Karen McCarthy

Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Partner

Karen McCarthy has been involved in complex and high value litigation since she joined Harris Cartier LLP in 1995 . She has specialised in clinical negligence since 1999 and became a Partner in 2004 . Karen is a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and has been named as a leader in her field by the Chambers UK Guide to the Legal Profession.

Karen has acted for Claimants across a range of clinical negligence matters including : death and injury following delayed diagnosis ; complex neurological (brain and spinal ) injuries ; obstetric and related injury; orthopaedic, laparoscopic and other surgical injury; the consequences of negligent prescription, supply and monitoring of drugs; cases involving informed consent and psychiatric injury.

Karen has dealt with complex issues of liability and assessment of damages in cases of cerebral palsy caused by birth injury or as a consequence of other failures, including claims for such injury following paediatric cardiac surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Cases where Karen and her colleagues have obtained high levels of compensation include C v B. Health Authority - damages of £2.25 million, C v S.D. Health Authority - damages and indemnity in excess of £3.5 million, J v S.W. London Health Strategic Health Authority - damages of £2.4 million, I v U.B. Health Care Trust - damages of £5.4 million and a record award of over £9.3 million following spinal cord injury.

Where possible, Karen obtains interim payments of damages for urgent care, treatment and accommodation needs while seeking to ensure that the final damages fully compensate the Claimant as far as this may be done financially.

Karen also seeks to emphasise and maximise the non financial benefits of litigation to her clients and their families, by using Alternative Dispute Resolution and seeking apologies where possible.

Karen takes a constructive approach to litigation and funding and has obtained and compensation in cases where liability is in dispute and where eventual compensation has been significantly higher than the level of settlement advised by previous solicitors.

In addition to her Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel Membership, Karen is a Senior Litigator member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and liaises with "Action against Medical Accidents" (AvMA) and others to ensure that her clients have access to the most appropriate expert advice and guidance.

Karen provides a sympathetic understanding of the problems and issues arising from the effects of clinical negligence. She actively introduces clients and their families to sources of support and assistance and is proactive in helping her clients and their families to plan for the future.

"Thank you for all your support and help during this difficult time..[I] know that this would not have been possible without your help and care…Thank you"

"My husband…was very ill and , unfortunately , treatment was delayed , sadly , this left him with permanent brain injury… Karen McCarthy was our solicitor and she was amazing, she put us at ease and was brilliant with [my husband]… anyway, to cut the story short she won the case for us but in some ways more importantly she put us in contact with an organisation called Headway. [My husband] now goes to Headway and it has been life changing not only for [him] but also for our daughter…and myself . I cannot praise Headway enough…had it not been for our solicitor Karen we would never have heard of them and we would still be trying to cope at home."