The Team
Helen Niebuhr
Partner
Helen is an expert in cerebral palsy, brain injury and fatal injury caused by mistakes made in medical treatment by the NHS or private practitioners or resulting from accidents.
Helen has recovered tens of millions of pounds in compensation for clients who have suffered due to negligence in clinical care. For children and those clients who have received compensation for permanent brain damage or long-term disability, Helen has for many years acted as a trustee or deputy and to support clients and families in decisions about future care and what happens after a settlement.
Helen advises in cases of professional negligence by other solicitors who have mishandled or under-settled cases involving personal injury or clinical negligence.
Recent examples of how Helen has helped clients include:
- EXZ v Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, recovering £7,150,000 lump sum plus annual payments for care for life for client with cerebral palsy from birth due to delay in delivery(a total capitalised award of approximately £17 million)
- HJR v Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, recovering in excess of £9 million lump sum plus annual care payments for life for a girl born with quadriplegic cerebral palsy (a total capitalised award of approximately £15 million)
- TBE v Royal Berkshire NHS Trust, £4,920,000 lump sum plus annual care payments for life for a boy with athetoid cerebral palsy (a total capitalised award of approximately £10 million)
- JMH v Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust, £5,573,000 lump sum plus annual care payments for life for a boy with athetoid cerebral palsy (a total capitalised award of approximately £12 million
Helen is always willing to go the extra mile to pursue clients’ interests vigorously and has a client friendly approach. Helen has also developed a niche specialism in equine law and has handled many injury cases involving equine activities for both claimant and Defendant often involving serious brain or spinal injuries. Helen also supports and assists injured claimants in planning and decisions about life after a settlement described by clients as “an incredibly valuable part of our extended family” .
“Helen Niebuhr is simply brilliant. She displays a great grasp of her specialist area and puts you at ease and comfortable in asking any questions. She is patient, supportive and empathetic which is a perfect combination when having to support upset parents and talk about painful memories. The smallest thing was never too much trouble and the speed of replies always made you feel that the case was progressing. Her grasp of the situation was outstanding and she was able to give legal advice and wise counsel to us as a family as to what to expect” – Mr MR, father of HJR
“Helen’s expertise , experience, professionalism and most of all approachable, easy to talk to personality has made our lives coping with the difficulties JMH condition creates, as bearable as it possibly could be….without Helen’s input we would not be where we are today” – SH , mother of JMH.
Matthew Heap
Partner
Matthew’s practice encompasses a wide range of complex clinical negligence and catastrophic personal injury cases.
He has particular expertise in brain injury cases, particularly those involving children who have cerebral palsy arising from the mismanagement of their mother’s pregnancy and labour, their birth or their neonatal care;
In addition to representing clients and their families during the course of their legal claim, Matthew also acts as a Court of Protection appointed professional property and affairs deputy, enabling him to maintain relationships well beyond the settlement, and to bring that experience to bear during the course of the litigation.
Matthew has also acted in a number of high value fatal cases arising from both road accidents or delayed cancer diagnoses, and cases involving both upper and lower limb amputation;
He acts for clients throughout the UK, often referred to him by former clients, charities or other organisations. Matthew’s cases have regularly involved challenging or unusual accident circumstances, some of which have been rejected by, abandoned by, or transferred away from other law firms.
Matthew is a member of the Manchester Arena Attack Pro Bono Legal Panel and is actively assisting the victims of the May 2017 attack.
Examples of how Matthew’s advice and representation has benefited our clients include:
- 2020: LAX -v- York Hospitals NHS Trust a lump sum of £3.8million and annual payments of £319,000 for a young man left with Cerebral Palsy having suffered severe brain damage due to the negligent management of his birth;
- 2020: a lump sum of £3.292 million and annual payments of £100,000 for a young lady who suffered a brain injury in utero as a consequence of a road traffic accident;
- 2020: securing £675,000 for the wife and son left behind by a husband and father who died from a rare and aggressive cancer that developed as a result of clinical failings in the treatment of earlier testicular cancer;
- 2019: IXZ -v- Bedford NHS Hospital Trust: securing substantial damages (£2.625 million lump sum and annual payments of £160,000 to age 11, £180,000 to age 19, £240,000 thereafter) in a case involving severe dystonic cerebral palsy arising from mismanagement of labour and an alleged failure by the Defendant’s midwives to detect fetal hypoxia prior to birth;
- Recovering £7.75 million for a child with a brain injury, in a RTA pedestrian case the mother and other solicitors thought had little prospect of success;
- Securing £2.75 million for the dependents of a cyclist following a fatal accident;
- Obtaining a settlement of £775,000 for a gentleman in his seventies, following amputation of his leg above the knee after his motorcycle was hit by a car.
What his clients say:
“My brother and I first met Matthew after we had been given some horrific news. My brother was terminally ill as a result of medical negligence years previous. As a family we were at the lowest ebb of our lives and a friend had advised us to contact CL Medilaw to see if they could assist us in any way. That advice would be the best we could have received. From the outset I was impressed by Matthew’s professionalism and how at ease he made my brother feel. You could tell immediately that he was the person you wanted to fight your corner, a consummate professional who knows his trade implicitly. He had a wonderful caring manner in which he asked his questions, and you could see that he genuinely cared for our situation. throughout the process he was magnificent, always taking the time to answer any questions we had, or to keep us updated on any movements. He showed great compassion towards my sister-in-law and our family, and I couldn’t sing his praises any higher.
Matthew’s performance literally changed our lives, nothing will ever bring my brother back, but Matthew’s actions have made my brother’s wife and children’s lives so much easier now they no longer have to worry financially. I thank Matthew from the bottom of my heart, and I would recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone who finds themselves in the dreadful position we did.”
Kay Taylor
Partner
Kay has over 25 years’ experience in obtaining compensation for victims of clinical negligence specialising in claims involving brain injuries including cerebral palsy and limb amputation. Kay’s expertise lies in claims arising as a result of obstetric negligence and the mismanagement of paediatric care to include failures to diagnose and treat meningitis.
