Hall Of Fame

Personal injury and clinical negligence: claimant in East Anglia

Ashtons Legal

At Ashtons Legal, insurance is a key pillar of the firm's offering, and it continues to operate one of the largest injury services practices in the region. The partners are 'clear-sighted and clear-headed, and able to manage and organise complex cases'. Richard Foyster in Ipswich and Michael Wangermann in Bury St Edmunds (who 'ensures clients get access to early rehabilitation after their injuries') are the lead partners for PI, while Bury-based Sharon Allison is head of the medical negligence practice. In Bury, partners Sandra Patton  and Tom Ranson are highly rated for clinical negligence and PI respectively. Senior associate Mick Upton handles claims involving fatal accidents, brain and spinal injuries, and serious orthopaedic injuries. The 'kind and courteous' Ben Ward in Norwich leads on catastrophic injury claims. 'Their client care is second to none', remarks one client.

Practice head(s):

Richard Foyster; Sharon Allison; Michael Wangermann


Other key lawyers:

Ben Ward; Mick Upton; Tom Ranson; Sandra Patton; Amanda Cavanagh; Penny Tilmouth; Andrew Wilson; Tom West; Roger Loomes; Graham Heywood


Testimonials

‘Amanda Cavanagh is a pleasure to work with. She is reliable and responsive when it comes to matters related with the client, their case histories and the experts.’

‘Ben Ward is an excellent young partner. Clear and excellent understanding of medical conditions and meticulous detail with medical records and excellent with experts.’

‘Mick Upton – a very good eye for detail. Keen to secure the best possible result for the client.’

‘Richard Foyster is hugely respected and provides excellent service to his clients.’

‘Michael Wangermann is a very experienced personal injury lawyer and ensures that his clients get access to early rehabilitation after their injuries.’

‘Sharon Allison is always on hand to answer any concerns or issues I have as a case manager. Always accessible and willing to look at practical solutions, working towards the client’s best interests.’

‘Penny Tilmouth is excellent – very good attention to detail, good communication with counsel and experts and empathetic client care skills.’

Tom West is young but he is already a good lawyer and will do well. He is careful and diligent and very quick to assist. A pleasure to work with.’

Work highlights


  • Obtaining a settlement of £1.95 million in 2023 for a man who suffered brain injury when the car in which he was travelling was involved in a head-on collision. He also suffered craniofacial injuries leaving severe facial scarring and ocular issues, psychological injuries, and some smaller fractures.
  • Acting on many cerebral palsy claims, some of which are currently valued in excess of £10 million due to the requirement for permanent 24/7 care and potential longevity of the clients.
  • Continuing to represent those affected by asbestos-related diseases including this year successfully obtaining a mesothelioma settlement during the client’s life time against an unincorporated Defendant firm where both partners were deceased.

Fosters

Norwich firm Fosters has PI, group actions, medical negligence and inquests practices that are known for their 'caring nature, willingness to help and patience'. 'Always empathetic and understanding', Stephen Green leads the PI group, focusing on life-changing and severe claims arising from head, spinal and orthopaedic injuries. Up-and coming partner David Gabell, who is 'highly astute and very adept at devising sound strategy', leads the medical negligence group. Legal executive and deputy head of PI Chris Turner and litigation executive Lynn Satchell are also highly recommended. Senior associate Harriet Woodward joined from Kennedys, adding extensive medical negligence expertise.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Green; David Gabell


Other key lawyers:

Chris Turner; Lynn Satchell; Taylor Walding; Anne Saunderson; Nimisha Bhayani; Jenny Fraser; Harriet Woodward


 


Testimonials

‘Lynn Satchell is easy to work with. Efficient. Always available for advice if stuck.’

‘My first contact was with Stephen Green. He was very easy to speak to and explained in detail what would be involved with my case and how they worked and what experience they had in similar cases to mine. Stephen was always empathetic and understanding of my situation.’

‘Taylor Walding was exceptional, I was upset and distressed – he was always very patient and empathetic with me.’

