Novum Law can help victims of negligent breast surgeon Ian Paterson get access to justice

It has been reported in The Independent newspaper that under the terms of a legal settlement struck in 2017, 40 law firms are barred from bringing any new claims against Spire Healthcare for 20 years after breast surgeon Ian Paterson was convicted for carrying out dangerous and unnecessary procedures.

This means that former patients of Ian Paterson who have since learned they are victims of the disgraced surgeon will have to find lawyers who have not worked on the case to seek the justice they deserve.

Specialist medical negligence lawyers from Novum Law are not included in this agreement, as they have not previously been instructed by the surgeon’s victims.

As a result, Novum Law can help and support any former patients of Ian Paterson who are thinking of coming forward to get specialist legal advice and find out if they can make a medical negligence compensation claim.

Sabeena Pirooz, an expert in medical negligence claims, says:

“Ian Paterson was jailed in April 2017 following a seven-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court in which the jury ruled that he was guilty of ‘extensive, life-changing operations for no medically justifiable reason.’

“At the time the legal settlement was agreed, it was thought that most of Paterson’s victims had been contacted. However, an inquiry published last year criticised Spire Healthcare’s failure to contact everyone affected. In response, Spire has recalled 5,500 patients for a medical review, and consequently, many more victims are now coming forward for legal support.”

One such new victim reported in The Independent article is 71-year-old Elizabeth Webb, from Solihull, who had multiple unnecessary surgeries carried out by Paterson 20 years ago. He convinced Elizabeth that the lumps on her breasts could be pre-cancerous without carrying out any proper checks.

He failed to do a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis, instead removing breast tissue in an unnecessary operation. It was later found that she did not have breast cancer, and both Elizabeth’s breasts were “in fact, normal.”

It has been alleged that Paterson carried out negligent procedures for status and financial gain, his youngest patient being only 16 years of age. Many patients had to return to him several times for further unnecessary surgery after he failed to remove enough breast tissue in the first instance, while others were falsely informed, they had cancer, requiring invasive procedures and significant distress.

Sabeena Pirooz adds:

“It’s utterly abhorrent how Paterson treated his patients. No one deserves to have their lives put at risk due to a rogue doctor’s need for financial gain. We put our trust in medical professionals, and they have a vital duty of care to protect our lives.

“We would urge anyone who thinks they are victims of Ian Paterson to seek specialist legal advice about their treatment, so they can access the compensation and justice they wholly deserve.”

If you or a family member was treated by Ian Paterson and believe the care you received was negligent, you can contact Novum Law’s specialist medical negligence solicitors for free, no-obligation, and confidential advice.

Call 0800 884 0777, email info@novumlaw.com or complete our online enquiry form.