Carson McDowell‘s dedicated personal injury and clinical negligence teams provide clients with ’prompt and detailed service’, with experience acting in the full range of matters. The clinical negligence group is jointly led by managing partner Roger McMillan, who is active in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and Jacqueline McAleese, who focuses on high-value birth injury, expedited cancer, and complex cervical cancer mandates. Catherine Carton and Cathal O’Neill lead the personal injury team, with Carton particularly active in the retail, engineering, education and social housing sectors, while O’Neill is noted for his expertise in industrial disease claims, including asbestos-related matters.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'A very prompt and detailed service is always provided.'
- 'The team has a wide breadth of experience and there is excellent collaboration across the different teams within the firm. I find the team very approachable and quick to respond to any queries.'
- 'The individuals I work with pay great attention to detail, with any advice being comprehensive yet easy to follow. I value how approachable the solicitors are, they are easily contactable and willing to discuss any issues.'
- 'This team is particularly well recognised in clinical negligence, with a very broad and experienced team.'
- 'Roger McMillan is very well regarded and one of the leading lawyers in this area of practice.'
- 'The casualty/personal injury team have always provided comprehensive advice on legal liability, causation, quantum and tactics to achieve the best resolution for their clients at the earliest opportunity.'
- 'Catherine Carton provides excellent guidance on personal injury claims in Northern Ireland and has very good interpersonal skills when dealing with both defendants and their insurers.'
Key clients
- Belfast Harbour Commissioners
- Travelers Insurance
- Axis Capital
- Enstar
- Sedgwick
- Faraday Insurance
- Chubb Insurance
- Riverstone Insurance
- Davies Casualty/Garwyn
- TT Club/Thomas Miller Claims Management
- Crawford Loss Adjustors/Broadspire
- Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Ltd
- Beale & Co
- McLarens
- Stena Line
- QBE
Work highlights
- Acted in defence of an employer’s liability claim on behalf of an insurer (Riverstone) which had declined policy indemnity in the case due to a failure to report the accident as per the terms of the insurance policy.
- Defending a series of cases arising out of alleged carbon monoxide poisoning at domestic premises for NIE Networks Ltd.
- Defending a public liability claim for Enstar where the claimant fell from a defective ladder provided by her building contractor, the claim having significant potential elements of fraud.
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Carson McDowell
Jacqueline is a partner in the litigation department at Carson McDowell LLP and works within both the healthcare and commercial litigation teams. Jacqueline has extensive experience of defending doctors in relation to clinical negligence claims, of mixed but primarily high value on behalf of Medical Defence Organisations and Insurers, including Medical Protection Society, the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland and Lloyd’s Underwriters. Jacqueline’s breadth of experience also includes defending other (non-clinical) professionals in relation to High Court negligence claims to include surveyors and architects on the instructions of their professional indemnity insurers; defending personal injury/industrial disease claims on behalf of various insurers, loss adjusters/self-insured companies and defending claims arising from general accidents (including catastrophic injury/fatal accidents). Jacqueline also has experience of conducting judicial review proceedings associated with various healthcare matters and of assisting/advising doctors/corporate bodies in relation to public inquiries/inquests. In addition, Jacqueline has very significant experience in defending companies in relation to health and safety investigations/criminal prosecutions following serious work-related accidents and deaths, which has involved assisting with site investigations, representation at formal interviews with the police/the health and safety executive Northern Ireland (HSENI), and advice and representation in relation to HSENI prosecution proceedings. Jacqueline regularly provides bespoke seminars in relation to healthcare law and health and safety law.
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Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Roger McMillan, Jacqueline McAleese, Catherine Carton, Cathal O’Neill