Jonathan Metzer

Inquests

Inquests in the Coroners’ Court are a significant part of Jonathan’s practice. He appears regularly in cases involving medical or psychiatric treatment, including cases of apparent suicide, and has extensive experience of witness handling and preparing written submissions.

Jonathan is recommended as a Rising Star by The Legal 500.

Selected Cases

• King (2021): Two-week Article 2 inquest into death of man with Down’s syndrome held under Mental Health Act. Narrative conclusion in which jury found that the deceased died due to “inadequate weight management”, “failure to diagnose obesity hypoventilation syndrome”, “inadequate consideration of the use of promethazine” and a “failure to identify the seriousness of a life-threatening situation”. Coroner made Regulation 28 report identifying total of 16 items of concern relating to two different bodies. Instructed by the family.
• Kelly (2020): Article 2 inquest with jury heard over 4 days after deceased took own life by hanging. Narrative conclusion in which jury found that the timing of a Mental Health Act assessment was inadequate, there was a failure by the ambulance crew to initiate a risk assessment on arrival at the property and that there was widespread insufficient communication between all services. Instructed by the family.
• GH (2020): 4 day Article 2 inquest with jury after deceased took own life by drowning. Jury recorded causative failings by hospital mental health nurses in assessing level of risk in days leading up to the death. Instructed by the family.
• JR (2019): 2 day inquest into a death of an elderly woman with obesity who developed a pressure sore which became septic while she was bedbound. Acted for her GP, whom the Coroner excluded from criticism in his conclusion.
• Kemp and Kemp (2019): 6 day inquest convened under Article 2 into the deaths of a married couple who were discovered with multiple stab wounds hours after the husband had been discharged from hospital after attempting suicide. Coroner recorded a narrative conclusion which included significant criticisms of the care provided at the mental health hospital trust. Instructed by the family.
• IJ (2019): Inquest arising from death of elderly women following failure by hospital trust to arrange adequate anticoagulation follow-up, amid serious allegations of abuse by care home. Instructed by the family.
• KM (2019): 2 day inquest arising out of a death after 24 hours in intensive care following a failed intubation. Represented consultant intensivist who had been subject to significant but poorly-founded criticism in the hospital trust’s serious incident report.  
• JW (2018): Deceased died after a two-week period in hospital in which she did not receive a necessary operation to reattach her gastric feeding tube. Article 2 inquest with conclusion which included finding of neglect by hospital trust in three separate ways. Instructed by the family.
• DG (2018): Deceased discovered in state of asphyxiation at his local park. Conclusion of suicide recorded. Instructed by GP who had had consultation with deceased several days before his death.
• LD (2017): Deceased died after apparently jumping off cliff over the Port of Dover. Article 2 inquest with narrative conclusion. Coroner also wrote a letter to the Care Quality Commission regarding his concerns. Instructed by the family.