Michael Rivelin - Clinical Negligence

Michael is a barrister specialising in clinical negligence.

Before coming to the Bar, Michael worked as a doctor, predominantly in hospital medicine and surgery. He also continues to work as a lay chair for the General Dental Council’s education team. Michael draws on this medical, surgical, and dental experience in his work:

• Michael’s medical knowledge enables him to quickly grasp complex factual problems and to test expert evidence.
• Michael’s familiarity with the inner workings of the NHS and commonly occurring problems helps him to understand the likely strengths and weaknesses in a case.
• Further, through his work as a doctor, Relevant Person’s Representative (RPR) and Independent Health Complaints Advocate, Michael has developed the skills to establish good client rapport quickly and to provide sensible, accessible advice on complex issues.

Michael has experience drafting particulars of claim, defences, skeleton arguments, advices on quantum and liability, schedules and counter-schedules, and advising in conference.

Michael welcomes instructions across the full spectrum of work undertaken by the team.

Recent medical / dental negligence cases:

• Failed dental implants
• Delayed cancer diagnosis
• Baby loss and birth injuries
• Chiropractors
• Cosmetic surgery (e.g. breast augmentation, rhinoplasty)
• Ophthalmic surgery
• Spinal injury
• Fatal post-operative bleeding
• Inappropriate treatment / discharge from hospital
• Failure to consent
• Inadequate pain control
• Fatal Accident Act claims
• Prison healthcare claims
• Self-inflicted harms
• Falls in healthcare settings
• Accidental overdose
• Failed steroid injections
• Infection due to retained foreign bodies
• Negligence in care homes
• Chronic pain
• Avoidable stomas
• Bladder / urinary tract injury
• Stress-induced heart attack

Michael’s recent notable work includes:

• Successfully striking out a clinical negligence claim with costs awarded.
• Advising Next of Kin on how to obtain a confidential safeguarding report relating to the failings in care provided to their deceased family member.
• Advising and drafting pleadings for a negligently performed septorhinoplasty.
• Drafting a defence and additional claim for an indemnity in contract and under the Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978 against a self-employed surgeon, on behalf of the private clinic at which treatment was provided.