James Aldridge specialises in personal injury, clinical negligence, and professional negligence in relation to the handling of litigation in those areas.
His practice is fairly evenly split between claimant and defendant in personal injury work, and he acts mainly, but not exclusively, for claimants in clinical negligence cases.
He undertakes the full range of work within these areas including cases of catastrophic injury. For example, James recently concluded cases for Claimants include settlements in fatal, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy cases.
He also frequently represents insurers of Defendants in claims relating to public and employer’s liability.
James Aldridge has been practising in this area for more than 25 years. His clinical negligence experience encompasses the full range of injuries. Recent cases include; wrongful birth, neonatal injury resulting in cerebral palsy, surgical injury, and delay in cancer diagnosis.
B v City Hospital Sunderland: [2021]
Complex case in which liability and quantum were in dispute; delay in diagnosis and treatment of stricture and an anastomotic leak after reversal of ileostomy; causing permanent stoma uretero-rectal fistula, renal failure, urinary stents, chronic urosepsis, and an umbilical hernia; acceleration of end-stage renal failure and reduced life expectation. Settled at roundtable meeting.
H v Nottingham [2021]
A wrongful birth claim concerning counselling in relation to false negatives on testing for cystic fibrosis gene; liability and quantum in dispute. Settled at mediation.
F v Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2021]
Liability and quantum in dispute, as well as limitation issues. Breaches of duty going back to 1996 with failure to detect visual field abnormality, consequential failure to diagnose a dermoid cyst compressing the optic nerves and consequent serious visual impairment; further breaches of duty after 2000 in monitoring for further deterioration from recurring tumour, leading to blindness in 2014. Settled shortly after mediation.
L v South Western Ambulance Service [2021]
Breach of duty and causation in issue: delay in getting to treatment for subdural haematoma, causing cognitive and visual impairments. Settled and approved.
F v Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust [2021]
Birth injury involving brachial plexus injury after shoulder dystocia: liability in dispute and compromised; quantum approved April 2021. Settled and approved.
C v The Secretary of State for Health [2021]
Delay in treatment of infection with broad-spectrum antibiotics, which led to development of pneumococcal meningitis and endocarditis; diffuse cortical brain injury and polyneuropathy with bilateral upper and lower limb weakness and severely affected mobility. Settled and approved.
C v Durham
Acting for C’s widow a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act for causing the death of C from pulmonary embolism by failing to treat with an IVC filter and/or thrombolysis. The judge found for C on trial of liability in January 2015. Quantum settled in November 2015.
K v Basildon
Acting for K in a claim arising from surgical negligence relating to damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve during the course of a left internal carotid artery endarterectomy. The judge found for K on trial of liability in May 2015.
L v City Hospitals Sunderland
Acting for L in a claim for delay in decompressing spinal haematoma leading to tetraplegia. Liability admitted and settled in October 2015.
W v Atkins
Acting for W in a claim for late diagnosis of breast cancer. W had pre-existing weakness in right arm due to childhood polio. Cancer treatment due to breach of duty caused lymphedema in left arm, which could not be overused for fear of aggravating the condition. Settled in November 2015 for a sum that reflected the bilateral restrictions of the upper limbs.
James Aldridge acts for both claimants and defendants in road traffic, occupiers’ liability and employer’s liability claims.
L v Ministry of Defence [2021]
Significant damages agreed arising from ankle injury affecting career in army. Settled at roundtable meeting.
Kirby v Ageas [2021] 6 WLUK 413 Newcastle District Registry
Trial of liability; acting for motorcycle pillion passenger in brain injury case. Quantum ongoing.
C v Daley [2021]
Acting for motorcyclist, then aged 16, in collision with a car; brain injury and psychological sequelae; dispute as to capacity; dispute as to degree of contributory negligence. Settled shortly after joint settlement meeting.
V v Horndean
Acting for Defendant in repetitive strain injury case relating to back and shoulder injuries from changing tyres on heavy vehicles. Settled.
P v Fagg
Acting for P in claim for traumatic brain injury after being run over on pedestrian crossing. P was a property developer and much evidence related to his loss of profits due to inability to carry on with this work. Settled in December 2015.
G v Cooper
Acting for G (with leading counsel) in a claim relating to an RTA causing spinal injury and paraplegia. Liability admitted. Settled in November 2015.
C v M&S
Acting for Defendant in employee’s claim for spinal injury resulting from collapse of food trays onto her during delivery operations. Significant issues on causation. Successful part 20 claim against delivery company. Settled in May 2015.
F v M&S
Acting for Defendant in employee’s claim for an ankle fracture at work leading to complex regional pain syndrome. Issues in relation to causation of care and loss of earnings claims because of collateral upper limb symptoms. Settled in 2015.
James Aldridge acts in professional negligence claims relating to the conduct of personal injury and clinical negligence litigation.
P v S (ongoing)
Claim against solicitor for negligent conduct of claim relating to negligent diagnosis and treatment of meningococcal septicaemia.
James Aldridge is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.
To find out more, contact Paul Barton on +44 (0)20 7427 4907 or Chris Rowe on +44 (0)20 7427 4911 for a confidential discussion.
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