Personal injury - claimant

Oct 1 2010 The Journal

Browell Smith & Co, Newcastle
Irwin Mitchell LLP, Newcastle
Thompsons, Newcastle
Askews Solicitors, Stockton-on-Tees
Hay & Kilner, Newcastle
Marrons Solicitors, Newcastle
Russell Jones & Walker, Newcastle
Samuel Phillips Law Firm, Newcastle
Sintons LLP, Newcastle
Archers Law LLP, Stockton-on-Tees
BHP Law, Newcastle
Burnetts, Carlisle
Cartmell Shepherd, Carlisle
Freemans , Newcastle
Gorman Hamilton, Solicitors Newcastle
Hough Halton & Soal, Carlisle
Jacksons Law, Stockton-on-Tees
McKeag & Co, Newcastle
Ward Hadaway, Newcastle
Watson Burton LLP, Newcastle

Browell Smith & Co is a regular choice for personal injury cases, particularly relating to asbestos litigation, acting for a heavyweight trade union client base and also attracting a substantial number of instructions from individuals. Brian Freeman heads the practice.

Headed by the “in-depth and highly efficient” John Davis, Irwin Mitchell LLP's Newcastle offering continues to develop its expertise in core areas of neurotrauma, workplace-related injury and asbestos litigation, with clients citing “very high standards in preparation of cases and presentation of materials”. “Attentive and diligent” occupational disease expert Roger Maddocks is recommended, while Fran Mayes has “in-depth knowledge of the problems associated with brain injury”.

With a strong track record on many leading test cases for union-backed clients over the years, Thompsons has developed a strong reputation for its high-value industrial disease and military cases. Robert Wood is recommended.

Askews Solicitors focuses on road traffic accident and asbestos-related claims, with volume claims being the main order of the day. Simon Askew is the key figure.

Hay & Kilner boasts a multi-party action franchise that handles a broad array of instructions, from road traffic accidents to public liability and sports injury claims. Bruce Howorth heads the team.

At Marrons Solicitors, David Allan handles high-value head and spinal injury claims and has a track record of achieving £1m-plus awards for clients.

Russell Jones & Walker “consistently provides an exemplary level of service that is very professional and most competent”. The team handles maximum-severity occupational disease claims for a predominantly trade union and membership organisation client base. Dawn Catchpole is “totally professional and extremely knowledgeable”.

Practice head Robert Gibson and Alan Stobart are the key figures at Samuel Phillips Law Firm. They handle a wide array of compensation claims, such as workplace accident and head injury cases.

Sintons LLP's personal injury team now numbers 37 fee-earners. Mark Quigley has negotiated a number of settlements in cases of minimal or no respiratory disability associated with pleural thickening and asbestosis.

Alongside Archers Law LLP's work in industrial disease, industrial accident and road traffic claims, it also handles a large volume of employers' liability claims for Unite and Usdaw. Angela Torrance and Alistair Smith attract praise.

BHP Law's practice head Paul Saxon comes highly recommended for high-value, complex brain injury claims, and has been undertaking a number of road traffic accident and assault claims.

Burnetts retains its place on the lists of The Spinal Injuries Association and Headway, the association for head-injured people and their families. Nick Gutteridge is the key contact.

Cartmell Shepherd has a track record in catastrophic brain and spinal injury cases, thanks to Carol Fish.

At Freemans, Helen Thompson handles claims ranging from children's accidents to asbestosis and mesothelioma claims.

Gorman Hamilton Solicitors is noted for its industrial disease work. David Hamilton is the key name.

Hough Halton & Soal has a mixed union and private client roster, with Andrew Kirkpatrick and Jonathan Ditchburn the main draw.

Jacksons Law has a niche specialism in equine-related personal injury cases, thanks to Jonathan Fletcher.

Head and brain injury specialist Patrick Rafferty is the key figure at McKeag & Co.

Ward Hadaway handles industrial disease work as well as bulk road traffic accident claims. Roger O'Donnell heads the practice.

At Watson Burton LLP, Helena Motherway has expertise in industrial disease work from both a claimant and defendant perspective.