Hugh James

Potter Rees Dolan is a Manchester firm with a national reputation in personal injury and clinical negligence, notably in cases of the utmost severity and complexity.

Between August 2020 and 2021, the firm secured over £125m in damages for its seriously injured clients.

The firm: The firm was established in 1998,  25 years ago, by Hugh Potter. The firm is a serious injury solicitors firm that provide high-quality legal services for people who have sustained a serious injury or live with a disability. The firm is part of Top 100 UK law firm, Hugh James.

Potter Rees Dolan has acquired an enviable reputation as a provider of high-quality legal services for people who have sustained a serious injury or who live with a disability. It is particularly known for its expertise in acting on behalf of those who have sustained catastrophic injury through accident or clinical negligence.

The firm has always been committed to treating clients in a caring, professional and client-friendly manner, and delivering advice in a clear and straight-forward way.

Potter Rees Dolan provides initial free advice, and lawyers will travel to see clients at home or in hospital. Its city-centre offices are fully wheelchair accessible.

The practice is a proud sponsor of Headway. A number of its solicitors are AvMA panel members, SRA-accredited and Fellows of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), assuring clients the best service and care at all times.

Potter Rees Dolan intends to maintain its strategy of organic growth within its niche market segment.

Types of work undertaken: Potter Rees Dolan’s practice strongly focuses on personal injury, clinical negligence, Court of Protection cases and welfare benefits.

Personal injury: Potter Rees Dolan has experience in all types and aspects of acquired brain injury and spinal cord injury, including disease or damage to the spinal cord ranging from loss of sensation in parts of the body through to tetraplegia or paraplegia. The firm acts in a range of matters, including accidents abroad, accidents in the workplace, accidents in public places, road traffic accidents, serious criminal assaults, fatal accidents and professional negligence. The firm has sued other solicitors who have failed to carry out their professional duties properly.

Clinical negligence: Potter Rees Dolan acts on behalf of many injured clients because of the negligence of medical professionals, including cases involving treatment in the National Health Service and private hospitals. Expertise includes medical mismanagement at birth, negligence cases resulting in brain injury and spinal cord injury, such as cerebral palsy or caudia equina, failure to diagnose cases, surgical negligence and pressure sores. In appropriate cases, the practice fully investigates all physical and mental impairments, as well as cost of future care, loss of future earnings, costs of obtaining access to special equipment, cost of future accommodation requirements and welfare benefits entitlements. This includes assistance with completing them, assistance with benefit appeals, representation at benefit tribunals and assistance setting up personal injury trusts to protect benefit entitlement post-settlement.

Court of Protection: where clients are unable to manage their own affairs, the firm acts as deputy, appointed by the Court of Protection, to manage clients’ finances. A deputy makes arrangements for everyday matters such as paying bills, claiming welfare benefits, investing money and budgeting for the future. Court of Protection clients include children with cerebral palsy, adults with severe brain injuries, adults with learning difficulties and elderly clients with dementia.

Welfare benefits: the firm believes in providing a holistic service to all its clients and has a highly experienced, dedicated welfare benefits solicitor who provides essential, timely advice for those clients and their families who need it following a serious injury. The department also provides pro bono advice on welfare benefits matters to individuals and charitable organisations.