Kay has represented many families who have tragically lost their babies or where irreversible damage has occurred as result of poor maternity care and advocates for early investigation and admission errors when they occur.
Kay also acts for families whose loved ones have died while under the care of a medical professional to include claims arising as a result of a failure to diagnose and treat cancer.
Kay is a member of The Law Society clinical negligence accreditation scheme and leads the Oxford clinical negligence team at CL Medilaw.
Kay is a Trustee for Pace which is a school and charity supporting children with neurodisabilities and a keen promotor for early intervention in giving children the best chance in life.
Examples of how Kay has supported families after clinical negligence include:-
- Recovering substantial compensation for a child with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and global developmental delay as a result of periventricular leukomalacia. This claim arose following a failure by the Hospital Trust to carry out regular CTGs and interpret any undertaken correctly when the claimant’s mother was admitted to hospital complaining of headaches, blurred vision and ankle oedema caused by high blood pressure. The claimant’s mother was discharged from hospital and the claimant’s condition subsequently deteriorated. The Hospital Trust admitted that if adequate monitoring had taken place, the need for an earlier delivery would have been identified and all of the claimant’s brain injury would have been avoided. The claimant requires assistance with day to day living and will be dependent on others for care and support for the rest of his life. An early admission and funding secured immediate support in relation to accommodation, care and mobility aids;
- Securing a substantial £M+ settlement for a client who underwent a left above knee amputation as a result of a failure to treat acute ischaemia. The claim for damages settled shortly before trial and included provision for a high specification prosthetic limb as well as alternative accommodation, life-long care and support through rehabilitation;
- Negotiating a £M+ settlement for a terminally ill patient after a NHS Trust failed to diagnose and treat thyroid cancer over a 7 year period. Had the correct diagnosis been made then the Claimant would have undergone a complete thyroidectomy and subsequent radio-iodine ablation therapy which would have avoided a subsequent thyrotoxic crisis and complications arising due to bony and pulmonary metastases. His long term prognosis would have been excellent. An early interim payment enabled the provision of nursing care and modifications to the Claimant’s home for end of life care. A claim was pursued by his widow subsequently and included a substantial claim for financial dependency and loss of services to provide her with security for the future.
Praise for Kay from clients include:-
“Any questions of worries we have are always answered in depth and in such a friendly manner with nothing being too much trouble. We can now move forward as a family with having peace of mind that our son will be thoroughly cared for for the rest of his life.”
“She guided me through what was, at the time, quite a rollercoaster of a journey and I can only add that anyone who is faced with a similar situation, or worse, would be very fortunate to be represented by Kay Taylor”
“She kept me fully informed throughout, with charm and good humour… I was so impressed with Kay that when she moved firms, I was concerned to retain her excellent services and support and so kept my case with her”
“Kay proved herself knowledgeable in the law… her negotiating skills managed, I believe, to achieve the greatest amount of compensation for me. Far in excess of what I had expected”
Jonathan Phillips
Partner
A clinical negligence solicitor specialising in advising clients and their families who have suffered catastrophic injuries because of failures in medical care.
Jonathan acts for clients who have suffered brain injuries, in particular children with cerebral palsy who’ve suffered brain damage at birth. Jonathan also specialises in “wrongful birth” claims and cases resulting from cancer misdiagnoses and when loved ones have died while under the care of a medical professional. Jonathan is a member of the Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) specialist clinical negligence panel.
Examples of how Jonathan’s advice has benefited clients include:
- Judgment on behalf of a young girl who sustained a brain injury at birth, when the treating hospital allowed her mother to return home, having not identified that she was in the breech position. The mother subsequently gave birth to her daughter at home, but has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy;
- Seven figure compensation for a family who were not advised in pregnancy that their baby would be born with severe disabilities;
- six figure compensation on behalf of the estate of a wife and mother where there was a failure to diagnose and treat her cervical cancer, which caused her premature death;
- a substantial settlement for a young mother who sustained severe perineal trauma during labour, when the treating obstetrician failed to fashion an episiotomy, before her baby was delivered.
“I really found your approach, organisation and aptitude meant that the case moved forward with the focus and detailed analysis it needed and your ability to communicate with us, the experts and QC, whether it was a general update, formal milestone, request for action or other was outstanding. So thank you very much for that. It really made the difference.”
Laura Cook
Partner
Laura specialises in in cerebral palsy and obstetric negligence claims, having a wealth of experience in acting for children who have suffered brain injuries at birth or in the neonatal period due to medical mismanagement of pregnancy, labour and delivery, and in the care of the newborn. She also acts for families when there has been a medical failure to spot genetic or other abnormalities during pregnancy, or in pregnancies that have sadly ended in a stillbirth.
Laura’s expertise also lies in cases involving delayed treatment or misdiagnosis of childhood illnesses, such as meningitis and sepsis, obtaining compensation for the long-term impact that this can have on young lives or tragically in cases where lives have been lost.
Many of Laura’s cases involve complex medical issues, and she often takes on cases that have been turned down or discontinued by other solicitors, investigating the issues in more detail and achieving a successful outcome.
Laura is an accredited Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) panel member.
Examples of how Laura has helped clients include:
- A lump sum of £6.5 million plus annual payments for life of £164,500 for a little girl that was deprived of oxygen at her birth due to midwifery and obstetric failures to recognise fetal heart rate abnormalities and expedite her birth;
- A multi-million pound settlement for a little boy that suffered profound brain damage at birth due to negligent delays in his delivery after his mother suffered a uterine rupture during labour;
- Recovering over £6 million from Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust to cover the 24-hour care needs of a child due to genetic abnormalities that should have been identified during the mother’s pregnancy during amniocentesis;
- Recovering substantial compensation from an NHS Trust for failing to prevent an avoidable postnatal haemorrhage that resulted in a new mum required a life-saving hysterectomy at the age of 25;
- Recovering compensation for bereaved parents from the Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for failing to advise them on the increased risks of giving birth to a large baby and allowing the pregnancy to go significantly overdue, resulting in the tragic and completely avoidable stillbirth of their daughter.
