Claire Petts

Claire advises on a wide range of healthcare matters, including providing representation at inquests, representing clinicians before their regulatory body, medical device/product liability work and general advisory work. She has successfully defended many matters at trial, including several multimillion-pound claims.

Claire has also been involved in a number of drug trial cases including the high profile case at Northwick Park Hospital. Claire has a keen interest in the growing area of Disability Discrimination Act claims in the healthcare setting where she holds a 100% success rate of rebutting these claims. She contributes regularly to both internal and external publications, speaks at conferences and regularly trains medical practitioners on healthcare issues. Claire is ranked in both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.

Experience

• Successfully defended a multi-million pound medical malpractice claim made by a professional footballer against a leading US knee surgeon at trial. The case involved complex choice of law and jurisdictional issues

• Represented a manufacturer of medical equipment in a negligence claim. The claim was successfully rebutted and a cost order on an indemnity basis was obtained against our opponents

• Provided representation at a long and complex article 2 inquest involving a death in prison where the quality of the healthcare was criticised

• Provided emergency advice to an NHS Trust with regard to a challenge by a family member to prevent the hospital switching off life support and allowing the patient to die with dignity

• Represented a group of clinics in relation to claims arising from the PIP breast implants

• Represented a number of defendants in a group claim regarding drugs that were injected into patients which did not have the desired result