Child abuse claims

Irwin Mitchell Solicitors has expanded its operations in Yorkshire with the introduction of a dedicated child abuse litigation team.

Child abuse legal experts

The five lawyer team, headed by Sallie Booth, partner in the personal injury department at Irwin Mitchells Riverside offices in Sheffield, has considerable experience of dealing with the sensitive issues surrounding adults and children who have suffered physical and sexual abuse.

Ms Booth, a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the South Yorkshire Medico-Legal Society, has extensive knowledge of handling claims on behalf of individuals who have suffered serious psychiatric or psychological injury.

Child abuse and neglect claims

She said: Over one in 10 children growing up in South Yorkshire ran away from home on at least one occasion. Many say they have had problems at home. The Yorkshire region has, in recent years had the highest number of children being taken into care for reasons of abuse and neglect in the UK.

Reported incidences of abuse in family homes, care homes, schools, religious groups and by foster carers have also increased. Some individuals will have a claim for financial compensation for the past and future effects of the pain and suffering they have endured. The effects are often with them for the rest of the victims life. We can also help them access specialist medical and psychological treatment.

It is often possible to obtain an admission of liability or fault and an acknowledgement that the abuse could, and should, have been avoided. We aim to give the survivors of abuse the opportunity to live as normal a life in the future as possible.

Supporting Ms Booth in the child abuse litigation team are:

• David Urpeth - Joined Irwin Mitchell in 1987 and is a partner in the personal injury department. He has written and lectures widely on the subject of personal injury litigation and has a higher rights qualification, giving him the same rights of audience in court as a barrister, enabling him to represent clients in all civil courts. David has extensive experience of handling cases on behalf of individuals who have suffered psychiatric or psychological injury. In addition to being a member of the Law Society's Personal Injury Panel, he is also vice president of the Sheffield District Incorporated Law Society and vice chair of South East Sheffield Citizens Advice Bureau.
• Gary Walker - Qualified as a solicitor last year and has experience of civil claims against social services and claims involving complex issues of psychiatric and psychological damage.
• Caroline Jepson - Deals primarily with applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, which involves representing clients who have been abused sexually or physically as a result of a crime of violence. She has represented both child and adult survivors who have been abused in childhood.
• Sondra Davoren - Joined Irwin Mitchell in December 2004 after completing her training in New Zealand. She is a paralegal and deals with all new abuse case enquiries.

In addition to Irwin Mitchells dedicated child abuse litigation team in Yorkshire, specialist lawyers and paralegals are also based at the firms Birmingham and London offices.

Have you got a claim? If we can help you or someone you know with a similar case, please visit our Child Abuse Claims section.

Alternatively, if your claim affects a number of people, please visit our group action section to see how we could help you.