Russell Cooke Putney London 2

About Deborah

Deborah specialises in complex injuries and works ceaselessly to support her clients and their families through litigation and its aftermath, securing compensation and support for each client’s needs after often life-changing injuries.

Deborah specialises in complex and high value claims and has particular expertise and interest in cases relating to birth-related brain injury in babies, the treatment and diagnosis of many types of cancer particularly breast cancer, and dental claims.

A recognised leader in the field of clinical negligence for several years, Deborah has built up extensive experience in handling claims of all sizes, covering a wide range of injurious conditions including brain injury, spinal injury, back and general orthopaedic injuries, bowel, bladder and psychological injuries.

Many of her cases have been reported both in the legal and public press, and she has acted in a number of cases which have established some important legal principles including Wilson v Best Travel (AER), which established the principles of duty of care owed by Tour Operators, and a number of cases involving issues in relation to limitation - one of which was successfully taken to the Court of Appeal. Reported cases include: Darnley-Croydon hospitals NHS Trust, Peters v University of Wales NHS Trust, Rawlinson v North Essex Health Authority, Garth v Grant and the MIB, Bowden v BMI hospitals, Chapman v Estate of Dr Moss deceased.

Deborah has long been committed to public funding. She has been responsible over the years for obtaining and renewing the legal services civil contract in clinical negligence. Given her extensive experience in dealing with birth injury cases and her longstanding membership on the Law Society Clinical Negligence panel she is able to obtain public funding for babies who have suffered neurological injury.

Deborah Blythe is understanding, driven and hard-working.
Chambers UK (2023)

Experience

  • Duty of A&E reception staff: representing the claimant Michael Darnley in the landmark Supreme Court case of Darnley v Croydon which established issues of duty of care owed by A&E receptionists

  • £1.7 million settlement: achieving a settlement for a 15 year old boy who suffered cerebral palsy due to the negligent way a hospital trust managed the events leading up to his birth. The settlement amounted to a lump sum of £1.7 million and periodical payments starting at £100,253 per annum, increasing to £158,800 for the rest of the claimant's life, to cover care and case management, therapies and Court of Protection. The overall value of the claim being in excess of £5 million

  • Benign brain tumour: obtaining £548,000 for the death of a mother arising out of delay in treating a benign brain tumour

  • Blood test nerve damage: obtaining £85,000 for a lady who suffered nerve damage in her arm from a needle during a blood test

  • Delay in diagnosing lung cancer: obtaining £65,000 for the estate of an 84 year old widow who died as a result of a trust’s delay in diagnosing lung cancer

  • Pregnancy management: obtaining £550,000 for a child born with HIV due to the negligent way in which the mother's pregnancy was managed

Deborah assists with a range of cases, including child brain injury as a result of obstetric negligence and delayed diagnosis claims.
Chambers UK (2021)

Memberships

  • Member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)

  • Panel member of Action Against Medical Accidents (AVMA)

  • Panel member for Law Society Personal Injury

  • Panel member for Law Society Clinical Negligence

A very experienced lawyer with a gentle manner that belies a steely resolve to do well for her clients. She is a very safe pair of hands.
The Legal 500 (2020)

Deborah's highlights

News

31.08.2022

Injuries caused by acupuncture: an overview

Deborah Blythe, Consultant in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, personal injury and medical negligence team. Janice Gardner, Partner in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, personal injury and medical negligence team.
Multiple Authors
2 min Read
Deborah Blythe, Janice Gardner
News

09.06.2022

Russell-Cooke boosts recognition in Best Lawyers in the UK 2023

Samantha Little, Consultant in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, family and children team. Fiona Read, Partner, Russell-Cooke Solicitors, Family team Richard Frimston, Consultant in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, private client team. Deborah Blythe, Consultant in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, personal injury and medical negligence team. Russell-Cooke Solicitors staff photograph. Silhouette of a male team member against the backdrop of an office window with a soft focus effect.
Multiple Authors
4 min Read
Samantha Little, Fiona Read, Richard Frimston, Deborah Blythe, Peter Cadman
News

11.03.2022

Informed consent of children in relation to medical treatment - The case of Bell and another -v-Tavistock and Portman NHS foundation Trust CA 2021

Deborah Blythe, Consultant in the Russell-Cooke Solicitors, personal injury and medical negligence team.
Deborah Blythe
3 min Read
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