Barrister, Exchange Chambers
An experienced junior who is instructed in multi track personal injury and clinical negligence cases, Sara has been recommended most recently in the Legal 500 as “an astute and persuasive lawyer”. Sara prides herself on providing a proactive, engaging, thorough approach with each case and a robust approach with her opponents.
Having been appointed as an Assistant Coroner in June 2011, Sara is regularly instructed to act on behalf of families, medical professionals and health care providers, employers, insurers and care homes. Sara can provide advice whether on paper or in person and is happy to advise on matters leading up to and including pre inquest reviews.
Sara is regularly instructed in cases involving clinical negligence, dealing with cases of surgical and pharmaceutical negligence, dental negligence, misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis, inappropriate treatment and failure to obtain informed consent. Sara prides herself on her client care skills – she is affable, amiable and accessible.
Personal Injury
Sara appears on behalf of both claimants and defendants in fast track and multi track cases. Her experience extends across the following areas:
- Accidents at work
- Cases involving allegations of fraud and exaggeration
- Clinical Negligence
- Defective premises claims
- Industrial Disease
- Military claims
- Occupiers’ Liability claims
- Public liability claims.
- Road traffic accidents involving HGVs, buses, motor cars and motorbikes.
Sara is regularly involved in high value cases. She often drafts Schedules of loss amounting to in excess of £500,000 and Counter Schedules. Sara enjoys involvement with cases from pre litigation analysis through to conclusion at trial and is happy to discuss issues informally throughout the course of the litigation.
Clinical Negligence
Sara has a varied clinical negligence practice and accepts instructions from a wide variety of clients. Sara has experience of cases including (but not limited to) the following:-
- inappropriate management of pregnancy (including ectopic pregnancy) and labour.
- missed diagnoses and delayed diagnoses of:-
- cancer
- infections, including meningitis
- thrombosis
- surgical complications
- fractures
- joint conditions
- negligent surgical procedures resulting in life changing injury
- negligent treatment of patients in a primary care setting
- negligent performance of plastic surgery
- failure to obtain informed consent.
Sara is regularly instructed in fatal claims that arise as a result of clinical negligence and, having been appointed as an Assistant Coroner in 2011, is perfectly positioned to act on behalf of the relevant interested party at the inquest.
Her expertise is further demonstrated by the fact she is consistently recognised as a Tier 1 ‘Leading Junior’ for inquests and inquiries in the Legal 500 guide.
Inquests
Sara was appointed an Assistant Coroner in July 2011 and sits on a regular basis throughout the year. She has appeared on behalf of a wide range of properly interested persons, including families, businesses, health authorities, insurance companies, prison officers, police officers, midwives, nurses, pharmacists and doctors.
Sara can advise on paper and in person. She also regularly attends Article 2 inquests on behalf of PIPs. It can be of great assistance instructing Counsel to attend an inquest. Although a police investigation and/or an investigation by the HSE may have wound down, an inquest provides the perfect opportunity to elicit new evidence and/or to explore avenues that were previously not considered or perhaps were not explored with as much vigour as the inquest will allow. Many inquests Sara has been involved in have led to a resumption of police and HSE investigation leading to subsequent prosecution in appropriate cases.
Sara is regularly instructed to conduct the personal injury case and/or clinical negligence case that may follow an inquest and she can provide advice about any subsequent proceedings, whether on paper or in person. Holding the appropriate direct access qualifications, Sara is happy to accept instructions on this basis.