Re C (2024)
Allegedly negligent delay in diagnosis of spinal infection. Breach of duty and causation firmly in dispute. Settled at joint settlement meeting (against Leading Counsel) for £750,000.
Jamie Gamble practices exclusively in the areas of clinical negligence and personal injury. His practice now focuses upon claims involving catastrophic injury of substantial value.
He is consistently ranked as a leading barrister for both clinical negligence and personal injury work with Chambers UK and the Legal 500, having been described as “a silk in waiting” who is “very good with clients and is approachable and dependable with a sharp mind”.
He is particularly known for his expertise in serious brain and spinal injury cases, having been recognised as displaying an “impressive aptitude in tacking difficult causation and quantum issues in claims involving spinal and brain injuries” (Chambers UK). He also has substantial experience of cases involving amputation.
Jamie is a member of the LexisNexis expert panel on personal injury and clinical negligence claim, and regularly provides seminars to professional clients on a variety of subjects.
Jamie is band 1 (top ranked) as a leading barrister for clinical negligence work with both Chambers UK and the Legal 500.
He has been praised by the legal directories for “having an excellent grasp of medical issues” (Legal 500 2024) as well as his “excellent client care skills” (Chambers UK 2024).
Jamie has experience in all areas of clinical negligence practice, including those that appear below.
Jamie has been involved in a number of cases involving lower limb amputation and is experienced in the issues (such as surrounding prosthetic provision) that arise in such claims.
Recent work in this ares includes a case involving bilateral below knee amputations caused by the delay in treatment of a diabetic foot with significant quantification arguments (including risk of future amputation absent negligence and life expectancy in light of alcoholism and cirrhosis of the liver) which settled at a joint settlement meeting for £1.165 million.
Jamie is an expert in brain injury litigation and is “frequently instructed in high-value matters of extreme severity, including those concerning brain damage” (Chambers UK, 2018).
He has considerable experience of cerebral palsy claims and is currently instructed in a number of such claims, both with and without Leading Counsel. He has recently been involved in the settlement of the issue of liability in three such claims and achieved a final settlement in a further claim (with Leading Counsel) of £4.6 million plus periodical payments varying with age and concluding at £288,000 per annum from adulthood (capitalised equivalent in excess of £12 million).
He also has substantial experience of other brain injury litigation arising out of clinical negligence including a case (with Leading Counsel) involving brain damage and uncontrolled epilepsy following a delay in diagnosis of mastoiditis leading to brain empyema which settled for £6.5 million at a joint settlement meeting. He also recently acted for a Defendant Trust in a claim arising out a failure to diagnose a brain tumour leading to permanent hemi symptoms which settled shortly before trial for £1.1 million.
Jamie continues to be involved in a considerable number of claims arising out of the delayed diagnosis of cancer, including colorectal and breast cancers, and has extensive experience of the complex causation issues that can arise in such claims.
Recent work in this area includes acting for the Defendant trust in a case arising out of a failure to diagnose a brain tumour (settled for £1.1 million shortly before trial), a claim for delayed diagnosis and negligent treatment of breast cancer (settled for £135,000 at a mediation), and a case (where liability was in dispute) of delayed diagnosis of anal cancer leading to permanent colostomy (£250,000).
Jamie has extensive experience in such claims, including those that lead to cerebral palsy (see above). He has also been recognised as offering “expertise in wrongful birth claims” (Chambers UK 2024) and has recently settled two such cases, both arising out of the negligent failure to diagnose microcephaly during antenatal scanning, at roundtable settlement meetings: one (where he acted alone against Leading Counsel) for £800,000 and one (with Leading Counsel) for £6 million.
Jamie is widely recognised as a specialist in clinical negligence claims involving serious spinal injury, having been described as being “particularly knowledgeable in spinal injury” (Chambers UK 2017).
Recent work in this area includes:
Allegedly negligent delay in diagnosis of spinal infection. Breach of duty and causation firmly in dispute. Settled at joint settlement meeting (against Leading Counsel) for £750,000.
Negligent delay in diagnosis and treatment of spinal tumour leading to paraplegia. Settled at joint settlement meeting for £3 million.
Delay in treating idiopathic hypertension leading to blindness. Settled at joint settlement meeting for £1.85 million.
Bilateral below knee amputations due to delay in treatment of diabetic foot. Significant quantification arguments, including risk of future amputation absent negligence and life expectancy in light of alcoholism and cirrhosis of the liver. Settled at joint settlement meeting for £1.165 million.
Instructed by Defendant trust in case arising out of a failure to diagnose a brain tumour leading to permanent hemi symptoms. Settled shortly before trial for £1.1 million.
Alleged negligent delay in diagnosis of laryngeal cancer leading to total laryngectomy and need for voice box. Liability agreed 70 / 30 in the claimant’s favour and settled at joint settlement meeting for £700,000 (equivalent of £1 million before liability apportionment).
Cerebral palsy claim (with Leading Counsel). Settled following joint settlement meeting for £4.6 million plus periodical payments varying with age and concluding at £288,000 per annum from adulthood (capitalised equivalent in excess of £12 million).
Failure to diagnose and treat a ruptured duodenal ulcer leading to death and leaving a dependent child who suffered from severe autism and a significant intellectual disability. Unusual claims for commercial care and accommodation in a fatal accident case. Settled at joint settlement meeting (with Leading Counsel) for £750,000.
Spinal cord compression suffered by schizophrenic man whilst a psychiatric inpatient, rendering him a wheelchair-bound paraplegic. Complex issues surrounding whether B should live in residential accommodation or in the community and involving issues of statutory funding and the structure of periodical payments. Settled at joint settlement meeting (with Leading Counsel) for a lump sum of £1.5 million plus periodical payments of £347,000 per annum (capitalised equivalent in excess of £3 million).
