Testimonials
When commending Dr Danbury as an expert witness to clients, I explain that he is the expert I would turn to if I needed to identify an intensivist to assess one of my loved ones. In case after case, I have seen him interact with families who are at their lowest emotional ebb: frequently desperately confused, as well as, very often, angry and scared. The breadth and depth of his technical and procedural knowledge means that, in even the most complex of cases, his advice to the parties and evidence to the court is clear, yet detailed; pragmatic, yet nuanced. Running at all times like a current under that experience, however, is something even rarer: a kindness, compassion, and exceptional willingness to be generous with his time - and it is those attributes that, to me, in a crowded field, mark him out as head and shoulders above his peers.
Chris rose to the challenge on a particularly complex case. He was very personable, pragmatic and incisive drawing on extensive knowledge and expertise. Efficient and thorough, I would highly recommend.
Dr Danbury is a model expert. He is clear, objective and very helpful. He has a brilliant work ethic and is highly responsive, produces clear reports and is good in conference. He works collaboratively and has an excellent understanding of legal issues. I engaged Dr Danbury to report and give evidence in an Article 2 Jury inquest involving tricky resuscitation issues. His commitment to the case was outstanding. His evidence in Court was objective and authoritative and he was composed when asked difficult questions by the QC on the other side. His evidence was clearly instrumental in allowing the Jury to reach their decision in our favour. He is a pleasure to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending him in any case involving intensive care medicine.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr Chris Danbury for the wisdom, guidance and support he has given me in my preparation for inquests in recent times. And it is always a pleasure to have him on board as an expert in our clinical negligence cases. His medico-legal reports are excellently researched and written in a way which is concise and intelligible to the reader. He also has a rather special way of getting to the heart of the issues involved without ever over-complicating things. This is exactly what lawyers acting in difficult cases need and want in an intensive care expert.
I’d worked previously with Chris Danbury as an expert in a case that went to the Supreme Court and thought he would be ideally placed to mediate a solution in a difficult dispute between clinicians and a family member about specific treatment during the pandemic. His unique combination of skills as a mediator and an intensivist allowed us to reach an agreement that satisfied all parties. Importantly we avoided expensive, time-consuming litigation with all the uncertainties and stress for family members and clinicians that it brings. It also allowed the family to maintain a working relationship with the clinicians at the Trust where the patient will continue to be cared for. The best possible outcome for all concerned.
Michael Mylonas KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
Lawyer’s “Barrister of the Year” 2019
I have worked closely with Chris in several medicolegal contexts, including;
(1) policy work in the FICM legal and ethical policy unit and on the working group for the BMA/RCP guidance on CANH;
(2) before the courts, including before the Supreme Court in NHS Trust v Y; and
(3) writing together, most recently co-editing the second edition of Law and Ethics in the Intensive Care Unit (OUP, 2019).
In each of these contexts, Chris has been unfailingly meticulous, courteous, unflappable, and dogged in his determination to improve outcomes in individual cases and practice more generally.
I instructed Chris when relations between the patient’s next of kin and the ICU clinical team had fundamentally broken down over a conflict as to what course of action was in the patient’s best interests. Chris’s exceptional experience and skill set in this niche field, calm authority, pro-active and quietly determined manner, meant he was rapidly able to establish the trust of the family member and the professional respect of the treating team, facilitate constructive communication and formulate a pragmatic, cost-effective and mutually agreeable solution. This was a remarkable result in all the circumstances.
Chris has reported clearly, quickly and objectively on the facts of every case I have instructed him on. He is an authority in the area of sepsis. His willingness to engage with experts in other disciplines and ability to provide concise answers to counsel have also impressed me.
Dr Danbury is an excellent expert to have on board. His opinions are clear, objective and well-reasoned. His engagement in conferences is unparalleled, with a great ability to convey his opinion with clients, barrister and other experts. I would not hesitate to recommend this expert.