Catherine is a Director and solicitor-advocate specialising in clinical negligence, with particular expertise in complex neurological claims. She represents both children and adults who have suffered brain damage as a result of medical treatment, including children with cerebral palsy. Catherine also handles a broad range of clinical negligence claims including obstetric and gynaecological injuries, spinal injuries, visual impairment, amputations and fatal claims. Catherine has a proven track record of securing good results in complex high value cases, particularly those involving life changing injuries. She is a strong negotiator who has been praised for her confidence and conviction in fighting for the best outcome. She is recognised for ability to resolve complex issues and to successfully conclude challenging cases, including those considered too difficult by other firms. Catherine is recommended for the way she guides people through the complicated and technical legal process. She helps to secure answers and obtain the compensation to fund care and equipment that can help rebuild their lives. She is praised for her “patience and positivity” and for her supportive, empathetic approach – helping reduce the stress of litigation during what can be a difficult and emotional time. Catherine is listed as a Recommended Lawyer and recognised as a Rising Star in The Legal 500 (2024 edition), meaning she makes a material difference to the firm’s offering. Catherine is accredited as a legal panel member by AvMA, the specialist charity dealing with medical accidents, and also as a senior litigator by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). Catherine is also ranked as a Leading Individual in Chambers & Partners (2024).
England - South East • Insurance
Freeths LLP
Freeths LLP's ‘very well led and professional’ clinical negligence team is known for undertaking high value, complex cases that include multi-million pound, complex brain and cerebral palsy cases, alongside being instructed in relation to relation to potential group actions. Carolyn Lowe leads the practice group and is praised as ’highly experienced and very impressive’. Catherine Bell has a strong reputation for brain, birth and life-changing injury claims. Lynne Foster is a key point of contact for fatal and catastrophic injury work.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Excellent and helpful team.'
- 'Catherine Bell is a tenacious and efficient force for her clients.'
- 'Well organised team with a varied caseload within this area of specialism. Not afraid of difficult cases which they fight tenaciously to get a good result for the client.'
- 'Very well led and professional team. I always get the impression that the junior lawyers are well supported and confident in their work. They seem to enjoy working with Freeths. The claims are always particularly well run. Great empathy and compassion for the clients.'
- 'I work with Carolyn Lowe who is highly experienced and very impressive.'
- 'I have worked with many of the junior lawyers who appear very confident and well supported. There is a strong sense of confidence with Freeths. The team work with with great sensitivity and compassion, which is critical and greatly appreciated by the client.'
- 'Catherine Bell is incredibly diligent, determined and committed to her clients. She is highly intelligent and vastly experienced in the field of birth brain injury, Her technical knowledge is second to none and makes her stand out from many competitors. I would rate her in the upper echelons of the clinical negligence solicitors I work for.'
Lawyers
Rising stars
Leading individuals
Carolyn has 23 years’ experience of bringing clinical negligence claims. She deals with all types of medical cases, but particularly specialises in representing bereaved parents in cases which involve stillbirths and neonatal deaths. She also represents children who are brain damaged as a result of negligent care during their birth. Other areas of speciality are in relation to complex orthopaedic claims and cardiac claims. Carolyn has represented numerous families of patients who have died as a result of clinical negligence. She also advises them in relation to Inquests and Coronial law. Recent settlements: (1) £8.5m for a 29 year old man who suffered severe brain damage at birth due to negligent medical care at Luton /7 Dunstable Hospital. He has cerebral palsy and requires 24 hour care. (2) Represented a woman who suffered severe damage to her shoulder as a result of a failure to diagnose and properly treat a bone infection at Milton Keynes Hospital. A settlement of £200,000 was achieved. 3) Achieved a £750,000 settlement for a man whose claim related to negligent knee surgery. This left him with severe, permanent pain and being likely to require an amputation. (4) Settlement of £500,000 for a man who has suffered permanent damage to his heart after his GP failed to deal adequately with symptoms of endocarditis, a severe infection of the heart. (5) Settlement of £480,000 for a man and his young children who lost their wife and mother as a result of negligent care by her General Practitioner
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Carolyn Lowe