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Gillian Muir
Senior Clinical Negligence Solicitor in Newcastle
Gillian Muir is a senior clinical negligence solicitor based in Thompsons Solicitors' Newcastle office. She has been dealing with clinical negligence cases for many years and now specialises in complex and high-value cases. Gillian is also a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel. The Newcastle medical negligence team are ranked in the Legal 500. They comment ‘Impressive national firm Thompsons has a track record of landmark cases’.
Many of the clinical negligence cases Gillian deals with involve people who have suffered serious or life-changing injuries due to the negligence of medical staff. These cases include people who are now permanently disabled, paraplegic and some who have cerebral palsy.
When such serious injuries are involved, you need a solicitor with the necessary skills and experience to ensure that a fair amount of compensation is awarded. Compensation awarded in cases similar to those mentioned above would need to pay for care and equipment for the whole of the injured person's life.
Gillian has strong negotiating skills, commitment and determination. She always strives to recover the maximum amount of compensation for her clients and regularly fights for interim payments which are often much-needed by the injured person in cases involving catastrophic injury.
Successful Clinical Negligence Claims
Below, you will find just a small selection of some of the clinical negligence claims Gillian has dealt with in the Newcastle office.
Misdiagnosis leads to Paraplegia
In this case Gillian's client was taken to hospital after suffering sudden agonising pain in her back. Blood tests were taken and showed signs of infection but she was misdiagnosed and discharged. A few weeks later when her pain had worsened to the point that she couldn't lie flat she visited her GP. Blood tests were taken which again showed signs of infection but still no action was taken.
Within a few days the client became paralysed and went back into hospital again. It was then discovered that the client had been suffering from a spinal infection which had caused a compression injury to her spinal cord. The damage was irreversible and she was diagnosed as being permanently paraplegic.
Gillian obtained an urgent interim payment in this case which helped the client make adaptations to her home before settling the claim fully at a later date.
Cerebral Palsy Claim
Gillian's client in this case was a boy called Stephen Loraine who was starved of oxygen during a mismanaged birth and suffered cerebral palsy. Medical staff knew that Stephen's mother had a fibroid in her uterus and also knew that Stephen was in a difficult position but she was still allowed to remain at home until her waters broke.
The hospital trust initially denied liability in this case although they did admit that if Stephen had been delivered earlier he would have not suffered the devastating birth injury. Gillian issued proceedings and provided expert medical advice which showed that Mrs Loraine should have been admitted to hospital before her baby was due to ensure that he was delivered safely.
Stephen was awarded a substantial amount of compensation which will provide for the care and facilities he will need for the rest of his life. Stephen's family spent some of his compensation on a large bungalow which is more suitable to Stephen's needs and which makes life a little easier for his parents and carers who supply 24 hour care for him.
Misdiagnosis of Fractured Spine
In this case Gillian's client was a lady who fell at home and was taken to hospital for treatment. She was diagnosed with a dislocated and broken hip but despite the fact that she repeatedly told hospital staff that she had no sensation in her legs, no action was taken.
After several days had passed one doctor carried out a "sharp / blunt" test which raised concerns about the client's condition and she was sent for x-rays and scans. The scans revealed that she had suffered a fracture in her spine in the accident and that since the accident the fracture had resulted in pressure on the spinal cord, causing irreversible damage.
The lady was initially told that she would never walk again but because of sheer determination she has managed to reach a stage where she can take a few steps with a walking frame. At other times she is confined to a wheelchair.
The hospital trust initially denied liability for the injury and Gillian had to issue court proceedings. She proved that an earlier diagnosis and treatment of the fractured spine in the form of decompression surgery would have meant that the client would still have been able to walk and she was successful in recovering £820,000 for the lady. She used some of her compensation to buy a more suitable single story house.
Clinical Negligence Compensation Claim Advice
If you or anyone you know has suffered from any form of clinical negligence, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any personal injury compensation claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all matters relating to clinical negligence and will be able to advise you as to whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist clinical negligence solicitors and lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have.
Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
Contact us about your accident or injury
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