High Court Judgment Marks a Pivotal Moment in Dr. Watt Neurology Cases

A High Court Judge in Belfast has issued a significant ruling today, awarding £50,000 to a former patient of Dr. Watt. Dr. Watt, who held positions within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust as well as maintaining a private practice, often conducted his own neurology clinics.

The cases surrounding Dr. Watt have consistently raised complex questions regarding the liability of clinicians operating in both public and private capacities, particularly when patients receive treatment in both settings. This ruling offers critical clarification on these issues. As articulated in the judgment, the Court emphasised that:

“It cannot always be the case, as a matter of principle, that the act of transferring a patient from private to health service care should automatically absolve any established negligence on the part of the same clinician who acted in a private capacity prior to the transfer”.

In this case, both Defendants were deemed liable for 50% of the Plaintiff’s injuries, resulting in an obligation to share equally in the damages awarded, along with the Plaintiff’s associated legal expenses.

What implications does this judgment have for our current clients who were previously treated by Dr. Watt?

We can regard this as a welcome development. It provides vital guidance concerning the liability of each Defendant and the evaluation of damages and we anticipate moving forward with our clients’ cases towards similarly favourable resolutions.

We have been instructed by many patients of Dr Watt and we look forward to bringing these cases to conclusion.

You can access the judgment here.

Contact us

If you have been affected as a result of potentially negligent treatment or have been part of the Neurology Recall, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our solicitors in Belfast & Dungannon.