Brain surgeon sues NHS for £200k after hospital lift plunges four floors with him trapped inside

Peter Stevens
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:42:03 +0000

A brain surgeon is suing the NHS for £200,000 after a hospital lift plunged four floors - while he was trapped inside.

Neurosurgery specialist Dr Steven Tominey said he "thought he was going to die" after the incident and was left with life-changing injuries.

The 2024 incident at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, forced him to undergo major surgery twice on his leg and he now walks with a limp.

He also was left depressed and in need of therapy designed to help with PTSD.

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Dr Tominey is now suing the Barts Health NHS Trust for the impact of the accident on his career and personal life.

The trust has admitted breach of duty but is challenging other aspects of the claim, including the amount of compensation.

At the High Court, his lawyers set out his account for the accident.

They told the court Dr Tominey entered the lift between 7am and 7.30am on March 15, 2024, while he was working a night shift.

He was left "terrified and thought he was going to die" when the lift suddenly dropped four floors.

The lawyers said his left leg "sustained the impact" of the fall when "his weight transferred through that leg".

They added that he attempted to press the emergency button but could not due to his injuries and pain.

He then "lowered himself to the floor" and crawled towards the emergency buzzer.

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The neurosurgery specialist was rescued five to 10 minutes after alerting authorities, and was taken to A&E in the same hospital.

An x-ray found he had fractured his leg in two places.

However, the surgery for his smashed knee did not set straight, meaning he had to undergo a second operation to shorten one of his legs.

The court heard how Dr Tominey was left with a "limp" and "ongoing pain", and has trouble being on his feet at work for long periods.

In addition to the physical damage, the doctor went on to suffer from depression.

He ended up needing eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy designed to help PTSD sufferers.

His lawyers concluded: "The defendant owed the claimant a non-delegable duty of care as his employer, including a duty to provide a safe workplace."

They added that it was "highly likely" his career had been held back as a result of the elevator incident.

The hospital trust has admitted breach of duty, but says it "puts the claimant to proof as to the nature, cause, occurrence and happening of the alleged accident".

It also disputes the causation of the damages he has suffered and the amount of damages claimed.