Wrongful birth claim arising out of negligent failure to diagnose microcephaly during antenatal scanning. Settled at joint settlement meeting (with Leading Counsel) for £6 million.
Delay in diagnosis of mastoiditis leading to brain empyema causing brain damage and uncontrollable generalised epilepsy. Liability initially in dispute. Settled at joint settlement meeting (with Leading Counsel) for £6.5 million.
Wrongful birth claim arising out of negligent failure to diagnose microcephaly in twins during antenatal scanning. Settled at mediation (against Leading Counsel) for £800,000.
Jamie practices the following areas:
Jamie has extensive experience of appearing in Coroner’s Inquests relating to deaths arising of possible clinical negligence and is currently instructed as lead Counsel on behalf of a number of families in the Inquest arising out of the actions of the rogue breast surgeon Ian Patterson.
Jamie is consistently ranked as a leading barrister for personal injury work in Chambers UK and the Legal 500, having been described as “an experienced junior who is well regarded for his expertise in personal
injury” with “a particular focus on cases involving catastrophic injury and death” who is “a very thorough and tenacious barrister” (Chambers UK 2024).
Jamie has extensive experience of all areas of personal injury practice, including the following:
Serious psychiatric injury as a result of RTA suicide by oncoming driver, settled for £315,000 at a joint settlement meeting.
MIB claim involving orthopaedic (spinal and knee) fractures and brain injury. Award of £415,000 obtained.
Severe spinal fracture following fall from ladder at a construction site. Causation firmly in dispute and significant issues regarding the claimants’ medical history and the cause of the accident raised. Settled for £400,000.
Brain injury following an accident at work. Liability was in dispute and the Defendant alleged fundamental dishonesty, arguing that the Claimant was fabricating his cognitive symptoms. Jamie acted for the Claimant at a 3-day trial involving cross-examination of neuropsychology experts. The Claimant succeeded on liability, with no finding of contributory negligence or fundamental dishonesty.
Successful appeal of order striking out two claims following a road traffic accident. Order overturned for reasons including that the judge at first instance was wrong to take into account the effect of the qualified one- way costs shifting regime in considering whether a costs order was a reasonable alternative to striking out the claims.
Assault of a security guard whilst at work causing serious psychiatric injury. Settled for £580,000 at a roundtable settlement meeting.
Serious hand injury at caused by conveyor belt at work. Liability and contributory negligence in dispute. Settled at a roundtable settlement meeting for gross equivalent of £387,500 before agreed liability apportionment.
Accident at work leading to below-knee amputation. Settled for £1.3m.
Severe lower limb fractures and CRPS following accident at work. Settled at a roundtable settlement conference (with leading Counsel) for £1.4 million.
Above knee amputation following a motorcycle accident. Dealt with all aspects of the case without a Leader until a roundtable settlement conference, at which the case settled for £1.6m.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE This video discusses the decision with John Coughlan QC, Jodie Kembery, Jamie Gamble and Rebecca Livesey of No5’s Clinical Negligence…
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WATCH RECORDING Join barristers Jamie Gamble, Henry Pitchers QC, Matthew Brunning and Lois Norris in the latest vlog from the personal injury and clinical negligence groups at…
"Jamie is very practical and tenacious. A silk in waiting."
"...Jamie is very reliable and insightful. He won't shy away from tackling difficult issues. He has a good eye for detail and is tactically astute. Jamie can quickly get to the heart of complex matters."
"Jamie is highly intelligent with a very sharp legal brain ... He is approachable and develops a good rapport with clients, putting them at ease, a vital skill in this area of work."
"Jamie has a very sharp mind and is able to get to the issues in the case very quickly. He is particularly strong with the medical evidence in the case. He turns around work quickly and his drafting skills are excellent."
"He is extremely analytical and approaches clinical negligence cases forensically and thoroughly. He has a very clear thought process and works through the issues efficiently. His preparation with experts is outstanding and he delivers his work when he says he will. He's also very good with clients and is approachable and dependable with a sharp mind."
"Jamie has tremendous technical knowledge and attention to detail combined with tactical expertise enabling him to quickly identify the key issues in a case and take a strategic approach."
"He has very good attention to detail and is very attentive to the client’s needs and circumstances."
"Jamie is a prodigious worker and is highly intelligent."
"Very bright, attentive and good on his feet. He has a good manner with clients and is very self-assured – he puts people at ease."
"An expert drafter who is excellent at getting to grips with the medical issues in a case."
“He forms good relationships with clients and quickly puts them at ease. Has an excellent legal brain and can get to the crux of a problem exceptionally quickly. He takes a sensible, pragmatic approach to cases."
"He has an excellent legal brain and can get to the crux of a problem exceptionally quickly."
"He has an excellent eye for detail and grasps complex medical and legal issues swiftly, providing detailed advice. He is really efficient, very thorough and he will go above and beyond for his client."
"A very approachable and likeable character who builds a rapport with clients and instructing solicitors."
"Likeable, very approachable and a pragmatic thinker."
"His grasp of technical matters and the detail of the case is great."
WATCH ON YOUTUBE This video discusses the decision with John Coughlan QC, Jodie Kembery, Jamie Gamble and Rebecca Livesey of No5’s Clinical Negligence…
Uncategorised
WATCH RECORDING Join barristers Jamie Gamble, Henry Pitchers QC, Matthew Brunning and Lois Norris in the latest vlog from the personal injury and clinical negligence groups at…
