Alice Kuzmenko

Inquests

Alice brings her clinical negligence experience when representing clients at inquests, including acting for families, NHS Trusts, and medical professionals. She is also able to take instructions on a direct access basis.

Alice co-authored the chapter Inquest versus Public Inquiry in The Inquest Book: The Law of Coroners and Inquests (Second Edition, 2025).

Selected inquests include:

• Guildford Pub Bombings Inquests – Thirteen-day inquest investigating the deaths of four young army recruits and one civilian who died in a Provisional IRA bomb attack on the Horse and Groom Public House in Guildford on 5th October 1974. The Coroner heard evidence from 80 witnesses. Alice was instructed as junior counsel to the inquest.
• Otte, Al-Kharboush & Barker –  A complex multi-party inquest concerning the deaths of 3 premature babies who received contaminated TPN. Alice was instructed as a junior on behalf of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
• Shafiqul Haidhar – Seven-day Article 2 inquest with the witnesses including five National Highways employees. Despite submissions from the family, their conduct was not criticised, but praised. The deceased walked from the M1 hard shoulder into the path of a lorry. Prior to this, he crashed his car but was assessed by National Highways officers as not being at risk if left to await recovery. Alice was instructed by National Highways.
• Mansoor Zaman – Five-day Article 2 inquest before a jury. The jury concluded that Mansoor died by suicide. They further concluded that there was probable contribution to Mansoor’s death caused by the failure of the Nurse in Charge and duty doctor to use Section 5(4) and Section 5(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 to detain Mansoor before he absconded the second time. Alice was instructed on behalf of the family.
• Peter Mannheim – Two-day inquest concerning Peter who died from choking on marshmallow sweets he took from another resident’s plate during an activity in his care home on 1 February 2024. The Coroner concluded that the cause of death was accidental death contributed to by neglect, finding a clear, causal connection between the risk and the death. Alice was instructed on behalf of the family.