Cohen Cramer Personal Injury Team

Cohen Cramer Personal Injury Department Legal Team – For the Quality Legal Service You Deserve.

Kelly Prydderch

Kelly Prydderch

Kelly is a Solicitor with over 20 years of experience in handling personal injury claims. Kelly deals with all aspects of personal injury work from serious road traffic collisions and trips in the street, right through to assaults and accidents in the workplace.

Kelly has a passion for supporting innocent victims who have been seriously injured through no fault of their own, she is able to compassionately guide them through the legal process and advise them without using complicated legal language. Her knowledge and experience allow her to obtain positive results time and time again for her clients.

Emma Mason

Emma Mason

Managing Director

Emma joined Cohen Cramer in 1999. She is the head of the Serious Injury Team which reflects her vast experience in acting for clients who have suffered serious injuries as a result of accidents at work, in public places, and in road traffic accidents. Emma’s expertise also includes complex medical negligence cases. She, like the rest of the team, is experienced in acting for children as well as adults injured in accidents. Emma is a member of The Association Of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is also a member of the Law Society’s Personal Injury Accreditation Scheme which verifies a member’s expertise and recognises their accomplishment in the area of personal injury law.

Cases completed by Emma Mason

Mrs. X – injuries from a road traffic accident

Emma acted for a woman who was a front-seat passenger in a vehicle that lost control. Mrs. X suffered a significant injury to her left elbow in the form of a severely comminuted open distal humeral fracture in association with extensive bone and soft tissue loss plus considerable ulna nerve injury.  Emma arranged for extensive rehabilitation costing over £75,000 in total which was funded by the Defendant`s Insurers under the Rehabilitation Code. The case eventually settled following the issue of court proceedings, with the Claimant receiving £800,000 by way of compensation.

Miss N – injuries from a road traffic accident

The Claimant was eight years old when she attempted to cross a road with her friend and was struck by a car. Despite suffering a severe head injury, the Claimant went on to make a remarkable recovery from both a physical and neurological point of view.

Liability for the accident was never admitted on behalf of the Defendant. However, not only did the Defendant`s Insurer’s fund a significant amount of rehabilitation, with the assistance of Leading Counsel the case settled at a Joint Settlement Meeting with the Claimant receiving £2,000,000 which has been invested on her behalf while providing support now and in the future.

Miss S – injuries from a road traffic accident

The Claimant was seventeen years old when she mistook a green traffic light for red and proceeded to cross the road. She was struck by a heavy goods vehicle and suffered a very serious head injury which caused a significant exacerbation of pre-existing learning difficulties. The Court approved a settlement on liability whereby the Claimant would recover 25% of the full value of the claim. The Claimant received extensive rehabilitation and went on to receive £757,000 in damages, representing 25% of her claim.

Mr. M – injury following negligent medical treatment

The Claimant was subjected to negligent medical treatment resulting in him undergoing unnecessary treatment and injury to his right eye. Liability was denied on behalf of the hospital through the case and the claim was listed for trial. Emma was able to negotiate settlement of the claim a few months before the trial was due to take place and the Claimant received £150,000 by way of compensation.

traffic accident compensation claim

Claim for road traffic accident

Miss L – head injury from a road traffic accident

Emma acted for a young woman who was a back seat passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a head-on collision with another. The Claimant sustained a fractured skull and nerve damage to the left eye. Other symptoms and injuries involved headaches and depression requiring extensive treatment and medication.

Emma arranged for case management and extensive rehabilitation and the matter eventually settled in November 2014 with the Claimant receiving £372,500 in settlement of her claim.

Miss C – injuries from a road traffic accident

The Leeds based client was involved in a road traffic accident when hit from behind by a vehicle that failed to brake when the Claimant slowed down at a pedestrian crossing.  Injuries resulting from the incident included soft tissue damage to neck and shoulders, injury to her left leg, damage to her right eye, and psychological damage.

Three days after the accident the Claimant suffered a stroke resulting in speech difficulties, loss of mobility to her left side, loss of concentration, headaches and fatigue. The Claimant went on to make a good recovery. Emma was able to obtain expert evidence to support the stroke was as a result of the accident.

The Claimant received damages of £127,500.00.

Mr. H – injuries following an accident at work

The Claimant sustained an injury at work when a defective ratchet strap on his lorry snapped, causing him to fall backward on to the base of his spine and sustained an injury to his back. Whilst initial tests showed he had fractured his T8 vertebra, this later proved not to the case. Despite this, the Claimant suffered restricted movement, ongoing pain, and depression.

