Lunchtime webinar: Updated Coroners Guidance: both sides of the Bench

Alex Carington

Alex has an interest in inquests and usually attends where there is likely to be a civil claim in the future, for example a death in a hospital due to a systemic failure or a fatal accident at work. Recent experience includes:

• Attended a number of multi-day jury inquests on behalf of the prison service where prisoners have committed suicide in prison
• Represented the family of an elderly lady who developed significant pressure sores whilst in hospital
• Represented the family at an inquest concerning the delayed diagnosis of cancer
• Represented a local authority in an inquest where a paranoid schizophrenic who became non concordant with his medication set fire to a residential block, killing one of the residents.
• Representing a driver who had hit the deceased pedestrian crossing the road.
• Representing a landowner where the deceased subcontractor had been killed whilst carrying out building works on his property.

Thea Wilson

Thea has considerable experience in inquests and pre-inquest hearings. As an Assistant Coroner, she has an insight into all stages of the coronial process.

Thea regularly acts for IPs at inquest and PIRH, in particular in claims involving clinical negligence, road traffic accidents, deaths in care, and deaths in custody. She is experienced in handling Article 2 inquests, jury inquests, and inquests involving allegations of neglect.

Thea acts on behalf of families and for other properly interested persons including the NHS, care homes and local authorities. Thea is happy to advise on issues of evidence and procedure and is experienced in drafting written submissions.

In most of Thea’s inquest cases she is instructed to then bring or defend a civil action.

Cases include:

• Inquest concerning the death of Lance Scott Walker – representing a local authority following the murder of a teenager by another teenager in their care.
• Inquest concerning the death of Stephen Dymond – representing a family of a victim of the infected blood scandal, Thea secured a conclusion that the death was caused by exposure to contaminated blood products.
• Representing a security firm following a death in custody.
• Representing the family of a man who died of an infection caused by pressure sores.
• Representing a hospital following a maternal death from sepsis.
• Representing the family of a baby who had died during brain surgery.

Edward Ramsay

Edward is ranked as Leading Junior for Inquests and Inquiries in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.

In May 2018 his cross-examination of a DVSA witness in the Gurung case was reported on the front page of The Times. The inquest received extensive media coverage and led to the recall of over 300,000 vehicles in the UK and a separate Parliamentary Select Committee Inquiry.

Edward represents interested parties at all types of inquest (including Article 2 and Jury), but with particular expertise in hospital inquest cases, principally in the areas of mental health, emergency care, and other serious untoward incidents, but also including primary care, cancer misdiagnosis, failed organ transplantation, obstetric and neo-natal care, and paediatrics.

Edward is also instructed to represent care homes, local authorities, RTA insurers, and fire and rescue services. He has particular experience of cases involving fire safety.

In most of Edward’s inquest cases, he is instructed to then bring or defend a potential civil action.

Many of Edward’s cases have been reported in local and national media and he appears regularly as sole counsel (often against senior juniors and KCs).

He frequently provides advice on issues of evidence and procedure, and has extensive experience in the drafting of written submissions (both at pre-inquest review and final hearings).

He has delivered seminars on the legislative changes to the coronial system following implementation of the CJA 2009. He has detailed knowledge and experience of post-inquest remedies including JR and Section 13 applications.