Expertise

Hugh represents claimants with life-changing brain and spinal injuries who have received substandard medical care in either or both the NHS and the private healthcare sector. His caseload includes claims arising from negligent delay, failures to diagnose and surgical error across a number of settings, to include primary care (GP), at hospital and in specialist community teams.

He is also experienced in dealing with issues relating to insurance cover, indemnification and third party recovery.

Hugh frequently supports clients with complex care needs which, in turn, give rise to urgent accommodation and rehabilitation needs. He is regularly involved with the co-ordination of specialist teams of therapeutic (treating) experts alongside the medicolegal experts to achieve the best outcomes for his clients.

Experience

• FSH v London Ambulance & Barts Health Trust (2023), advised the family of a 53 year old woman who sustained a permanent brain injury as a result of delays in diagnosis and treatment of an intra-cranial bleed after a fall. A seven-figure damages settlement was approved by the court.
• PFZ v West London NHS Trust (2023), advised the family of a 42 year old claimant who sustained a severe brain injury as a result of an attempted suicide whilst suffering from psychosis. A seven-figure damages settlement was approved by the court.
• BK v North West London Healthcare (2023), advising a 68 year old women who became paraplegic as a result of a failure to identify spinal fractures on her CT scans.
• CP v Various GPs and Kent Community Health NHS Trust (2023), advised a 72 year old man in connection with the late diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome by GPs at his medical practice and by his physiotherapist. A high six-figure damages settlement was agreed.

Recognition

Hugh is ranked as a clinical negligence specialist in all the major guides to the profession including Best Lawyers, the Legal 500 (‘Leading Individual’) and Chambers and Partners.

The Legal 500: “Hugh Johnson is hugely knowledgeable and very highly regarded in the sector. Keen eye for detail but also able to see the bigger picture in a claim. A good strategic thinker.”

Chambers: “Highly intelligent. He brings razor-sharp thinking and sound judgement to his cases.”

“Hugh is approachable, extremely competent and experienced.”

[Hugh is] “extremely hard-working, with a good knowledge of the law and good tactical instincts.”

Career

Hugh read law at Cardiff University and started his career as a trainee at Barlows (now Moore Barlow) as a trainee in 2003. Initially undertaking a broad range of personal injury and clinical claims, Hugh joined Stewarts in 2008 to specialise in complex healthcare claims.

Accreditations and Memberships

• Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
  • Accredited Senior Litigator
  • Elected co-ordinator APIL Spinal Injury special interest group (2014-2022)

• Royal Society of Medicine (Associate)
• Law Society of England & Wales

Publications

Hugh is a speaker and has chaired a number of conferences for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). He a co-author of the practitioner text Lewis & Buchan on Clinical Negligence (8^th Ed) and is a regular contributor to the Journal of Personal Injury Law (JPIL). He has commented on the reform of the medical claims process both in New Law Journal and in response to government consultations.

Personal

Hailing from a family of healthcare professionals, Hugh has been exposed to the practice of medicine throughout much of his personal and professional life.

When a change of scene is necessary, Hugh is a club cyclist and is regularly to be found in the Surrey Hills or participating in cycle events, both in the UK and internationally. In 2019 he was part of the Stewarts team that cycled from London to Paris in aid of the spinal injuries charity, Back Up.