Gascoine v Haringey Health Authority

[1992] LS Law Med 291

COURT OF APPEAL

Lord Justice PARKER, Lord Justice WOOLF, and Lord Justice STAUGHTON

Practice and procedure — Medical negligence action — Dismissal for want of prosecution — Solicitor instructed over five years after relevant event — Particular need to act promptly — Delay in instructing medical experts — Whether inordinate and inexcusable periods of delay had seriously prejudiced defendants — Whether economic prejudice due to new arrangement imposed by Department of Health too vague to be taken into account — Whether plaintiff's action time-barred