020 7650 1200

Defocussed Hospital Corridor

Medical negligence solicitors in Leeds

If you or a loved one believe you have suffered medical negligence, our team in Leeds may be able to help you bring a claim.

35+ years' experience

Have you or someone you care about been harmed by medical negligence? We understand the challenges you're facing. Our mission is to help our clients achieve the best possible recovery and obtain the compensation and support they rightfully deserve.

Medical or clinical negligence refers to any instance where a patient receives a level of care below the expected standard from a medical professional that causes an injury or existing condition to worsen. Our medical negligence solicitors in Leeds can assist you with any claim you may have in Yorkshire, Humberside and the North East of England.

Most people enjoy excellent health care from our National Health Service and in the private sector. However, sometimes mistakes in medical treatment are made and the outcome for a patient can be devastating.

When this happens, it’s important patients receive full explanations about what went wrong and why, lessons are learned and compensation is paid where appropriate.

Examples of medical negligence can range from a surgical error during an operation that causes a physical injury, to receiving a misdiagnosis for a condition, which means it grows worse. Find out more about the different types of medical negligence.

In any case of medical negligence, it must be proved that the health issues you experience – or a loved one you are claiming for – were down to the negligent actions of a health professional.

If you or a loved one believe you have suffered medical negligence we may be able to help you bring a claim. Call us today on 0113 323 0651.

What the directories say

Leigh Day are the best legal firm I have dealt with by far in any capacity. I trust them implicitly and would recommend them to those with a clinical negligence claim without hesitation because they conduct themselves with kindness as well as having the expertise required. This is a rare combination in my experience.

Legal 500 2024

Get in touch today

Contact our Leeds office 

Meet the Leeds medical negligence team

Suzanne White

Partner

Suzanne White is head of the medical negligence team and has specialised in this area of law since qualifying in 1999.

Cerebral palsy Inquests Brain injury Birth injury

Matthew Westlake

Senior associate solicitor

Matthew Westlake is a senior associate solicitor in the medical negligence department.

Birth injury Brain injury Cerebral palsy Surgical negligence

Emma Thomson

Paralegal

Emma is a paralegal in the clinical negligence department.

The medical negligence team in Leeds

Head of medical negligence and partner Suzanne White leads the team in Leeds alongside senior associate Matthew Westlake. The team specialises in a wide range of complex claims, including obstetricspinalorthopaedicophthalmic and brain injuries 

The team also advises on claims as a result of delay in diagnosis of cancer and other serious illnesses, and is experienced in providing representation to families at inquests where loved ones have died as a result of negligent medical care.

Our Leeds medical negligence team covers hospitals in:

  • South Yorkshire 
  • West Yorkshire 
  • North Yorkshire
  • Tyne and Wear
  • Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire 

Leigh Day in the news

Medical negligence partner Angharad Vaughan recently featured on the BBC's 'How Safe is Maternity Care?' documentary to discuss Britain's maternity wards.

Should visiting our Leeds city centre office be inconvenient, we would be happy to meet you at a more suitable location. Additionally, we offer phone, video calls, and email for effective remote communication.

Our specialist medical negligence team can help you progress a compensation claim. We have access to the very best independent medical experts to assess and support your case.

In the past, we’ve been able to improve care for other patients by getting Trusts to change their procedures and put better systems in place.

We recognise the importance of you having complete faith in your solicitor, with an experienced specialist who understands the medical and legal issues and will fight your corner.

Our team of medical negligence lawyers in Leeds has experience in all types of clinical negligence claims. This includes particular expertise in cases where patients have suffered severe, catastrophic and life-changing injuries.

Read our latest blog

Ratings at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust recently decreased from good to inadequate. To ensure rapid improvements are made, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has imposed urgent conditions. Senior associate Matthew Westlake provides an overview of what the CQC found.

Leeds office

Our Leeds office opened in 2022 to extend the firm’s renowned expertise in handling claimant personal injury and medical negligence work in the North East. Our Leeds team handles a range of clinical negligence and serious injury claims for clients based in Yorkshire, Humberside and the North East of England. 

Find out more about the Leigh Day Leeds office.

What our clients say

Leigh Day have supported me through the hardest period in my life and made me feel that I have control of my future. Matthew Westlake and Suzanne White have been my rock through this process, they have genuinely huge hearts and outstanding skills in their field. Their words were always kind and made sure I could keep up with language I could understand, and fought this case through to the very happy end. I could never recommend anybody else, I have absolute trust in Leigh Day and words cannot express my gratitude.