“In our initial discussion with Laura we were immediately impressed with not only her knowledge and professionalism but also her compassion during what was a very difficult time for all our family. In our dealings with Laura over a two-year period we viewed her as a friend who has been totally supportive, whilst also dealing with our claim in a very professional manner. We cannot praise her enough and would certainly recommend the team to anyone” – Mr P and family
“I just wanted to convey my sincere personal thanks to you for all your hard work, skill and attention to detail, in overseeing our case. We really appreciate everything you’ve done for us – you’ve always been on our side, always tried to pursue the things we most cared about, and always handled everything with great sensitivity and kindness. Its testament to your professionalism that we now appear to have secured a settlement with the Trust and brought things to a successful conclusion.” – Mr A
Charlotte Moore
Partner
Charlotte is an experienced medical negligence solicitor who works with children and adults who have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of failings in their medical treatment. Charlotte has received Law Society specialist accreditation to undertake medical negligence work by demonstrating best practice and expertise.
Charlotte acts in cases that are medically and legally complex, and is successful in securing compensation for ongoing care, adapted accommodation, loss of earnings, aids and equipment and therapies for clients who have suffered medical negligence from their GP, NHS hospitals and private doctors. Her experience includes birth injury, amputation, cancer, ophthalmic, orthopaedic, fatal and general medicine cases, having secured multi million pound settlements for her clients.
Charlotte is a Trustee for Supportability, a charity that provides support to children and adults with complex physical and learning disabilities. She assists the charity in making strategic decisions to ensure provision of services and support for their service users in the Stockport and Manchester area.
Charlotte is also a business mentor for Meningitis Now to teenagers/young adults, whose lives have been affected by a diagnosis of meningitis. Her role is to support them in maximising their potential, instil confidence and provide guidance about their career path and movement in the business world.
Charlotte is a member of APIL and The Brain Injury Group.
Examples of how Charlotte has supported families after clinical negligence include:
- Securing a lump sum multi million pound settlement and annual payments for care and deputyship costs for a child who suffered a brain injury at birth;
- Acting for a client who suffered an above knee amputation as a result of a failure to re-vascularise his leg after an injury. The claim for compensation included provision for prosthetic limbs, accommodation, equipment, loss of earnings and therapies.
- Recovering £675,000 for the family of a patient who died due to a delay in diagnosing rectal cancer;
- Negotiating compensation of £300,000 for the widower of a lady who died as a result of a delay in diagnosing vulval cancer.
Charlotte’s client says:
“We were clients of Charlotte’s for several years as parents of a child who suffered a brain injury. Charlotte has exemplary standards and skills. She was always attentive, supportive and empathetic towards us. Charlotte was wonderfully effective in listening, managing and responding during difficult and delicate times. This provided us, as parents, with clear understanding, certainty and the reassurance that was needed. Albeit under unfortunate circumstances, it was a pleasure to get to know Charlotte and have her support through the legal process.”
Jonathan Clement
Partner
Jonathan is a Partner in the Serious Injury team.
Jonathan is passionate about his work and the rights of his clients. His focus is on ensuring that they are sufficiently compensated for their injuries to facilitate their rehabilitation and provide security in the long-term. He regularly provides expert opinion and comments to the media.
Jonathan is a Fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), an APIL accredited Brain Injury Specialist and an assessor for the scheme. He was the former South East co-ordinator for APIL for close to 10 years and is a member of the Law Society Accredited Scheme for Personal Injury. He is currently a Trustee for Headway East Sussex who focus on assisting and rehabilitating those with brain injuries.
Jonathan is a founding legal committee member of the Major Trauma Group. The group has been created to enhance the rehabilitation journey and provide specialist legal assistance for those suffering major trauma. Rehabilitation is at the core of Jonathan’s services, with an emphasis on maximising recovery and ensuring financial security.
Examples of cases where Jonathan’s advice has benefitted his clients include:
- A £1m settlement for a client who had suffered a brain injury after being struck by a drunk driver and was only to return to work but in a much reduced capacity.
- A £4m settlement for a client who sustained a massive brain injury following a road traffic accident, leaving him permanently disabled and requiring a significant level of care.
- Representing the claimant in the widely reported case of Sinclair v Joyner [2015] EWHC 1800 (QB). The claimant suffered an ABI and was in a minimally conscious state. This case demonstrates the importance of good experts.
- Representing the claimant in the widely reported case of Reynolds v Strutt & Partner [2011] EWHC 2263 (QB). The claimant sustained a traumatic brain injury whilst participating in a work organised cycle event. The case shed light on whether events organised by an employer outside of normal work hours would attract liability.
“We would like to say a big “thank you” to you. We appreciate the kindness, care and support you have given us over the last 3 years and are very grateful for the settlements you achieved for both Chris and my mother.
I for one know we would have never got this outcome had it not been for your hard work and determinatio9n to take on and see my late fathers case through to the end. For that I will be forever grateful.” – SS daughter of DT
Tim Dennis
Partner
A Partner specialising in obtaining compensation for victims of clinical negligence and catastrophic personal injury.
Tim acts on behalf of people who have suffered because of negligence by a GP, a surgeon or any medical staff in the NHS or private healthcare, securing compensation to help them cope with healthcare needs, adaptations to their home and loss of earnings. Types of negligence include mis-diagnosis, delays in diagnosis or surgical errors which result in avoidable complications, life-changing injuries including brain and spinal injuries or death. Tim has a great deal of experience in helping people who have suffered due to a delayed diagnosis including cancer, heart problems and sepsis. Tim is also experienced in assisting people who have suffered brain injuries whether through a birth injury or a delay in diagnosis or treatment of sepsis.
Tim’s personal injury work includes injuries suffered as a result of serious and fatal road traffic accidents, accidents at work, defective products as well as claims against social services.
Tim acts for both adult and child victims of medical negligence and catastrophic personal injury, including those with severe brain injuries, their families who must manage care, and the bereaved families in the case of fatal injury.