Medical evidence was complicated as there was a background and history of pre-existing problems. However, Emma was able to obtain medical evidence to support the fact that the Claimant was suffering from a psychological pain condition. Settlement was eventually agreed in a sum of £167,000.00

Mrs. W – claim for injury as a pedestrian hit by a vehicle 

Emma acted for this elderly woman who was struck by a vehicle as it entered a car-park from the main road and, as a result of the incident, sustained a fracture to her right tibia and shattered and kneecap. Damages were recovered not only for her pain and suffering but also for her care and rehabilitation needs.

Unfortunately, the driver of the vehicle was not insured and so the matter was referred to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) who took on the claim as if they were the relevant insurer.

The Claimant accepted the MIB award of £46,000.00. 

Mrs. H – accident at work in a charity shop

Mrs. H, while working as a volunteer at a charity shop, slipped on a bag of clothing that had been left in a hazardous place. She sustained a fracture to her hip requiring an operation and hospital admission for 12 days.

Liability was initially disputed but Emma was able to persuade the Defendant to admit liability. The extent of the Claimant`s losses was disputed and proceedings were issued.  Following this, an offer of £70,000 was made which the Claimant accepted.

Mr. N – injury in a boatyard

The Claimant sustained an injury to his back when his foot went down a hole in the floating pontoon he was working on; the hole was as a result of a missing standpipe. Liability was denied on a number of fronts relating to the maintenance of the standpipe and the reporting of the incident.

As a result of the denial, it became necessary to issue proceedings however before a trial date was set the Claimant accepted an offer of £40,000.00 in settlement of his claim.

Emma Mason can be reached on 0113 390 7887 or email emma.mason@cohencramer.co.uk 

For the Quality Legal Service You Deserve.

 

 

Mike Massen

Mike Massen

Director

Mike is an expert in all areas of personal injury work with many years of experience.

From October 2005  he was the principal of Gartons Solicitors, Gartons were acquired by Cohen Cramer in June 2014 allowing Mike to concentrate on working on both departmental and practice development. He has a strong interest in marketing and the positive reputation management of both the practice and the staff.

In addition, Mike has over 20 years of personal injury experience and is an accredited Fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.

 

Diane Davison

Diane Davison

Chartered Legal Executive and Partner

Diane Davison is a Chartered Legal Executive with over 18 years’ experience of representing claimants who have been seriously injured.  Diane trained at a national law firm where she developed experience in a wide range of personal injury matters.  She has experience of dealing with life-changing injuries including spinal injuries, amputations, brain injuries, fatal accidents, multiple fractures, injuries to internal organs.  She also represents victims of abuse and complex disease claims such as occupational stress, work-related upper limb disorders, and hand-arm vibration syndrome.  She also has experience of Court of Protection work involving the overlap with personal injury claims and mental capacity issues.  Diane has genuine empathy for her clients and a passion to achieve justice and maximum damages. 

Diane has a special interest in Armed Forces Claims and has represented many serving and ex-service personnel over the years to seek compensation when they have suffered needlessly during the course of their duties.  Diane represented a Royal Marine who suffered a non-freezing cold injury to his hands and feet which was entirely preventable had complaints of injury been heeded by the chain of command and correct equipment provided.  Sadly, he lost his military career due to the serious nature of the injury, opportunity to progress in the services and opportunity to obtain work in uniformed services post-Army.  His case settled for £780k.

Diane fully understands the impact a serious injury can have on a claimant and their families and has the expertise to ensure her clients receive the right level of damages, correct medical treatment, rehabilitation, and interim payments.  Her detailed knowledge of the law and practice allows her to get the best results for her clients. 

Diane has dealt with a number of high-profile cases including Patterson v MoD 2012 which was a reported case and involved a determination of what constitutes a “disease” for the purpose of setting the correct level of success fee in a non-freezing cold injury claim.  The case had wider implications on the definition of “disease”.  She also represented the family in a claim against a local Police Force following a tragic fatal accident involving a Police Officer who drove at speed with an underinflated tyre.  The case attracted national publicity and involved two failed criminal trials and the eventual settlement of civil damages. 

Diane has raised thousands of pounds for charity through running events for her nominated charities including Headway, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Diabetes UK.  In her spare time, she enjoys walking and cycling (running now being out of the question due to injury).  She also enjoys spending time with her cats and can often be found in her potting shed planting seeds and looking out for the next exciting variety of flowers and vegetables.