England - London • Insurance
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Clinical negligence: claimant

Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP

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Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP’s ‘cohesive and collaborative’ clinical negligence team is split into sub-divisions by injury type, allowing for ’deep understanding of the needs of clients‘; the divisions cover adult brain injury, child brain injury, spinal injury, military claims and complex injury. ’Passionate and devoted’ Caroline Klage leads the wider team, while ‘exceptional’ Claudia Hillemand heads up the child brain injury side, and ‘determined and thorough’ Suzanne Trask oversees adult brain injury work. The team recently launched its Early Notification Scheme clinic, supporting clients working with this NHS initiative regarding birth injuries. Senior associate Alex Dabek, a spinal injury specialist, is noted as ‘astonishingly thorough and meticulous in everything she does’.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘This team has vast knowledge of supporting clients and their families who suffer from spinal injuries, they are empathetic in their approach, caring but professional. They respond to any queries without delay and as a client, the process has been described to us in the utmost detail and questions answered with support throughout.’

  • ‘Split by injury type, not by source of injury, so the various teams have a deep understanding of the needs of clients, and good links to supportive organisations and experts.’
  • ‘The team is very cohesive and collaborative. They are exceptional communicators both with clients and other professionals. They strike an excellent balance between delivering complex information with clarity and empathy, which is fundamental to the great outcomes they secure for their clients, many of whom have experienced devastating life-changing injuries.’

  • ‘Caroline Klage is absolutely superb. In my mind, she is the best solicitor in the country dealing with birth brain injury claims. I have never worked with anyone more passionate and devoted to their clients and her experience within the specialist field is second to none.’

  • ‘Suzanne Trask is a real leader in her field. Determined and thorough and leads her team with real skill and determination.’

  • ‘Caroline Klage is highly experienced and provides clients and their families with confidence and clarity at each stage of the litigation. She is always prepared to tackle difficult issues head on and never fails to keep in mind the real-life impact on her clients and their families of all the decisions that need to be taken on her clients' behalf. She works collaboratively and respects the involvement of other professionals. She is able to drive things forward with focus.'

  • 'Claudia Hillemand is an exceptional lawyer. She is great to work with and provides her clients and their families with reassuring, clear advice as they embark on each new step of the litigation process. Regardless of the demands on her time, she is always highly responsive and invested in getting the very best outcomes for her clients.’

  • ‘I am big fan of Alex Dabek who is astonishingly thorough and meticulous in everything she does, leaving no stone unturned.'

Work highlights

  • Negotiated a multi-million pound settlement for a child who experienced medical negligence at birth, resulting in cerebral palsy.
  • Successfully represented a vulnerable client in a claim arising out of a delay of diagnosis compounded by further negligence, resulting in paralysis.
  • Represented a former service-person in relation to the MOD’s delay in diagnosing and treating their PTSD, resulting in their premature discharge from the RAF.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Alex Dabek
Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP
Alex is a Senior Associate in the Spinal Injury team at Bolt Burdon Kemp. She started her career at Bolt Burdon Kemp in 2007. Alex specialises in complex claims involving spinal cord injuries sustained as a result of clinical negligence.  She also acts for people who have sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of accidents.  Alex has represented many vulnerable clients, including those who lack mental capacity and children. Alex works very closely with Horatio’s Garden, a national charity creating and nurturing beautiful gardens in NHS spinal injury centres to support everyone affected by spinal injury. Alex also supports and works closely with the Spinal Injuries Association, whose services and support are invaluable to people who have sustained spinal injuries. Alex is a trustee of Diverse City, a charity whose ambition is to break barriers, to transform artistic performance and to place diverse groups at the centre of the industry.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Caroline Klage
Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP
Caroline is a specialist in cases involving child brain injury and heads up the firm’s child brain injury department. She has been instrumental in successfully concluding a number of high value complex cases. Caroline relishes a challenge and has won a number of cases rejected by other firms on the grounds that they had poor prospects of success. Caroline champions a pro-active and practical approach. This ensures that cases are progressed swiftly and without delay with clients receiving the maximum amount of compensation possible and where appropriate, interim payments of compensation to help to fund their complex care, treatment, therapy and equipment needs as well as to alleviate financial hardship. Caroline is an IPSEA qualified SEN (Special Educational Needs) advisor.Caroline frequently comments in the national press and in social media on healthcare issues. She is also a contributor to the Journal of Personal Injury Law.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Claudia Hillemand
Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP
Claudia is a Partner in the Child Brain Injury team. She acts exclusively for children who have sustained a brain injury as a result of medical errors or accidents. She has experience of severe and complex claims involving children with cerebral palsy who have sustained brain injuries at birth, as well as children who have suffered from conditions including stroke, meningitis, encephalitis and cerebral abscesses. Claudia is passionate about securing compensation for children who have suffered injury as a result of negligence.  She has a particular interest in cases relating to birth injury.In addition to her expertise in cases involving negligence, Claudia is an IPSEA-qualified special educational needs advisor and represents children and young people with Special Educational Needs arising from or connected to brain injuries.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Caroline Klage

Other key lawyers

Suzanne Trask, Claudia Hillemand, Alex Dabek, Hema Wanza, Joanna Chapman, Rhiannon Daniel, Ipek Tugcu, Gaggan Mawi

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