Two Stage Pre LASPO Success Fees In Clinical Negligence Cases
The Claimant’s solicitors appealed a decision of Master James (costs judge) to reduce their success fee in this high value clinical negligence claim from 80% to 50%.
The Claimant’s solicitors appealed a decision of Master James (costs judge) to reduce their success fee in this high value clinical negligence claim from 80% to 50%.
Master Cook has endorsed the approach taken by HHJ Robinson in I v Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust where overturned the refusal of DJ Batchelor to award the claimant in a long running clinical negligence matter a substantial payment on account of quantum costs.
We previously reported on the decision of HHJ Robinson on appeal in the County Court at Northampton where he overturned District Judge Batchelor’s refusal to allow a second interim payment in a long running clinical negligence matter where 90% liability had been admitted and it was agreed that determination of quantum would not be possible until 2022, commenting that “Failure to ensure adequate cash flow during the period of inevitable delay may lead to the perverse and undesirable consequence that solicitors are unwilling to take on case [sic] such as this at an early stage.”
The defendant has been refused permission to appeal this decision by the Court of Appeal.