Victory before the European Court of Human Rights: France found guilty of an ineffective investigation

The European Court of Human Rights unanimously ruled in favour of our clients and found France guilty of violating the right to life (Article 2 of the Convention).
Brun and Lledo v. France, 16 October 2025, application no. 53686/21. Final judgment since 16 January 2026.

The facts

In 2012, P., aged 20, died in hospital after four months’ hospitalisation following a serious accident. His mother and stepfather brought proceedings before the administrative courts to seek answers regarding his care.

A seven-year wait

The proceedings lasted seven years and two months, including five years before the administrative court alone, which took nearly three years to order an expert assessment. The Government provided no convincing justification for these delays.

A key principle reaffirmed

The Court makes it clear: where a family has legitimate grounds to suspect medical negligence, the State must guarantee them a swift and effective judicial response. Delayed justice undermines the very right to life.

What this means for you

The time taken to reach a judgement is not a mere detail: it is a fundamental right. When faced with protracted proceedings, there are avenues of appeal available, right up to Strasbourg.

The applicants were represented by Mr G. Thuan Dit Dieudonné.
Is your case stalling? Contact the firm.

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