James Wilson

• Acting for the Defendant in a claim for large loss personal injury arising out of a road traffic accident. The claim included a large Smith v Manchester claims for loss of earnings.
• Acting for the Defendant in a large loss claim for personal injury with a subsequent claim for loss of earnings and loss of opportunity following the claimant being unable to take up his place in the armed services.
• Acting for the local authority in a public liability case. The claimant alleged to have tripped on unstable stairs. The defence was one of reasonable inspection

• Inquest touching the death of TB. James acted for a paramedic who was the rear seat passenger along with the deceased at the time that the ambulance crashed. There was a suggestion that the driver of the ambulance and a third-party lorry driver were the cause of the crash. In addition, one of the contributing factors in the injuries sustained by the deceased was the fact that he was unlikely to have been fully strapped onto the stretcher bed; a job that was the responsibility of James’ client.

See links for News Coverage:

Ambulance driver involved in fatal crash of patient told her overtake was ‘not dangerous’ – Hull Live (hulldailymail.co.uk)

Ambulance driver involved in fatal crash told overtake was ‘not dangerous’ – YorkshireLive (examinerlive.co.uk)

• Inquest touching the death of NP. The deceased died from multi organ failure as a result of contracting salmonella from duck eggs bought at a country. James represented the paramedic who was called the the deceased’s house. Notwithstanding some significant markers and reasons to take NP to hospital the client made the decision not to immediately transfer NP to A&E. She subsequently did a number of days later. One of the issues was the effect that the delay in transportation had on NP’s prognosis. It was evident that his prognosis was much poorer as a result of the delay. Notwithstanding this, James made written and oral submissions to the Senior Coroner to withdraw from the jury the issue of causation in relation to the delay. The Coroner agreed. News coverage –
  • Niptoon Tavakoli: Salmonella victim had eaten duck eggs before death – BBC News
  • Salmonella victim taken to hospital three days after first ambulance call – BBC News
  • Doctors unable to save Yorkshire man who caught severe salmonella from duck eggs | Yorkshire Post
• Inquest touching the death of CNC. The cause of death was hanging, as a result of suicide. James acted for the GP (instructed by the Medical Protection Society) who had had telephone contact with the deceased on the day of her death. She had expressed suicidal thoughts. The Coroner was considering a Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths Report in relation to the systems at the GP Practice. James invited some time to provide further evidence. He then assisted the GP Practice in drafting new policies to alleviate the Coroner’s concerns.
• Inquest touching the death of EC – James represented the family in a case following of an unlawful hold under the Mental Health Act.
• Inquest touching the death of MC – James was instructed by the Medical Protection Society to protect the interests of a General Practitioner in a case where a patient had committed suicide following contact with their GP.
• James drafted a new risk assessment policy for the practise and thus avoided a Prevention of Future Deaths Report.
• Inquest touching the death of TB – James was instructed by Telemedicine Ltd on behalf of a radiologist. The deceased died following ruptured coeliac aneurysms.
• Inquest touching the death of SW – James was instructed by the family of the deceased who was a paraplegic; she ultimately died as a result of complications to her bed sores. She had been held under the Mental Health Act and died following a decline in her food and fluid intake.
• Inquest touching the death of CW – The deceased was under medication for Bipolar depression.  Emergency services were called to deceased home where she was in a distressed state and causing damage to the premises in the presence of her young family. She died shortly after arrival at hospital.
• Inquest touching the death of KT – Representing the bereaved family of a 30-year-old woman who had a number of complex medical issues. She was steroid dependant, but none was administered until moments before her death.
• Inquest Touching the Death of Mr CH – James represented the family of the deceased who died having been admitted to hospital for severe alcoholism. The deceased was subject to a hospital restriction order at the time of his death.
• Inquest Touching the Death of IH – James is representing the family of an 18 month old boy who was in remission from Leukaemia following a bone marrow transplant. He subsequently died of a heart attack, whilst in hospital.

• HSE v Pauls Malt Ltd T/A Boormalt
• Representing a European company with a U.K turnover of £129m (and so outside of the top bracket of the sentencing guidelines).
• A guilty plea was entered to an offence contrary to section 33 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 act by breaching its duties under s 3(1) of the Act.
• The starting point for sentence for a company with a turnover of £50m was £300,000 with a range of £130,000- £750,000. The potential fine was therefore in excess of £750,000.
• James advised at an early stage in terms of the relevant evidence to put before the court, including the extent of financial disclosure and the specific risk assessments and training given to employees across the country.
• Following a guilty plea and mitigation, the Defendant was fined just £100,000.
• HSE v ICH Ltd
• Representing a company that provided air conditioning services to supermarkets and department stores with a turnover of £6m.
• The Defendant pleaded guilty to one offence contrary s33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by breaching its duties under s 3(1) of the Act. The sentencing range was £25,000- £230,000. Mr Wilson drafted the basis of plea and, following mitigation, the Defendant was fined £20,000.
• HSE -V- Longcross Construction Ltd (In Administration ) (1) Fewell Engineering Ltd (2)SJT Site Management Ltd (3) Stuart John Tombs (As a director) (4) Stuart John Tombs (As an individual)
• James represented the Second, Third and Fourth Defendant who were prosecuted as a result of a crushing injury that occurred at Armley Prison, Leeds. The complainant was run over by machinery driven by a third party contractor. Both the machinery and the contractor were under the control of the Second Defendant company and the Fourth Defendant as an employee of the company.
• The Defendant company pleaded guilty to offence contrary to s33(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by breaching its duties under s 3(1) of the Act. The charge against the company director was discontinued. The Fourth Defendant pleaded guilty to tampering with the evidence post accident and therefore obstructing the investigation.
• The HSE suggested that the relevant fine bracket for the company was £30,000- £110,000.
• James drafted the Basis of Plea and successfully argued that the culpability was less than the HSE submitted. Following mitigation, the company was fined £600. The Fourth Defendant was fined £100 for evidence tampering.