Louise specialises in clinical negligence, personal injury and inquest work. She undertakes a broad range of high-value and complex claims, often following her representation of interested persons at the related inquest.
Since her appointment to the Attorney General Regional Panel in 2015, Louise has developed her inquest practice in association with her clinical negligence and personal injury work which allows her to offer a complete service: taking a claim through the inquest and on to the civil trial.
Louise’s ability to assimilate and analyse large amounts of information quickly, her ability to explain complex legal concepts in easily digestible terms, her personable and straightforward approach and her focused advocacy means that she is perfectly suited to both the inquisitorial and adversarial forums and is well practised in adjusting her approach to move between the two.
As a member of the Attorney General Regional B Panel, Louise is regularly instructed by the Ministry of Justice in lengthy inquests surrounding deaths in custody. She advises in those civil claims alleging breaches of the Human Rights Act following any such proceedings.
Louise is instructed by the Ministry of Defence in high value noise-induced hearing loss claims and non- freezing cold injury claims, usually where there are allegations of fundamental dishonesty.
Louise has particular experience of asbestos-related disease claims.
In addition to her Panel instructions, Louise is instructed in a wide range of personal injury matters, including road traffic accidents and employers’ liability.
Louise is the Deputy head of the Clinical Negligence team and has significant experience of acting for both individuals and health providers in the context of clinical negligence claims. She regularly represents interested persons at inquests and then deals with the ensuing civil claim.
Louise also has gained extensive experience of acting and advising on high-value claims with complex loss of earnings and pension calculation issues. Louise regularly advises on these matters and is skilled at assisting with the best tactics required to achieve an early conclusion of proceedings.
Notable cases include:
- Acting for a Prison in a lengthy 4-week inquest and involving very sensitive issues.
- Acting for the Probation Service in a 2-week inquest involving four other interested persons.
- Acting for a local authority in a complex inquest, where the deceased was suffering from a serious mental illness but had no diagnosis at the time of her death.
- Acting for a healthcare provider in an inquest following an alleged delay in referral to the surgical team.
- Acting for a local authority in an inquest where the deceased suffered a fall down the stairs in his supported living accommodation. Alternative, single storey accommodation was being sought at the time. Article 2 was not considered to be engaged.
- Acting for a defendant in a noise-induced hearing loss claim complicated by symptoms of PTSD which were unrelated to the alleged breach. Seven figures claimed, settled on favourable terms.
- Acting for the defendant in a non-freezing cold injury claim with allegations of fundamental dishonesty. Claim struck out.
- Acting for the claimant injured whilst working on a construction site, involving two defendants and an HSE prosecution. Settled for a six-figure sum.
- Acting for the defendant and successfully defending a claim by a prisoner who was assaulted and seriously injured by another prisoner.
- Acting for the defendant in a fatal accidents claim following a death in custody and involving a claim under the Human Rights Act. Achieved settlement in advance of trial.
- Acting for the claimant, a senior employee in a large organisation working oversees, who was injured in the course of undertaking a relatively straightforward manual task. Liability was established at trial.
- Acting for the claimant, a horse rider who was injured in a road traffic accident. Liability successfully established at trial.
- Acting for the claimant in a claim following a delay in diagnosis of a tumour. Settled on favourable terms.
- Acting for the MOD in a claim involving multiple Defendants and arising out of allegations of a delay in diagnosis of cancer.
Louise produces regular podcasts on inquests, listen here. She is also speaking at our forthcoming Personal Injury Conference for Defendant Practitioners in October.