Client of Suzanne White and Matthew Westlake

Making a medical negligence claim

If you or a loved one have suffered or passed away and you believe it was due to medical negligence, start by contacting our clinical negligence team.

A specialist solicitor will listen to your case and ask you questions related to your experience in confidence, to gain a better understanding of your circumstances.

This free initial consultation can be done over the phone. Whatever the circumstances, we will deal with your case in a sensitive and professional way.

The solicitor you talk to will assess your case, advise on whether you have a claim and the best course of action to take next.

If you decide to seek legal advice with Leigh Day, we will discuss different funding options with you. You may have existing insurance cover or we can go ahead on a no win, no fee basis.

What our clients say

Leeds medical negligence FAQs

You can start a claim for medical negligence when you believe you were injured or your condition worsened due to the care you received. You can also bring a compensation claim on behalf of:


•A loved one who died due to clinical negligence
•Someone who lacks the mental capacity to do so themselves
•Your child (until they reach 18 years old)


Normally, you will be the next of kin for the person you are making a claim for, and will be appointed their litigation friend.


Anyone can start a claim by contacting both our offices in London or Manchester. We help client around the country, from Cornwall to Northumbria.

Normally, you have three years to make a medical negligence claim. This time period starts from the moment you realise your injuries or worsening condition may be caused by clinical negligence.

When bringing a claim on behalf of protected parties – children and those lacking the mental capacity to do so – the time limits vary. For children, the three-year limit only applies once they turn 18.

Our team in Manchester can advise you on the time limits for making a clinical negligence claim. Therefore, it is advisable you contact us as soon as possible to avoid time running out.

Medical negligence claims can take anywhere from a few months to several years to settle. The amount of time it takes usually depends on the severity of your injuries, the process of gathering evidence, how long the defendant takes to respond and whether it goes to trial.

Our Manchester medical negligence team can advise on how long they think your claim will take to settle, while supporting you along the way.

If you start the claims process with Leigh Day, it’s possible one of our team will ask you to gather some supporting evidence for your case.

This could assist in in proving the injuries, pain and suffering experienced were down to medical negligence, where the responsibility lies and that the compensation claim is fair. We will advise you on what supporting evidence you may require for the case and assist you in obtaining most of this. Occasionally you may need to obtain some things yourself, for example, you may hold photographs or some records setting out the losses suffered that may be relevant.

It is usually possible for the team to obtain most of the required evidence on your behalf.

Our team can advise you on any specific evidence, how to obtain it and further steps for helping you bring a successful claim.

Get in touch today

Contact our Leeds office 

What our clients say

Without the compassion and professionalism of Suzanne and the rest of the team, we know this process would have been even harder. We’re doubtful that we would have ever found the truth surrounding Thor’s death, and the subsequent failures by the Trust, without them. We will always be grateful.

Client of Suzanne White

Related news

News Article
Defocussed Hospital Corridor
Medical negligence Cerebral palsy Caesarean

More than £21 million secured for child who suffered cerebral palsy birth injury

A settlement of over £21 million has been secured from a NHS Health Trust for a child who sustained a serious brain injury at birth at due to negligent treatment by medical professionals.

News Article
Blurry hospital corridor
Inquests Medical negligence

Coroner concludes 10-year-old boy died as a result of multiple failings by healthcare professionals, amounting to neglect

Multiple failings by healthcare professionals to recognise and adequately treat William Gray’s asthma caused the death of the 10-year-old, an inquest has concluded.

News Article
Baby Feet
Medical negligence Baby deaths Maternity safety

Baby died aged one week after pregnant mother’s concerns were dismissed

A baby girl died aged one week at the Homerton Hospital after her mother’s concerns about abdominal pains and reduced fetal movements were dismissed in late pregnancy by North Middlesex Hospital maternity triage unit.

News Article
Leeds Skyline
Leeds

Law firm Leigh Day major Leeds expansion strengthens support for northern clients and charities

Law firm Leigh Day is continuing its northern expansion by moving into a larger office in a prime location in central Leeds. It will specialise in personal injury and medical negligence claims and allow for more face-to-face contact with northern clients and further support of local hospitals and charities.