’s palsy, brain injury or autism; instances of missed cancers; infections particularly Group B Strep and sepsis; and cases where the error has led not to injury but to the patient’s death.
Working with one of the most experienced and dedicated teams of medical negligence lawyers in the country. Stuart also liaises with other clinical negligence firms, including through the campaign group SCIL; with very specialist Counsel and medical experts; and with charities and pressure groups such as the Erb’s Palsy Group; AIMS; and Group B Strep Support.
Having worked for the first 15 years of his career as a solicitor for the NHS, defending medical negligence claims rather than bringing them, Stuart possesses a valuable insight into how the opponent thinks and acts.
