Partners | Cauda Equina Spinal Cord Injury

Our Partners

Below are some of our partners who help us to deliver the best support and advice possible.

Alex Dabek

Alex Dabek is a lawyer for Bolt Burdon Kemp who is fastidious with detail and really thinks through her cases but also pragmatic. She is easy to work with and has a kind and empathetic manner with clients. She is also a member of Spinal Injury team, within BBK.

Alex specialises in complex claims involving spinal cord injuries sustained as a result of clinical negligence and has been recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ within the clinical negligence sector by the Legal 500 2023. 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 is immensely passionate about her work. Improving the quality of life for her clients and getting the best results for them is what motivates her the most. Alex’s priority is to ensure that her clients are fully compensated for their injuries and the financial losses they have suffered and that their claims are concluded swiftly.

Alex is frequently instructed in relation to clinical negligence claims including:-

negligent delay in diagnosis and treatment of Cauda Equina Syndrome (also known as CES)
negligent delay in diagnosis and treatment of spinal infections such as discitis and/or spinal abscess
surgical errors including incorrect surgical approaches and wrong level surgery
failure to act on post-surgical complications including epidural haematomas and infections
spinal injury following epidural injections

Examples of the notable cases that Alex has been involved in include:-

Acting for a client who developed Cauda Equine Syndrome following spinal surgery at a private hospital. Our client was left with seriously reduced mobility as well as permanent bladder and bowel dysfunction. The case involved a number of complex issues and the private hospital strongly defended the claim. Alex was able to secure some much needed mobility equipment for the client in the early stages of the claim to allow her a greater degree of independence. Alex fought hard to achieve a £1 million settlement which allowed our client to return to a quality of life as close as possible to that which she had before her injury.
Acting for a client who was paralysed as a teenager due to negligence when carrying out an operation to correct scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. This case was fiercely fought by the Defendant NHS Trust but despite this we went on to secure a £5.3 million settlement for our client.
Representing a client after a road traffic collision, which resulted in her sustaining urological dysfunction and a conversion disorder manifesting itself as a spinal cord injury. This complex case was robustly defended by the insurers, who placed an initial value of £20,000 on our client’s injuries. We successfully achieved a £2 million settlement for our client.
Clinical negligence claim for an elderly client who became paralysed during spinal surgery to remove a calcified disc prolapse. Liability was fiercely defended by the NHS Trust. Mindful of our client’s advanced age and the need for support, we were able to negotiate a £1 million settlement (capitalised) which allowed our client to fund her complex care needs and allowed for substantial adaptations to be made to her family home.

Alex proudly supports a number of charities helping those with spinal cord injuries.

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. She regularly attends and has spoken at a number of fundraising and patient events organised by the charity. She has really enjoyed fundraising for Horatio’s Garden, including doing a bicycle ride and one mile Swim Serpentine challenge in September 2019 raising much needed funds to help maintain the gardens and fund therapies for those with spinal cord injuries.

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 has organised a number of charity events and helped to put together the firm’s Wheelchair Awareness Day during which able-bodied lawyers were given an opportunity to experience the challenges encountered by wheelchair users on a daily basis.

Alex is an active member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). As the Secretary to the APIL’s Special Interest Group for Spinal Cord Injury, she has organised a number of training sessions for other APIL members on issues pertinent to spinal injury claims.

Media Contributions and Commentary

How can employers support workers with spinal injuries? – Personnel Today
“Following my dreams” – Moja Wyspa
Avoiding Mistakes – PI Focus

Professional Memberships

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) – Senior Litigator
Secretary of APIL’s Special Interest Group for Spinal Cord Injuries

Boyes Turner

Julie Marsh

Julie Marsh and the specialist medical negligence team at Boyes Turner Solicitors have over 30 years’ experience in acting for clients who have suffered a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of cauda equina syndrome.

Julie is a specialist Claimant lawyer who has expertise in complex medical negligence cases, and who regularly deals with cases involving delays in diagnosis and treatment of cauda equina syndrome.

Patients who complain of severe back pain may have other symptoms and it is important that a doctor checks to be sure that the early warning signs of cauda equina are not missed.

Early recognition of cauda equina is essential; without emergency surgery the condition can progress
and cause permanent disability.

If you have experienced a delay in diagnosis of Cauda Equina syndrome, and wish to explore whether
you have a claim for medical negligence, please contact Julie Marsh at Boyes Turner by email
jmarsh@boyesturner.com or call 07912 485 884 to talk through your concerns.

https://www.boyesturnerclaims.com/medical-negligence/cauda-equina-syndrome-solicitors

Boyes Turner has helped a number of clients who have suffered with a delay in diagnosis and treatment of cauda equina syndrome successfully bring medical negligence claims, resulting in compensation to help provide future financial security and access to therapy and aids and equipment to help them manage their ongoing symptoms.

