“We are disappointed to learn that the Government will go ahead with its plans to cut legal aid in all clinical negligence cases. I’ve worked with many families, such as the Green family from Grimsby whose son Andrew was starved of oxygen at birth and suffered a severe neurological injury in the form of dyskinetic cerebral palsy, for whom legal aid had been a necessity to allow them to pursue their claims.
“Without legal aid they simply would not have had their voices heard and would never have been able to afford the costs involved in investigating their claims. For example, in cases involving brain damaged babies four or five experts are needed in order to investigate a claim and the cost of this can run into several thousand pounds. For most families this is an impossible sum to find at the time when they already have enough to deal with.
“It is hugely unfair to limit access to justice to victims of medical negligence. I have spoken to the Green family to deliver the news of the Government’s decision and they too are extremely disappointed. They feel that the Government just has not listened to their pleas.
“We will continue to campaign against the Government’s decision to limit access to justice for some of the most vulnerable people in society and hope to reinstate legal aid funding for these cases.”
To speak with Sally call 01522 508720 or send her an
email.