James Buchanan

Inquests & Public Inquiries

James has experience of a wide range of inquests including:

• Deaths arising out of accidents in the workplace specifically on construction sites;
• Alleged negligent medical care in hospitals and in the community;
• Incidents in care homes;
• Homicides; and
• Incidents in custody.

Cases

2019

Represented Dr CB, a GP at HMP Peterborough, in connection with the death of Ms Annabella Landsberg. Instructed by Johanna Seccombe, MDDUS.

2019

Represented WF, an employee of Veolia, following the death of a rough sleeper who was crushed to death when the bin he had been sleeping in was tipped into a waste collection lorry. Instructed by Anna Naylor, Kennedys.

2018

Represented the Richmond Fellowship, a charity supporting individuals with mental health problems to live independently. A 10-day Article 2 inquest followed the death -caused by catastrophic self-inflicted injuries – of a young man living in accommodation provided by the Fellowship. The jury concluded that actions of the Fellowship had not caused or contributed to the death and the Coroner declined to make a Preventing Future Deaths Report.

Instructed by Michael Hafen, Gowling WLG

2018

Instructed on behalf of Dr JH following the death of a patient from an untreated abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The patient had been referred by Dr H for scans in connection with an unconnected illness and those responsible for his secondary care had failed to act upon the incidental finding of an AAA. The Coroner made no criticism of Dr H, but concluded that neglect in secondary care had contributed to the death.

Instructed by Sara Mason, MDU

2017/18

4-week inquest following the death in custody of a prisoner suffering from serious mental health issues.  Represented Dr OT, a GP with overall responsibility for the provision of primary care services at HMP Parc.

Instructed by Nick Tennant, MDU

2017

Represented Dr JB, a Consultant in emergency medicine, following the death of a three-year-old boy with Down’s Syndrome. The child was said to have been “abandoned in A&E” with significant delays in treatment leading to his death from bronchial pneumonia. The Coroner returned a conclusion of death by natural causes and did not find that neglect had caused or contributed to the death. Click here to read about the case in the press.

Instructed by Nick Tennant, MDU

2016

Represented the Principal Contractor responsible for cosmetic refurbishment at a BUPA care home. Resident died as a result of contracting Legionalla Pneumonitis. Instructed by Kennedys.

2016

Represented a health care trust contracted to provide primary care in the high security unit at HMP Woodhill. Inquest concerned the death, by suicide, of a vulnerable but highly dangerous transgender prisoner. Instructed by Radcliffes LeBrasseur.

2015

Represented ES Limited in the aftermath of an outbreak of Legionella Pneumonia at a health spa. Alleged failures in the management of water systems were attributed to the neglect of the company. Instructed by Kennedys.

2015

10-day inquest following the death of a patient at Barnsley General Hospital. Represented a Senior House Officer who, in combination with colleagues, was said to have failed in his duty to provide an appropriate level of care. Instructed by RadcliffesLeBrasseur.

2015

Represented a general practitioner following the death of a drug dependent inmate at HMP Belmarsh. The 5-week inquest was concerned with alleged individual and systemic failures. Instructed by the Medical Defence Union.

2014

Represented Hanson PLC following a fall from height at a construction site in the City of London. Instructed by DAC Beachcroft