Recent examples of how Tim has helped clients include:
- obtaining a lump sum of £1.5 million and an annual index-linked payment of £115,000 to cover the 24-hour care costs for a child who suffered serious brain injury when a hospital failed to recognise an infection;
- negotiating compensation of £520,000 for a lady who suffered from permanent incontinence and bowel damage following radio-therapy, a treatment which was only required because pre-cancerous changes had not been identified on historical smear tests;
- assisting with an inquest for the family of a patient who had committed suicide while an inpatient of a mental health unit. The trust had failed to take appropriate measures to take in to account the patient’s autism in the management of her treatment leading to her otherwise avoidable suicide;
- securing a six figure settlement against social services for failing to protect a child from a major assault by his biological father which led to a life changing brain injury and his premature death some 20 years later; and
- obtaining a substantial settlement for a client who will now require a heart transplant due to a simple failure by A&E to carry out an ECG when he attended following a collapse at work.
Here are some examples of what Tim’s clients say about him:
“My solicitor was amazing. He kept me informed of everything, talked me through my options and got me more than I expected. I would highly recommend you guys.”
“Tim it’s been a great pleasure to meet not only a true professional at what you do but also a very kind human being as well very rare today”
Jenny Clendining
Partner
Jenny is an experienced medical negligence solicitor, with a wealth of experience in complex clinical negligence cases acting on behalf of both adults and children, but with particular specialism in cerebral palsy and obstetric negligence claims.
Jenny’s work largely focuses on supporting families in cases where children have suffered serious injury, usually neurological injury, including cerebral palsy, which has been caused around the time of birth. This may include mismanagement of the mother’s pregnancy, delays in delivery during labour or inadequate treatment during the neonatal period. Jenny has successfully secured multimillion pound, life changing settlements against numerous Hospital Trusts and her work has included bringing claims against Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust in light of the maternity scandal.
Jenny has also acted in many complex claims as a result of failures to diagnosis and treat cancer, as well as acting for those families who have lost a loved one as result of failings in the care provided to them.
Examples of how Jenny advice and support has benefited clients include:
- Securing a lump sum and annual payments for life, with a capitalised value of over £22 million pounds, for a girl who had suffered an injury at birth due to negligent delays at delivery. In addition, securing various interim payments during the course of the case to enable the family to more to more suitable accommodation and to access an appropriate school placement and assistance desperately required.
- Obtaining settlement of over £18 million pounds, which included a lump sum and annual payments for life, on behalf of a little girl who suffered cerebral palsy due to the mismanagement of her mother’s labour, resulting in her being deprived of oxygen at birth.
- Obtaining a multimillion pound settlement for a boy who at 4 years old had suffered a significant delay in diagnosis and treating communicating hydrocephalus, which resulted in the little boy obtaining permanent brain damage.
- Securing a substantial interim payment to cover cost of living costs and rehabilitation for a victim with brain injury after being struck by a lorry. The case went on to settle for £1.7 milllion
- Securing a 6 figure settled for a patient with prostate cancer after a delay in diagnosis caused the illness to become terminal.
“I could never thank you enough for all that you have done for us, it is amazing work you have done over the years to get us here, and we are so grateful, for what will be truly life changing for our family”
Sharon Tuckey
Partner
A specialist in financial welfare and Court of Protection work.
Sharon advises individuals, trustees and Court appointed deputies on the management of the financial affairs and personal welfare needs of clients who have suffered catastrophic brain injuries as a result of clinical negligence or personal injury and who, as a result, lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. Her work includes advising on how compensation payments should be used and invested to ensure a client’s needs are met, making applications to the Court of Protection for permission to make specific purchases to aid recovery or improve quality of life. Sharon also assists parents of children who are about to turn 18 to obtain the legal right to continue to be informed and consulted about medical and social care decisions.
Sharon acts for clients throughout the UK, and is particularly experienced in dealing with the financial affairs and lifetime care needs of brain damaged children who have suffered brain damage.
Examples of how Sharon has helped clients includes:
- successfully obtaining permission from the Court of Protection to buy a new property for a child with brain damage where it was impossible for the current family home to be adapted to meet the child’s needs;
- helping parents remain involved in decisions affecting their child after turning 18 when the family GP believed the child had the capacity to make decisions alone;
- supporting a family not used to managing large sums of money to make prudent investment decisions to ensure compensation received by their child would cover all future care costs; and
- securing permission from the Court of Protection to use part of a compensation award to fund the installation of a hydrotherapy pool in the family home of a child with brain damage to aid their rehabilitation and personal comfort.
Dominique Parker
Partner
Dominique is a Senior Associate in the Serious Injury team.
Dominique specialises in complex personal injury claims involving brain damage, or other life-changing injuries which occur as a result of road traffic accidents, accidents at work or while on private land or in public spaces. She also has experience of cases involving defective products.
Dominique is accredited by the Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme and is also accredited as a Senior Litigator by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).
She is treasurer for Kent Brain Injury Forum.
Kim Chamberlain
Partner
Kim is a Partner with over 25 years of experience, working in the field of catastrophic injury, specialising in acquired brain injury and complex life changing orthopaedic and spinal injuries.
She resolves complex liability disputes arising from road traffic accidents, accidents at work, sporting accidents and Occupiers Liability cases.
Her aim is to secure maximum awards of compensation to meet her clients’ needs, increase their independence and enhance quality of life. She works with highly experienced multi-disciplinary teams of experts, to provide treatment, appropriate accommodation and bespoke care and rehabilitation packages, to assist in rebuilding lives.
She has extensive experience in takeover cases that require a second opinion, achieving multi-million pound award, where previous firms have indicated there were insufficient prospects of success,
Kim specialises in adult and child brain injury understanding the ripple effect upon her clients and their families in all aspects of their lives. Her expertise ranges from subtle to severe brain injury, with clients who lack capacity to manage their finances and to litigate, working with Deputyship teams and the Court of Protection.
She has experience in supporting vulnerable clients that have a language barrier and require the services of an interpreter,
She prides herself in her delivery of a dedicated service listening to her clients, providing pragmatic and realistic advice with care and compassion, managing expectations with an in depth understanding of the wide ranging impact of serious injury, but also resolving the litigation process as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.
