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Paul Thomson

Partner

Biography

Paul joined Weightmans in 2016 and has over 15 years of experience in the resolution of disputes arising from clinical negligence for the NHS and for medical protection organisations. He advises on and manages a wide spectrum of claims for NHS Resolution and NHS Trusts including for brain injury sustained at birth and neurological/spinal injury, neonatal deaths, psychiatric and orthopaedic injury. He has also dealt with a number of sensitive cases involving allegations of non-accidental injury and sexual abuse. He focuses on running complex and high value cases often with complex quantum issues and has settled numerous cases by way of periodical payment orders (PPOs).

Recent instructions include a paediatric claim with multiple defendants for severe disability following an alleged delay in diagnosing pneumococcal meningitis. Cases involving a patient in a minimally aware state following a medication overdose, a failure to diagnose a rare neuro-metabolic disease and a claim involving a failure to obtain informed consent for an intra-operative epidural leading to severe neurological injury and paraplegia. Paul is an advocate for alternatives to litigation for resolving disputes and in particular for mediation where appropriate. Reported cases include the successful defence of the secondary victim psychiatric injury claim, Shorter v Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust [2015] EWHC 614 (QB).

Other experience includes representing Trusts and healthcare practitioners at Inquests and in healthcare regulatory work representing doctors under investigation by the General Medical Council and dentists under investigation by the General Dental Council including GMC v Taranissi and GDC v Kotzenberg and others. Paul also presents to healthcare clients on a variety of topics including claims, Inquests and risk management and safety and learning issues.