Work highlights


  • Secured a settlement of £1m for a motorcyclist who was knocked from his motorcycle by a car driver who pulled out of a parking space leading to our client sustaining severe orthopaedic spinal and neurological injuries.
  • Recovered a sum of £377,500 for a woman who had suffered lifelong vestibular damage as a consequence of Gentamicin toxicity.
  • Recovered £41,000 for a young woman who went through three separate procedures to remove retained products of conception, resulting in psychiatric harm.

Irwin Mitchell

Irwin Mitchell has one of the country’s leading personal injury and clinical negligence groups, and is known for its ‘in-depth knowledge, dedication to client care, and sure-footed strategic vision‘. Regional managing partner Neil Whiteley oversees the practice. Head of clinical negligence Guy Forster is ‘a force to be reckoned with‘. ‘Determined, empathetic‘ head of the catastrophic injury group Ruth Booy,  Rosemary Giles (who leads ‘one of the country’s leading industrial disease outfits‘), and ‘don of military PI claimsSimon Harrington are among the standout practitioners. Senior associates Samantha Pitts, the ‘kind, caring Sarah Wealleans, and the ‘tenacious’ Gurpreet Lalli, and associates Sophie Bales and Alexander Davenport exemplify the outstanding bench of up-and-coming talent.

Practice head(s):

Neil Whiteley; Guy Forster


Other key lawyers:

Ruth Booy; Simon Harrington; Rosemary Giles; Sophie Bales; Gurpreet Lalli; Sarah Wealleans; Alexandra Davenport; Samantha Pitts; Massimo D’Angelo; Deimante Zelenkauske; Sean Atwood; Amie Minns


Testimonials

‘I rate very highly Sarah Wealleans. She is sympathetic with clients and tough with opponents. She has first class client care skills and many of her clients are clearly devoted to her. She is patient with demanding clients but importantly does not shy away from doing or saying difficult things. Being caring and honest also helps her retain the confidence of her clients.’

‘Irwin Mitchell is clearly a market leader in the catastrophic injury field and have been for some considerable time. Their key strengths are high quality fee earners who have considerable experience in the field and a well trodden path of achieving excellent results.’

‘A top notch firm. Excellent client engagement. Full commitment to any case. In depth knowledge of law and appropriate tactics. A formidable force. Always a pleasure to be instructed by. ’

‘Simon Harrington and his team at Irwin Mitchell stand out due to their exceptional expertise, dedication to client satisfaction, and commitment to achieving favorable outcomes. Potential clients would be interested to know about the team’s strengths, such as their extensive experience in various legal areas personal injury. Additionally, clients would value their personalized approach, transparent communication, and ability to tailor solutions to meet individual needs.’

‘Overall, Irwin Mitchell offers a unique combination of expertise, client-centered approach, and innovative solutions that make them a top choice for individuals and businesses seeking legal assistance.’

‘Gurpreet Lalli, kind, patient and understanding. Extremely hard working to get the best not only for me but all her clients.’

‘For me it’s the level of understanding and the communication. From the day that I met my solicitor Gurpreet Lalli I have always felt that she had an outstanding knowledge of cauda Equina and truly empathised with my situation. This made some difficult conversations much easier.’

‘Integrity, excellent communication skills and compassion were shown by Neil Whiteley and his team for which I am very grateful.’

Work highlights


  • Represented a claimant in a complex high-value mesothelioma action and recovered substantial damages (in excess of £1.5m). Exposure occurred in unusual circumstances as the client did not work directly with the hazardous substance and the matter was strongly contested.
  • Took over a complex catastrophic injury case where previous solicitors had obtained no specialist support or funding for the client.
  • Secured a 7-figure settlement for a client with delayed diagnosis of testicular cancer despite no admissions as to liability being made by the health trust.

Slater and Gordon

The serious and specialist personal injury Slater and Gordon has a national focus and is led from London by Tracey Benson, but it has a deep bench of talent in Cambridge, which is a central hub for its complex and high-value work. Paul Tapner (who 'always goes above and beyond'), Angela Beric (who' has an encyclopaedic knowledge of her cases'), and  Richard Gaffney (who is 'very thorough in chasing down points of detail') are the standout partners. Senior associate Crystal Eaton also plays a key role in the firm's key catastrophic injury matters. Tapner recently settled a £15m claim for a catastrophic brain injury during a rugby match.