Examples of how Kim has helped clients include:
- BBA v DEF £2.85M settlement before the 3 year limitation period and the need to issue proceedings. The clients had started a fledging business only 8 months prior to a road traffic accident resulting in catastrophic injuries.
- AD v CF £5.5 million settlement representing a minor who sustained a severe brain injury, competing in power boating against multiple defendants, an unincorporated association and its regulatory body.
- Winning a takeover case where her team achieved a final award of just under £10 million, five times the award offered to the previous firm, and reversing a deduction for contributory negligence and causation, resulting in the client achieving 100% of their compensation.
- £3.3 million settlement made up of a lump sum payment and periodical payments at £125,000 per annum for a motorcyclist, sustaining catastrophic orthopaedic injuries, resulting in life long care and rehabilitation needs, adapted property and no residual earning capacity.
What her client’s say:
“Kim has acted in a total professional manner throughout. Her thoroughness and attention to detail are second to none”.
“You have helped to change our lives. This has been an arduous and trying time for our family. At times we were ready to give up but you guided us through the process with empathy and compassion. You went beyond the point of duty”.
“Our extreme thanks for all of your work and efforts in drawing to a successful close our negotiated settlement. But it still does not seem enough when you consider the amount of work and effort you clearly put into our cause. It is for this for which we will always be tremendously grateful”.
Andrew Cragg
Partner
Andrew specialises in cerebral palsy, brain injury and complex clinical negligence claims, securing compensation to obtain adapted accommodation, ongoing therapies, care and aids and equipment for his clients.
Andrew’s expertise also lies in claims involving the delayed diagnosis of cancer, obtaining compensation for the long term impact for clients or their families. He has also developed a specialism in assisting families in relation to preventable suicide, assisting clients that have sustained brain injuries as a consequence, or families who have suffered loss.
Andrew also acts as a Deputy of the Court of Protection, supporting clients and families in decisions about expenses during and following settlement of claims.
He is a member of both the Law Society Clinical Negligence accreditation panel and the Action against Medical Accident (AvMA) panel.
Examples of how Andrew’s advice and representation has benefited our clients include:
- Securing a settlement comprising a lump sum of £5,550,000, annual payments of £211,500, amounting to a capitalised value of the claim in the region of £14.7 million, for a young boy who suffered a brain injury as a result of delayed treatment for meningococcal septicaemia;
- A lump sum of £2.3 million and annual payments increasing to £215,000 for a young lady who was left with Cerebral Palsy having suffered severe brain damage due to the negligent management of her birth;
- Recovering £2.3 million for a young man who suffered a brain injury due to the failure to manage his airway when suffering from an acute airway obstruction.
- Securing the sum of £750,000 as a result of a hospital’s failure to recognise that a mother was suffering from a bowel obstruction, as opposed to her being in the early stages of labour.
What his clients say:
“I’ve never been through this process before, but I can most certainly say that I feel like I’ve been heard by you… which in my view goes such a long way. I cannot thank you enough for your support over the years.”
“Thank you for your sterling work on our case over the past four years. Your calm professionalism and sensitive handling of our case has been a credit to you and your company. I was never in doubt that X’s life had been inexorably changed by medical negligence but it needed a capable and professional law firm to fight our case. Please accept our profound thanks to you and your team.”
Helen Murphy
Partner
Helen specialises in catastrophic and serious injury claims and complex clinical negligence claims.
She has particular experience in dealing with serious brain injuries whether through accidents or delay in treatment.
Helen’s personal injury work includes injuries suffered as a result of serious and fatal accidents. She is focused on ensuring her clients are sufficiently compensated to facilitate their rehabilitation and to ensure their long-term care needs are met.
Helen’s clinical negligence claims include claims for delay in diagnosis and surgical errors.
Helen is accredited as a Senior Litigator of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), and Member is a of The Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme and by Headway for her expertise in head injury personal injury litigation. She is a Trustee and Treasurer for Headway Lincolnshire, a charity who provide support and understanding for people with brain injuries and those caring for them.
Examples of cases where Helen’s advice has benefited clients include:-
- A £2 million pound settlement for a client who suffered a brain injury as a result of a road traffic accident with annual payments for care costs
- A settlement in excess of £200,000 for a client who suffered for significant injuries in an accident where she fell over a low hand rail and fell a distance of 6ft whilst she was on holiday and her Partner died, as a consequent of his own injuries. The client was awarded provisional damages by reason of her increased risk of developing epilepsy
- A settlement of £1,235,000 for a client who suffered a perforated bowel during elective surgery resulting sepsis, peritonitis, abdominal distention, renal failure and adult respiratory distress syndrome
- A settlement of £750,000 for a client who was suffered significant injuries in a road traffic accident, including a severe brain injury and spinal fractures.
Feedback from clients include:-
“Demonstrated a very high level of professionalism”
“Has been very understanding and kind through the whole process, she was fantastic”
Laura Fenton
Senior Associate
Laura is a Senior Associate at CL Medilaw, specialising in serious injury cases.
Laura advises patients, parents of children and relatives of those who have suffered complications after medical misdiagnosis, a delay in diagnosis or treatment/complications which may have arisen in a clinical setting. She also advises personal representatives or executors for the estate of a patient who has died.
By helping clients to obtain compensation for a wide variety of clinical negligence claims against medical practitioners, hospital trusts and GP practices, she gives them a voice and helps them to find answers. She takes a holistic approach to evaluating each client’s needs, commissioning expert reports on prognosis and rehabilitation needs to find a solution to make their life better.
She has experience of complex orthopaedic injuries, affecting the ankle, knee, wrist and spine, brain damage, cerebral palsy claims, delayed diagnosis of cancer, gynaecological claims including perineal tears and other complications during childbirth, still births and neonatal deaths.
