Woman brain damaged by negligence highlights need for legal aid to remain
Nottingham City Hospital has agreed to pay a 24-year-old Nottingham woman a six figure compensation pay-out, after she was left with cerebral palsy due to alleged medical blunders made when she was a baby (BBC).The woman suffered catastrophic brain damage and will have severe learning difficulties for the rest of her life.
As her lawyer pointed out, her case serves as an example of the type which may not be possible to bring forward if the government gets its way, and legal aid is no longer available for medical negligence cases. It's important to keep highlighting how the legal aid cuts will affect access to justice
The controversial Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders bill is currently going through the House of Lords. It was criticised heavily by several Lords for the impact it will have on the most vulnerable people in society, such as children who are victims of medical negligence.
We have dealt with many cases that are similar to this lady's in their severity and complexity. Without public funding, many ordinary families would not be able to seek access to justice and compensation for the injuries caused by the negligence of others. Legal aid is there to ensure that individuals can ensure large organisations, including public bodies, are held accountable when their actions cause injury to someone who they are responsible for.
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