Practice head(s):

Tracey Benson


Other key lawyers:

Paul Tapner; Angela Beric; Richard Gaffney; Crystal Eaton; Manvendar Bhatti


Testimonials

‘An exceptional team led by Paul Tapner. ’

‘Paul Tapner is an outstanding solicitor who always goes above and beyond.

‘Richard Gaffney, Crystal Eaton, Angela Beric, Manvendar Bhatti are exceptional in terms of attention to detail.’

‘Richard Gaffney is an excellent personal injury solicitor. Very experienced and very thorough in chasing down points of detail.’

‘The team are truly exceptionally devoted to doing the best that is possible for their clients. They go well beyond the norm in ensuring that they are aware of all that is happening in the client’s lives that is relevant to the claim.’

‘Paul Tapner is one of the most experienced and able personal injury lawyers in the country. He is extremely good in dealing with his clients and their families. He has very sound tactical instincts and enormous common sense which he applies to his cases. He will strive hard for and will obtain the best possible result for the client but is not unrealistic about what can be achieved.’

‘Angela Beric is very experienced and capable. She is extremely hardworking and diligent and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of her cases. She deals very well indeed with her clients and their families. She is realistic about her cases and can be relied upon to achieve the best possible result.’

‘Crystal Eaton has an excellent manner with clients, is hugely supportive and willing to fight her corner when necessary.’

Work highlights


Tees Law

Tees Law has a strong medical negligence practice in Cambridge, where practice head Janine Collier is highly regarded. She 'inspires confidence and puts clients at ease, showing great empathy'. She recently secured £1m for a client who lost her sight due to delayed diagnosis of a brain tumour. Partner Tim Deeming is vastly experienced in maximum severity cases, and clients remark on his 'infinite patience and kindness'. Associates Sarah Stocker, who is 'well informed, professional and courteous,' and the 'highly competent, responsive' Rachel Benton play key roles in the practice. Consultant Vicki Seabrook brings more than four decades of experience to the practice.

Practice head(s):

Janine Collier


Other key lawyers:

Tim Deeming; Sarah Stocker; Vicki Seabrook; Rachel Benton; Megan Reckless; Sophie Stuart


Testimonials

‘Sarah Stocker was well informed, professional in her outlook, courteous, and prompt in her responses.’

‘Janine Collier inspired confidence and put us at ease. Janine always showed great empathy – and we always felt we weren’t treated simply as a case – but as individuals. She was in regular contact, by phone / email – even out of hours when required. She built a great team of experts for our case – and regularly questioned and challenged them. She also found us a good case manager, who found us experts who could really help us – and she negotiated an advance on our settlement to fund these.’

���Tim Deeming who dealt with my personal injury and negligence claim was beyond wonderful. Infinite patience and kindness. Nothing was too much trouble. Absolutely lovely man. If anyone needs a personal injury lawyer I totally recommend him.’

‘Tees are a very efficient and friendly organisation. They believe in providing the ultimate customer care and deliver on this consistently.’

‘Medical negligence is a very emotive subject. The lawyer at Tees was sympathetic, understanding and treated my case as if it was the only one she was dealing with. She was always available when I needed to speak to her and listened to me taking into account everything I said.’

‘Everyone I work with at Tees is polite, approachable, helpful, responsive, client-centred, friendly, efficient, genuine and attentive to the client and the team around them.’

‘Janine Collier is an extremely able and committed lawyer; apart from her skill as a litigator and negotiator, Janine is known for going the extra mile for her clients. Janine’s tenacity is evident from the excellent case outcomes she achieves even in the most complex of cases, she is unafraid to litigate if the right settlement cannot be achieved but her negotiating skills are such that she sees the benefits of settlement where the award is at an appropriate level as this provides certainty that does not follow litigation.’

‘Janine Collier (partner) is exceptional for her detailed factual and legal analysis of claims, the high standard of her instructions, and her sensitive client management. Her energy is remarkable. Strong associates include Sarah Stocker.’