Recent examples of how Laura has helped clients include:
- securing a settlement for the widow of a 45-year-old mother whose life expectancy was drastically shortened after a delay in the diagnosis of bowel cancer by the Hospital ; procuring expert evidence which prompted the Defendant Trust to admit liability and change their internal policies on follow-up appointments;
- representing a 82-year-old gentleman at mediation who had suffered dramatic lifestyle changes after spinal surgery performed on the wrong disc, securing interim payments for adaptations and planning permission to enable the man to stay in his home, and negotiating a substantial final settlement; and
- obtaining a settlement for a lady who was given a steroid injection in the wrong area of her hand, causing nerve damage that left her in ongoing pain and eventually unable to work, comprising compensation for pain, suffering and loss of earnings without going to court.
What her clients say:
“This has been a long journey and I am glad you were there to support me”
Barry Osborn
Senior Associate
Barry is an Senior Associate in the Serious Injury team.
He has specialised in personal injury claims since 1993 and he has represented claimants exclusively since 1998.
He deals with all types of personal injury cases including brain injury, fatal accidents and other serious injuries caused in road traffic accidents, accidents at work, public liability accidents, accidents abroad, and occupiers liability cases.
He also deals with injuries suffered by the victims of crimes of violence via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Barry is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. He is Company Secretary for the Kent Brain Injury Forum (KBIF) and has been actively involved in the launch of Medway Headway (Brain injury charity) and is currently vice Chair.
“Barry is in my opinion an excellent personal injury practitioner, whose commonsensical and straightforward approach allied with very efficient technical skills enable him to obtain excellent results for his clients” Gurion Taussig (Barrister)
What his clients say:
“When I first met with Barry in January 2019 he told me how the process would be dealt with, details of what information would be needed, that I will need to attend medical reviews and that the process will take a couple of years, which it has. All along the journey Barry has kept me up to date fully with what I need to do and why, while managing my expectations expertly. I could not have asked for a better advisor who has supported me throughout this process and I would have no hesitation in recommending Barry to anyone else who needs help and professional advice. Barry is a great advocate for your firm.”
Victoria Hubbert
Senior Associate
Victoria is a Senior Associate in the Serious Injury team.
She has specialised in catastrophic and brain injury cases since qualification as a solicitor.
Victoria works on both child and adult cases. She prides herself on building a good relationship with the client and their families, particularly where the client is unable to make decisions in the legal process. Her cases include:
- Representing a 4-year old who suffered a significant brain injury following a car accident when he was 2 years of age. We are working with a specialist paediatric case manager and have obtain funding under the Rehabilitation code for private therapy, including Speech & Language and Occupational Therapy.
- Representing a client who suffered a complex brain injury, resulting in a loss of capacity, after being knocked down as a pedestrian.
- Concluding a high value, complex Brain injury case involving more than ten experts, with a settlement value of just under £1.5 million
What her clients say
“I cannot praise enough the way Victoria has dealt with our ongoing case and us as people. She is a pleasure to know.”
“There was a lot of legal jargon and medical terminology for us to try and absorb and understand at a very difficult and challenging time in our lives but we were kept informed at every stage of the process. Victoria went above and beyond in her efforts to ensure that we understood all documentation; what had already happened and indeed the next steps. It genuinely felt as if she was virtually holding our hand”
Sarah James
Senior Associate
Sarah is a Senior Associate in the Serious injury team.
She is a personal injury specialist with over 11 years’ experience and has a wide range of expertise in serious injury claims arising from road traffic accidents; falls; foreign assault cases; shipping and air accidents. She also has experience in Employer’s liability and Occupiers Liability cases.
Nicholas Lewis
Senior Associate
Nicholas is a Senior Associate in the Serious Injury team.
Nick is particularly experienced in dealing with the claims for psychological injury and chronic pain which can be difficult to prove and value..
Examples of how Nick has helped clients includes:
- successfully settling a complicated multi-jurisdictional claim for a Portuguese child, whose family lived in Jersey, who had been injured in a car accident in France involving a lorry registered in Spain which was driven by a resident of Morocco, and where the insurer of the car the child was travelling in was registered in England;
- recovering tens of thousands of pounds from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau on behalf of a motorcyclist in Jersey who had been hit by an uninsured driver;
- obtaining nearly £200,000 for a client who had suffered psychological injuries and the development of chronic pain following a road traffic accident, where the insurer alleged that they were consciously exaggerating their symptoms; and
- helping a client recover substantial damages for a personal injury which dislodged a spinal cord simulator that alleviated chronic pain arising from a brain tumour and negligent dental treatment.
Rebecca Wilson
Associate
Rebecca is an Associate in the clinical negligence team.
Rebecca predominantly acts for clients who have suffered injuries as a result of the mismanagement of pregnancy and birth. This includes cerebral palsy claims, still births, neonatal deaths and injuries to the mother such as post-partum haemorrhage, perineal tears and psychological injuries.
Rebecca also has experience in dealing with a wide range of clinical negligence claims including delay in diagnosis of cancer, fatal claims, orthopaedic claims and spinal injuries.
Louise Astill
Associate
Louise is an Associate in the Clinical Negligence team, specialising in serious injury cases.
Louise acts for clients who have been injured as a result of the negligence of medical practitioners. She works on a wide range of cases including; birth injury cases and cerebral palsy claims, brain injury cases, delayed diagnosis claims, neonatal death and still birth claims and fatal claims.
Louise also has experience with psychiatric injury claims either arising from a traumatic birth injury or where injuries have been sustained following a failures arising from the management of individual’s psychiatric care.
Examples of how Louise has helped clients include:
- Securing an early liability admission, apology and settlement for a widow from an NHS Trust following a 4-year delay in diagnosis and treatment of her husband’s large pituitary tumour.
- Assisting in the liability settlement of a cerebral palsy claim, where the child was born at home in an undiagnosed breach position after her mother was sent home from the hospital trust, having attended earlier that day seeking medical attention.
- Assisting in a six-figure settlement brought on behalf of the estate by the deceased’s husband, following a failure to diagnose and treat her cervical cancer that sadly resulted in her untimely death.
What her client’s say:
“Louise has been so kind and friendly to talk to, she has explained in detail every aspect of the case and have kept me informed regularly along the way, [securing] a pleasant settlement. I would certainly recommend her; it has been a pleasure working with her.”
