Olive Lewin

020 7650 1200 olewin@leighday.co.uk

Work Department

Clinical negligence.

Position

Olive is a healthcare lawyer specialising in the field of clinical negligence. She is a former registered nurse and is committed to acting on behalf of claimants in a wide variety of complex cases. Her clients include but not limited to: those who have been left paralysed following brain injury and spinal cord injury; those who have suffered injury following failure to diagnose cauda equina syndrome; those who have suffered injury as a result of failure to treat endocarditis; children who have suffered cerebral palsy.

Olive regularly takes on cases with complex medical issues. She has settled claims involving those have suffered damage as a result  of drug toxicity; she has recovered six figure sums for women who have been left  with 3rd and 4th degree tears following delivery, and she has represented families at inquests.

Olive recently settled a claim in excess of £11 million on behalf of a woman who suffered brain damage; she settled a claim in excess of £16 million on behalf of a woman who suffered spinal cord injury from undiagnosed TB meningitis;  a six figure sum on behalf of the family of a woman who died following bilateral amputations as a result of failure to adequately treat her atrial fibrillation; and recently settled a claim for £2.5 million on behalf of an 82 year old client who suffered paraplegia following failure to diagnose a post-operative epidural haematoma.

Olive had a successful outcome on behalf of the Claimant in Hassell v Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Trust, on the issue of informed consent where the claimant suffered a serious spinal cord injury after  a surgeon failed to inform her of the risk of paralysis. The Claimant recovered £4.4 million at Trial.

Olive has given presentations to a wide variety of medical experts.

Olive joined Leigh Day in 1991, becoming a partner in 1998. Olive is assisted by Charlotte Cooper and Emily Baker.

Career

Qualified as a solicitor in 1990; Leigh Day 1991, partner 1998.
Qualified as a registered General Nurse (RGN) in 1982.

Memberships

Action Against Medical Accidents; APIL; SIA and “I have Cauda Equina”

Education

Economics degree; CPE; and the Law Society finals course.