Brian E. Devlin KC

Brian Devlin QC started his law career with the firm of Jones Black, now known as Bennett Jones. He articled to Jack Major QC, the leading medical negligence defence lawyer in Alberta at the time, who went on to become a judge on the Supreme Court of Canada.

Mr. Devlin practiced with Mr. Noel O’Brien QC and Don Macleod QC as the firm of O’Brien Devlin Macleod for approximately 43 years. Mr. Devlin has since decided to streamline and focus his practice and was invited to join the firm of Law Fifty One to assist in the development and completion of medical malpractice cases.

Mr. Devlin has considerable experience in criminal defence work and representing seriously injured people in motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice cases and other types of personal injuries.

Mr. Devlin has appeared at all levels of court in Alberta as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. For the past 25 years his practice has focused on representing people injured through medical malpractice as well as in auto accidents, assaults and other incidents.

Mr. Devlin has represented injured people in hundreds of medical malpractice cases. Many of these have settled out of court, while others have gone to trial. Mr. Devlin has conducted approximately 25 full medical malpractice trials, some of which were litigated to the Alberta Court of Appeal.

In the course of this work, Mr. Devlin has won and settled cases involving a broad range of medical issues including, but not limited to, the following:

- Obstetrical/gynecological cases involving injury to the mother’s internal organs during delivery, and brain damage to newborns, resulting in catastrophic injury due to hypoxia, ischemia and infection

- Abdominal surgery involving damage to the common bile duct in gallbladder surgeries, damage to the bowel, damage to vascular and arterial blood supply, development of sepsis and other complications

- Numerous laser eye surgery complications during Lasix and other corrective surgeries

- Delayed diagnosis of glaucoma

- Orthopedic and neurosurgical cases involving injuries to the spinal cord and nerve roots causing complete and partial paralysis

- Delayed diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome from negligent spinal surgery and improper postoperative care, resulting in permanent spinal cord and nerve root injury and impairment

- Orthopedic surgical errors resulting in ankle, shoulder, foot and knee complications

- Orthopedic and general surgery cases involving knee replacement and repair with complications including infection and arterial injury

- Emergency room cases involving delay in diagnosis and treatment for cardiac problems, internal hemorrhages, aneurysms, aortic distention, kidney damage and many others

- Delayed diagnosis of cancers including prostate, breast, lung and Melanoma as well as other forms of cancer

- Negligence in the administration and prescription of proper medication and proper dosage

- Failed plastic surgeries involving negligently conducted breast augmentations, facelifts, brow lifts, eyelid surgery and others