Wendy Langridge
Associate
Wendy is an Associate in the Serious Injury team.
She has over 25 years’ experience in personal injury claims and deals with all types of personal injury cases including brain injury and other life changing injuries caused in road traffic accidents, public liability claims, accidents at work, those occurring abroad, occupiers liability cases. She also helps the victims of crimes of violence via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Sheena Hall
Associate
Sheena is an Associate specialising in clinical negligence and personal injury claims.
Sheena has a significant amount of experience in managing clinical negligence and personal injury claims, having worked as a Paralegal for many years prior to qualifying.
Sheena manages a case load involving claims such as surgical and medical errors, GP complaints, delay in diagnosis and treatment and has developed a niche specialism in pursuing Human Rights Act claims linked to suicide claims/failure to protect claims.
Sheena is an AvMA helpline volunteer.
Examples of how Sheena has helped clients includes:
- Representing the deceased’s family in a claim whereby it was deemed unnecessary to admit the deceased to a Mental Health Unit. Following this decision, the deceased was seen by members of the Crisis Team on numerous occasions. On each occasion the deceased discussed suicide, however there was no further risk assessment of the deceased’s suicide risk or escalation of further treatment, or indeed consideration of alternative treatment such as admission to a Mental Health Unit or section. Sadly, the deceased took her own life shortly after her last meeting with the Crisis Team. The case settled for £26,500, including an award of damages in respect of a Human Rights Act claim.
- Securing a settlement of £130,000 for a client who suffered a misdiagnosis of cervical cancer.
- Representing the deceased’s family in a claim whereby the deceased was discharged from hospital following episodes of seizures. The deceased deteriorated whilst at home, and consequently an ambulance was called. The deceased was found to be in septic shock, as well as dehydrated and constipated. He sadly died in hospital. The case settled for £24,000.
What her clients say:
‘Without you we would not have been able to do right by Dad. Thank you for everything’
‘You helped incredibly to compassionately guide us through the legal process and we are very grateful for that help’.
Fiona Dodgson
Associate
Fiona is an Associate in the Serious Injury Team.
Fiona has over 30 years working in the legal profession.
Fiona has represented Claimants and Defendants in personal injury claims. Fiona deals with all types of personal injury claims including brain injury and catastrophic injuries caused by employer’s liability; public liability; occupier’s liability and road traffic accidents. She has also dealt with claims involving horses and dogs and accidents abroad.
Fiona also deals with claims on behalf of victims of crime seeking compensation via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Recent examples of how Fiona has helped clients include:
- Representing a Claimant, passenger in a vehicle who sustained a brain injury, resulting in a loss of capacity. The claimant was a self-employed carpenter, who was unable to return to his former employment.
- Representing a Claimant, injured at work, who sustained a brain injury and was dismissed from his employment as a result of injuries. His claim included loss of earnings and future loss of earnings, together with loss of pension contributions.
- Representing Claimants, who were passengers in a vehicle which lost control. The driver sadly died and the passengers sustained significant psychological and orthopaedic injuries.
- Representing a Claimant who was injured in a head-on collision whilst riding his motorcycle. He sustained serious orthopaedic injuries, requiring a high level of rehabilitation before he was able to return to work.
What her clients say:
“The process was explained in a language we understood and the professional assistance used was carried a feeling of genuine care.”
Emily Llewellyn
Solicitor
Emily is a solicitor at CL Medilaw, specialising in clinical negligence and serious injury.
Emily acts for clients who have been injured as a result of medical negligence and in personal injury arising from accidents at work and road traffic accidents. She also works and assists on a wide variety of claims including birth injuries, delayed cancer diagnosis, fatal claims. These cases involves failures to correctly management antenatal treatment and labour, failure to diagnosis and subsequently commence cancer treatments or substandard surgery resulting in further unforeseen injuries.
Emily often assists more senior members of the team on complex birth injury and brain injury cases.
Examples of how Emily’s advice and representation has benefited our clients include:
- Assisting in settlement of an personal injury claim for £230,000 for a gentleman who suffered an accident at work where his thumb was amputated.
- Assisting in the settlement of a claim where there was a delay in MRI screening which resulted in a delay in diagnosis and subsequently more invasive radiotherapy treatment of a child.
- Assisting in settlement of a claim following the death of an gentleman who was allowed to fall in hospital causing a subdural haematoma.
What her client’s say:
“Emily was very informative and listened to what we had to say. It was because of the kindness and empathy she showed that we chose to go with CL Medilaw to investigate our son’s claim against multiple trusts for the failings in his care.”
Molly Taylor
Solicitor
Molly is a solicitor at CL Medilaw, specialising in serious injury cases.
Molly acts for clients who have been injured as a result of the negligence of medical practitioners. She works on a range of claims including spinal injuries, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, cancer claims and amputation cases. Types of negligence include a failure to correctly diagnose and treat, or sub-standard surgery, causing significant, life-changing injuries.
Molly also has experience in Court of Protection matters such as Deprivation of Liberty and Statutory Wills, and personal injury claims, specifically serious road traffic accidents.
Examples of how Molly’s advice and representation has benefitted our clients include:
- Assisting in the settlement of a claim for £200,000 for a gentleman who suffered a mild brain injury, orthopaedic injuries and abdominal injuries as a result of a road traffic accident.
- Assisting in the settlement of a claim for £637,500 on behalf of a widow for her deceased husband, AX, regarding a negligent failure to remove an abnormal mass, which became malignant and caused the death of AX.
- Assisting in obtaining a settlement of £2.175 million for a gentleman in his fourties, following severe orthopaedic injuries after a road traffic accident.
- Securing a liability admission and payment, for a lady who fell in hospital, causing a broken hip.
What her client’s say:
“Molly always kept us fully informed. She explained fees and terms and conditions well and was always very informative, friendly and patient, when we did not fully understand the process”.
Lucy Metters
Solicitor
Lucy is a solicitor in the clinical negligence team.