Work highlights


  • Achieved over £1m for a client who suffered sight loss as a result of a delayed diagnosis of a brain tumour.
  • Achieved an eight-figure settlement for a client who suffered cerebral palsy as a result of his birth.
  • Secured £450,000 compensation for a client who suffered loss of sight in one eye following a cataract procedure.

Gotelee Solicitors

Gotelee Solicitors in Ipswich has 'a confident team that is very friendly and approachable'. The firm exhibits 'all the benefits of being a local firm whilst also being able to manage cases of the utmost seriousness'. It handles both complex multi-track and fast-track personal injury cases, as well as high-value clinical negligence claims against the NHS, GPs and the private health sector. Clients value the 'experience, expertise and patience' of practice head and clinical negligence expert Tim Humpage and lead PI partner Sian Mullane. 'First-class’ partner Diana Infanti focuses on clinical negligence, bringing to bear her experience in nursing and her skills in interpreting medical records, NHS procedure and policy.

Practice head(s):

Timothy Humpage


Other key lawyers:

Diana Infanti; Sian Mullane


Testimonials

‘Confident team, very helpful, always updating us with the latest news. Very friendly and approachable.’

‘ I found all members of the team always willing to help out with problems and extremely helpful and friendly. The standout person for me was Diana Infanti who handled my claim for me and was first-class.’

‘Timothy Humpage and Sian Mullane have gone above and beyond during different times of process and I value their experience, expertise and patience.’

Work highlights


Hatch Brenner LLP

Hatch Brenner LLP in Norwich has 'a small but highly effective team that is extremely competent and well-organised'. Sara Westwood leads the dispute resolution department and has extensive experience in clinical negligence. Her track record includes the settlement of claims in excess of £6m, though the firm predominantly handles cases of less than £1m in value. Managing partner Colin Cook, who is highly regarded for his work on brain injury cases, takes the lead on personal injury matters. Vastly experienced legal executive Simon Bransby 'manages his cases superbly'.

Practice head(s):

Sara Westwood


Other key lawyers:

Colin Cook; Simon Bransby


Testimonials

‘Hatch Brenner are an old established firm with many years’ experience.’

‘Simon Bransby is an excellent lawyer. He manages his cases superbly.’

‘The PI and Clin Neg team is one of the finest in the country, marked out for its excellent work on brain injury cases, led by Colin Cook.’

Work highlights


Barr Ellison LLP

Barr Ellison LLP in Cambridge has an outstanding catastrophic personal injury practice. ‘The team has a super local and welcoming feel which belies the steely approach to litigating cases hard for their clients‘, remarks one client. The departure of Emma Truin and Mark Copley, who joined Birmingham-based HCC Solicitors, Grant Incles now leads the team; he is supported by associate Lucy Spraggons.

Practice head(s):

Grant Incles


Other key lawyers:

Lucy Spraggons; Charlotte Dixon


Testimonials

‘The team has a super local and welcoming feel which belies the steely approach to litigating cases hard for their clients.’

‘Charlotte Dixon who ably enables and facilitates the running of cases and has a great bedside manner with her clients.’

‘The team is outstanding they help us every step of the way through from our every individual needs from treatments, appointments and all our individual needs. Without Charlotte Dixon and the team’s help, we would be in a very bad place. They understand what he needs with his injuries.’

‘Charlotte Dixon and the team were brilliant. Anything we need or anything we need to know they were on it straight away. Me and my son owe them a lot for all they have done for me and my family.’

‘Lucy Spraggons was brilliant once the case was handed to her, she made everything move really quickly and pushed to get a quick end result.’

‘Local Cambridge team of the highest quality. Go above and beyond for clients.’

‘Lucy Spraggons is exceptional.’

Work highlights


Fraser Dawbarns

Fraser Dawbarns in Wisbech now focuses its insurance practice solely on personal injury, drawing on the extensive experience of 'approachable and knowledgeable' lead partner Neil John, who is 'one of the very best, and has excellent judgement'. A strong local player, the firm has a strong niche in motorcycle claims, though it handles a range of cases involving complex and life-changing injuries. John recently secured £400,000 in a fatal injury claim following the death of a  construction industry worker who fell while working at height.

