Admitted 2016
Medical Negligence
Telephone: 091 865 000
Johan, a native of Galway, is a solicitor in the firm’s Medical Negligence Department.
Johan has personal experience of the catastrophic consequences of medical negligence. His birth was grossly mismanaged, and he is fortunate to have avoided severe brain damage and cerebral palsy. Johan had to be resuscitated and the trauma of the delivery has left him with a near-total paralysis of his right arm, a condition known as brachial plexus palsy or Erb’s palsy.
The doctors and hospitals were unwilling to provide an explanation as to how the birth had gone so wrong, and how Johan came to be injured. Johan’s parents, like many, went to a solicitor for answers and discovered that it was wholly preventable. They fought tirelessly to hold those responsible for Johan’s injuries to account. The case against the Western Health Board and the obstetrician settled in December 1996.
Johan is proudly in a position to help other victims of medical negligence to understand what has happened to cause their injuries and to get justice. Johan has acted in many interesting and complex cases of cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, maternal injury, delay in cancer diagnosis, fatal injuries, surgical error, and orthopaedic negligence. He has represented families at inquests, and has brought cases to a successful conclusion, by High Court trials and settlement negotiations.
In May 2018, Johan was tasked with running the newly opened Galway office, which has been a resounding success.
Johan was educated at St. Annin’s N.S., Kilannin, Galway, St. Joseph’s Patrician College (“The Bish”), Galway and N.U.I. Galway from which he graduated with an honours degree in both Corporate Law (B Corp. Law) and LLB (Bachelor of Laws).
Johan was made Associate Solicitor at Callan Tansey in September 2020.
CASES OF NOTE
‘I am lucky that I’m not profoundly disabled following traumatic birth’
Verbruggen settled a case for a six-year-old girl who suffers with partial paralysis of her left arm & postural difficulty – a condition known as Erb’s palsy – following a difficult birth.
JOHAN VERBRUGGEN ON RAY D’ARCY SHOW: BEING INJURED DURING BIRTH
Listen to Johan Verbruggen on the Ray D’Arcy Show talking about his own experience being injured during birth.
€400,000 for girl, 6, over shoulder injury allegedly suffered at birth
It meant a great deal to our Johan Verbruggen on a personal level, to achieve a fantastic result for little Alice Hayes who like him, suffers from Erb’s palsy, as a result of a traumatic birth.
Man Died From Sepsis After Hip Replacement Surgery, Inquest Finds
A 76-year-old man died from sepsis due to pneumonia in the lungs, which developed after he had hip replacement surgery ..
Family settle case over death of 88-year-old man in hospital
The family of an 88-year-old man who died 13 days after he was admitted to Sligo General Hospital has settled a High Court action over his death on confidential terms.
The medical negligence victim turned negligence solicitor
Johan Verbruggen, who has Erb’s palsy, says his parents ‘were told it was their own fault’
SEARCH THE SITE
RECENT BLOG POSTS
Fatal Accidents on the Road
The most recent statistics from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) (for the period from 1st January- 29 August, 2023) confirm that in 2023 there were 124 fatalities on the road in Ireland. This represents a 27% increase from 2022 figures for the same period. The...
What to do if you are in a car accident
Dealing with the unexpected scenario of any accident is difficult. Here our Caroline McLaughlin examines some key points to note following a road traffic accident
Conference on Neurological Injury and the Law a Huge Success
Our 2023 Pathways to Progress Conference was held recently at Mount Falcon Estate in Ballina. The theme this year was Neurological Injury and the Law. Attendees at the event, which was sold out, heard a range of expert speakers and panelists from Ireland and...
Inappropriate Medical Devices Used in Children’s Spinal Surgeries
Medical devices play a critical role in modern healthcare, however patient safety should always remain the top priority in their use. It is one thing when a medical device malfunctions or does not have the desired effect on the patient, but the use of inappropriate...
Almost 107,000 Adverse Incidents reported to HSE last year
New figures released by the HSE state that there were almost 107,000 adverse incidents reported to them last year. The figures also show that in the past five years, almost 500 people suffered an adverse incident that resulted in long-term or permanent disability and...
Investigation into babies born with head injuries at Galway University Hospital
According to a report in The Irish Times on 24th August 2023, Galway University Hospital commissioned a review of head injuries to newborn babies during delivery. The review is into what it terms a “small number of cases where newborn babies suffered head injuries as...
Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act was signed into law on 30 December 2015. However, a number of amendments to the Act were required and provided for in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act which was signed into law on 17 December 2022...
Making a Medical Negligence Claim in Ireland
Everyone interacts with doctors and medical professionals during their lifetime. International Studies show between 10%-12% of patients will experience avoidable adverse outcomes arising from their health treatment. Yet the same studies show that only 1% of those...
Work Life Balance & Miscellaneous Provision Bill 2022
This Bill, which gives effect to EU Directive 1158/2019 on work life balance for parents and carers, quietly passed all stages in the Oireachtas on Wednesday, 29th March 2023. Here Brian Gill, Partner and Head of Commercial Litigation at Callan Tansey Solicitors LLP,...
Supporting Students with Autism
Summerhill College in Sligo is committed to supporting students with Autism. In recent years the school has developed a dedicated ASD Resource Centre specially designed to support the holistic education of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The ASD Resource...
Erb’s Palsy Birth Injury
The Medical Negligence team at Callan Tansey Solicitors LLP has successfully represented many people with Erb’s Palsy. Our work has got explanations from the hospitals concerned as to how this injury occurred. We have also secured compensation for this birth injury...
Overcrowding impacts Emergency Department Medical Negligence claims
The staff at hospital Accident and Emergency Departments provide vital and valuable services to the entire community. However, Emergency Department Medical Negligence claims account for almost 15% of all Medical Negligence claims. The most recent studies have shown...
What to Do If You Experience Domestic Abuse in Ireland
Domestic abuse can take many forms. These include physical violence, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation, financial and economic abuse and coercive control. Here our Orlagh Sharkey, Head of Family Law, outlines the various steps you can take if you are...
Personal Injuries Guidelines Explained
Since 6th March, 2021 the level of damages attributable to injuries arising from an incident are clearly defined in the Personal Injuries Guidelines. The maximum compensation that can be awarded under Irish Law for General Damages is capped at €550,000. General...
Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawsuits and Cases
Cancer misdiagnosis victims may be able to file a medical negligence, or medical malpractice, lawsuit against the doctor or other party responsible for the cancer misdiagnosis. When filing a lawsuit against another party, the patient or patient’s family is referred to...
Request a callback