Lucy acts for clients who have been injured as a result of the negligence of medical practitioners. This includes clients who have suffered injuries as a result of the mismanagement of pregnancy and birth, cerebral palsy claims and acquired brain injury claims.
Lucy also works on a wide range of complex orthopaedic cases, delay in diagnosis of cancer cases, gynaecological claims, cauda equina claims, claims against GPs, and psychological injury claims, including for secondary victims.
Jason Neave
Solicitor
Jason is a Solicitor in the Serious Injury team.
Jason specialises in complex personal injury claims involving catastrophic brain injury, or other life-changing musculoskeletal injuries which occur as a result of road traffic accidents, accidents at work or while on private land or in public spaces. He also has experience of serious injury cases involving young children, as well as claims which involve foreign jurisdiction points.
Jason also deals with injuries suffered by the victims of crimes of violence via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Jason has assisted on the following cases: –
- A road traffic accident claim which involved a young child who tragically sustained a catastrophic brain injury. We were able to work collaboratively with the defendant’s insurers to obtain interim payments in excess of £3m. The interim payments were able to allow the client and their family to move and adapt the family home to ensure it met our client’s needs, including a school room, treatment room and hydrotherapy pool. The claim reached a capitalised sum nearing £20m;
- A road traffic accident claim involving a teenager who sustained a brain injury. We were able to arrange for our client to have a case manager instructed to assist in arranging for our client to have the rehabilitation they needed. This claim reached a settlement nearing £10m and will support the client for the rest of their life;
- A road traffic accident which involved a motorcyclist who sadly suffered a below-knee amputation and was paralysed from the waist down due to a spinal cord injury. Interim payments were obtained to ensure the client’s family home could be adapted to meet our client’s needs. This claim reached a settlement above £10m and the team was praised by the instructed barrister who praised the legal team for their attention to detail and for bringing the matter to a settlement within a short time span.
- A Criminal Injuries Compensation Award (CICA) which involved the victim of a crime which resulted in a quadruple amputation. We were able to obtain the maximum CICA award of £500,000 for the client.
David Vickers
Solicitor
David is a solicitor in the clinical negligence team.
David acts for clients suffering from a wide range of injuries, including those resulting from the negligence of medical practitioners. He has worked on claims involving brain injuries including cerebral palsy caused by mismanagement of pregnancy and birth, organ transplants, cosmetic surgery, amputations, delay in diagnosis of cancer, and fatal claims. He has also acted for several clients on secondary victim claims for psychiatric harm arising from having witnessed a serious injury suffered by a family member.
Emily Markey
Solicitor
Emily is a solicitor specialising in clinical negligence claims, representing individuals who have suffered injury as a result of substandard medical treatment provided by medical practitioners, GP practices, NHS Hospital Trusts and Private Hospitals. Emily is passionate about helping client’s find answers regarding the medical treatment they have received and assisting them with obtaining compensation that can help them rebuild their lives.
Emily has experience in advising clients in a wide range of clinical negligence claims including cases involving cauda equina syndrome, spinal injuries, brain injuries, psychiatric injury and fatal accidents. Emily also works with senior members of the team on high value complex claims including cerebral palsy cases, birth injuries and cancer claims.
Emily is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is passionate about patient safety.
Hannah Brown
Solicitor
Hannah is a solicitor in the clinical negligence team.
Hannah represents individuals who have suffered injury as a result of medical negligence. This includes claims in relation to substandard surgery, delays in the diagnosis of cancer, fatal claims, psychiatric injury, and claims in relation to ‘never events’.
Hannah also works on a wide range of complex orthopaedic cases, gynaecological claims, and cerebral palsy claims.
Hannah is passionate about helping her clients secure the funding they need to pay for ongoing treatment and support.
Examples of how Hannah has helped clients include:
- Representing a Claimant whereby a ureteric stent was incorrectly inserted on the left side, as opposed to the right side. She had to undergo an additional surgical procedure under general anaesthetic as a result.
- Assisting on a claim regarding a delay in undergoing surgery for empyema. The Claimant then had a retained swab from the surgery which contributed to the worsening of his clinical condition and prolonged ventilator dependence. He suffered a significant psychological injury as a result of the negligent treatment.
Hannah is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).
Sarah Merrikin
Legal Executive
Sarah is a Legal Executive specialising in clinical negligence and personal injury claims.
Sarah has over 30 years working in the legal profession.
Sarah has represented individuals who have suffered injury as a result of substandard medical treatment provided by medical practitioners, dentists, GP practices, NHS Hospital Trusts, private hospitals and care homes.
Sarah’s personal injury work includes employer’s liability, public liability, occupier’s liability and road traffic accidents. She has also dealt with claims involving dogs and horses.
Examples of how Sarah has helped clients includes:
- Representing a Claimant who suffered from a delay in undergoing surgery for empyema. He then had a retained swab from the surgery which contributed to the worsening of his clinical condition and prolonged ventilator dependence. He suffered from a significant psychological injury and was unable to return to his career in teaching.
- Representing a Claimant with learning difficulties who suffered from a delay in diagnosis and treatment of a subarachnoid haemorrhage. She sustained problems with her speech and memory and required an increased level of care.
- Representing a Claimant who was a driver of a vehicle involved in a road traffic accident. He suffered from an injury to the shoulder and foot resulting in chronic pain syndrome and significant psychology injury. He was unable to return to his former occupation as a carpenter.
What her clients say:
“I always knew that Sarah cared about my case and about keeping me informed, even if there was nothing to inform me about! Sarah, at all times, has been friendly, professional and showed she genuinely cared about my case experience. Sarah has also been brilliant at chasing things up and was always enthusiastic about the progression of my case”
Mona Gholami
Trainee Solicitor
Mona is a Trainee Solicitor in the Clinical Negligence and Serious Injury team.
Claire Harland-Bevan
Trainee Legal Executive
Claire is a trainee legal executive in the clinical negligence team.
Danielle Pope
Paralegal
Danielle works in the medical negligence team as an In-House Nurse, reviewing medical records and preparing chronologies.