Practice head(s):

Neil John


Testimonials

‘Neil John from Fraser Dawbarns was very professional from the offset. He was approachable and knowledgeable, and the communication I received during my case was excellent. Overall I was very satisfied with the service from Fraser Dawbarns & Mr John in particular. ’

‘Neil John is one of the very best solicitors I have worked with. He is very thorough, experienced, and knowledgeable, and he has excellent judgement. ’

‘Neil John is exactly the sort of solicitor I would want if I was a client.’

Work highlights


  • Settled for £400,000 the fatal injury claim of a construction industry worker who fell while working in a building at height with no first floor landing, no rope and no net.
  • Bringing a fatal injury claim on behalf of the family of a car driver whose vehicle was hit by a work colleague driving the other way.
  • Settling a claim on behalf of the family of a client following his death. The client was initially involved in a workplace accident resulting in orthopaedic leg injuries.

Moons Solicitors

Formed in 2020, Moons Solicitors in Peterborough continues to  build its pipeline of personal injury work. Known for 'professionalism, but with the element of that personal touch', the firm draws on the experience of founder Richard Moon, whose particular specialism is in psychiatric injuries and psychologically-based chronic pain conditions, as well as brain injury, fatal accidents and serious orthopaedic injuries. Legal executive Graham Edwards is 'communicative, prompt and efficient'. His cases include serious orthopaedic injuries, brain injuries and psychological injuries.

Practice head(s):

Richard Moon


Other key lawyers:

Graham Edwards


Testimonials

‘The people at Moons were very professional in all they did during my dealings with them.’

‘I must give a special mention for Graham Edwards who was exceptional in the way he dealt with everything on my case.’

‘For me the fact that the firm was local and acted on a no sale no fee basis was paramount.’

Work highlights


  • Representing a claimant who fell from height at a construction site, suffering brain injuries and severe orthopaedic injuries, where liability was disputed and where there was an uninsured defendant and an issue of whether the owner of the premises took on responsibility for the safety of the site.
  • Representing a claimant who suffered brain injuries and serious orthopaedic injuries in a road accident in which the driver of his car was killed.
  • Representing a claimant following a road accident which left him with a brain injury, chronic vertigo and complex psychological injuries, and unable to work.

Prettys Solicitors LLP

Prettys Solicitors LLP continues to grow its pipeline of personal injury work thanks to 'compassionate, friendly' senior associate Louise Plant, who is 'very detailed and patient, and has a thorough knowledge of the relevant law'. The firm handles a broad range of work, from small to high-value claims, including matter concerning sexual harassment and assault. The firm's work also encompasses road traffic accidents, public liability, occupiers' liability, employer's liability, and some disease and occupational health cases.

Practice head(s):

Louise Plant


Testimonials

‘Louise Plant was compassionate, friendly and kept me informed with every detail regarding my case. Louise understood my need for justice – I simply cannot praise the quality of service Louise Plant gave me and have already recommended her services twice since.’

‘I was looked after by Louise Plant and her team. This was a breach of health and safety case which I believe is a complex issue made very easy due to the expert knowledge of this lawyer.’

‘To sum up in one word – professional.’

‘Louise Plant was outstanding from the first conversation I had with her when making initial inquiries. I felt she gave me honest and professional advice. She gave me the confidence to make decisions and simplified the legalese for me to fully understand consequences and outcomes.’

‘I always felt on solid ground and never felt pressured by the processes. I would feel very happy to recommend Louise Plant to others.’

‘Louise Plant supported me through a very challenging time following my accident. The relationship I built with Louise was one of trust, and it allowed me to focus on my recovery. I felt that Louise provided good advice and had the right level of experience when it came to negotiating my claim. Louise is very detailed and patient, addressed all my queries and concerns as we navigated our way through the claim. She has a thorough knowledge of the relevant law and her empathy towards me made the whole experience more manageable. I hold Louise in high regard as a result. She certainly put my mind at ease. I will forever be grateful for her help, expertise and professionalism. I was satisfied with the outcome of my case and this would not have been possible without Louise.’