Leigh Day

Clinical Negligence

Maria has extensive clinical negligence experience and manages a wide range of cases. Maria is extremely dedicated and tenacious in her approach to exploring the core issues of a case and to achieving the best possible outcome for her clients. She is meticulous in the organisation and running of cases. Maria’s commitment to claimant clinical negligence work derives from a passion to improve healthcare by identifying where changes can be made to avoid future errors and to ensure that patients who have been harmed are properly compensated for their injuries. Maria has won plaudits in claims involving the delayed diagnosis of breast cancer, retinopathy of prematurity and maternal birth injuries such as perineal tears as well as other gynaecological injuries. Maria also specialises in cases for children who have suffered brain damage, adult brain injury, spinal injury and cardiac cases. Maria consistently achieves exceptionally high awards in claims where traditionally the damages can be quite low, such as in claims involving stillbirths and neonatal deaths. Maria also represents parents at the inquest into the death of their child as well as assisting families who have suffered the death of an adult family member. In addition to this, Maria’s cases also include best interest cases and claims for compensation by patients who have suffered abuse by healthcare professionals. Maria’s recent cases include: the settlement of a brain injury case for a seven figure lump sum and periodical payments for life for an adult man who has been left with permanent brain damage and disabilities as a result of a catastrophic mid-brain haemorrhage due to a failure to carry out a cervical blood patch earlier. Mr X suffered a catastrophic mid-brain haemorrhage as a result of the hospital’s negligence, leaving him with permanent brain damage and disabilities. Mr X is married with 3 adult children; Six figure compensation for the parents of a baby who died 8 hours after delivery as a result of a failure to deliver the baby sooner. Ms X had an uncomplicated pregnancy. She gave birth to a baby girl who died 8 hours after her delivery. There were various failures by the medical staff at the hospital during the labour, including failures to carry out continuous CTG monitoring and a delay in seeking a consultant review. A decision was made to proceed to a caesarean section but there was a delay in carrying this out. On delivery, the baby was noted to be in a poor condition with no spontaneous respiratory effort, poor oxygen saturations and her heart rate was noted to be less than 60bpm. She was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit where she died approximately 8 hours later; £480,000 settlement for the young son of a woman who died after a lengthy delay in diagnosing her breast cancer following an administrative error made by her GP. The case proceeded to trial. The GP admitted that he had been negligent in that Ms X’s breast cancer should have been diagnosed earlier, but disputed that with earlier treatment she would have been cured. Other cases include: a substantial six figure sum for a claim relating to the failure to diagnose and treat cellulitis promptly, which led to renal failure, septicaemia and the development of osteomyelitis; a substantial six figure sum settlement for the failure to diagnose and treat a cerebral aneurysm. As a result, Maria’s client’s husband suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage and died; the achievement of a six-figure settlement on behalf of a widow for the death of her husband at 47, leaving her with 4 children. The case concerned the failure to investigate a cardiac arrhythmia thoroughly; compensation for the husband of a woman whose breast cancer diagnosis was delayed by more than one year, leading to her premature death; significant compensation for a young woman who suffered a third degree tear when giving birth. The hospital failed to identify that she had suffered a third degree perineal tear and to carry out an appropriate repair; damages for a client whose full term baby girl was stillborn at the Bloomsbury Birthing Centre (UCH) as a result of the failure to identify signs of fetal distress and to expedite the delivery of the baby; a significant six figure sum for the failure by West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to identify that Maria’s client was pregnant during a gynaecological procedure which led to the stillbirth of the baby; compensation for a woman who was fitted with a contraceptive coil when she was in fact 21 weeks pregnant unbeknownst to her. The GP failed to recognise that her uterus was enlarged and palpable. The baby died soon after delivery following a premature labour and delivery; damages for the parents whose baby died shortly after delivery at North Middlesex Hospital as a result of the hospital’s failure to manage the second stage of labour and to perform an instrumental delivery/caesarean section earlier.

Trained Leigh Day; qualified 2001; partner 2013; prior to this Maria worked for the Law Society in the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. Maria is co-author of the ‘APIL Guide to Civil Evidence’, 2011.

English, Greek.

AvMA; Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL); APIL accredited litigator; APIL’s clinical negligence, brain injury, child injury and child abuse special interest groups; trustee, Association of Rizokarpasso (a charity working towards protecting human rights).

King’s College London (LLB law); College of Law, London (LPC); Brunel University (LLM child law and policy).