You can read about our cauda equina cases and how we have helped those living with the condition
here:
https://www.boyesturnerclaims.com/our-cases/%C2%A3800000-compensation-settlement-after-gp-fails-diagnose-cauda-equina-syndrome

https://www.boyesturnerclaims.com/news/support-people-living-cauda-equina-syndrome

Partner Information

Aspire

Aspire is a national charity that provides practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury. A spinal cord injury can happen to anyone at any time, and no one is prepared for how it will change their life. Aspire exists because there is currently no cure.

People with Spinal Cord Injury will lose muscle and sensory control and a large majority will become full time wheelchair users for the rest of their lives. Historically, the majority of spinal injuries have been sustained by those aged 21 to 30, with nearly three quarters of new spinal cord injury patients being male. However, Spinal Cord Injury is increasingly affecting older people now too. Approximately 2,500 people sustain a spinal cord injury in the UK each year.

Through its projects and programmes, Aspire offers practical support to the 50,000 people living with a spinal cord injury in the UK, from newly injured spinal cord injury patients in hospital and throughout their lives. This support allows people with spinal injury to lead fulfilled and independent lives in their homes, with their families, in their workplace and in leisure time.

Their services include:

Website

The Back-Up Trust

Back Up inspire people affected by spinal cord injury to get the most out of life.

For over 30 years, they’ve helped people and their families to rebuild their independence after a devastating spinal cord injury. Their award-winning, practical services challenge the perceptions of what’s possible and increase your skills and confidence.

Today, they’re at the forefront of helping people adjust positively to spinal cord injury – because their support is provided by people who have been there and can understand what you are going through. At Back Up, they’re there for people in their darkest hours – so they get back up to living life to the full.

Website

Boyes Turner

Established in 1887, Boyes Turner has grown to become one of the UK’s leading full service regional law firms - winning UK Regional Law Firm of the Year for the first time in 2010 and repeating this subsequently a number of times.

Our lawyers regularly work with some of the world’s largest multinationals as well as successful UK and European businesses. Our specialist teams are regularly ranked as amongst the best in the UK.

Boyes Turner has built a nationally and internationally recognised specialism in the technology and innovation sector. This is built on the firm's roots as a leading regional law firm, based in Reading, in the heart of the UK's 'silicon corridor', surrounded by globally innovative universities, and within 30 minutes of central London.

The firm has additional focused expertise in the leisure and hospitality and development and house building sectors. These specialisms sit alongside our private client and claims offerings – where we are equally recognised as being at the top of our field.

Committed to strong organic growth, the firm is able to use its geographic location to attract lawyers and support staff of the very highest calibre to service a client base which would sit comfortably with leading City and other national firms. Clients love that we can offer a city quality service at sensible regional rates.

Boyes Turner seeks to work with our clients to identify their individual needs and to tailor our services accordingly.

Website

Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP

Bolt Burdon Kemp is a national law firm specialising in claims for loss and injury.

Bolt Burdon Kemp has grown into one of the country’s leading firms for serious cases. Founded in 1986, we are successful because we act exclusively for claimants and because we care about winning. Our firm works tirelessly for clients who have endured life changing events, and when getting justice for our clients has meant changing the law, we have done it.

Our teams of lawyers act for thousands of clients who have been seriously injured or damaged by the actions and mistakes of others. We specialise in the areas of personal injury, medical negligence, military claims, child abuse, brain injury and spinal injury.

Website

Fittleworth

Fittleworth is one of the UK’s leading home delivery companies for Stoma, Continence and Wound Care products. We believe strongly that no matter which product a patient uses, if it’s available on prescription, we can supply it.

Fittleworth believes that customers and nurses should select the products most suitable for their needs. This is reflected throughout the whole business – from our sales & marketing teams, our customer service teams, our care centre staff and nurses, and our fleet of local delivery drivers; we all understand the importance of treating our customers as individuals.

Our aim is to provide a discreet, reliable and quality service tailored to meet all our customers’ requirements. We are not tied to any manufacturer, so no matter which product a customer uses, if it’s available on prescription, we can supply it. Being impartial allows customers and nurses to select the most suitable products for their needs.

Fittleworth operates from over 30 Care Centres across the country allowing us to offer a personal and local service, with all the strengths of a national company. Having multiple centres gives us a large and flexible stock and ensures excellent product availability.

Website

Coloplast

Coloplast develops products and services to make life easier for people with deeply personal and private medical conditions. These conditions are often associated with trauma and taboo. The more intimate the condition, the greater the requirement to come closer to customers, understand their world and develop solutions that are sensitive to their special needs. We call this intimate healthcare.

Closeness to all customers makes this possible. We listen to better understand needs and respond by finding new ways to do things better together. We lead the way by bringing the best ideas first and fast to market in the form of medical devices and service solutions.

Deeply private and personal medical conditions are our focus. Our passion to make a real difference to people’s lives is what drives and unites us. Our culture supports high ambitions and releases the full potential of our own people to achieve them.

Our business includes Ostomy Care, Continence Care, Wound & Skin Care and Interventional Urology. We operate globally, employing more than 12,000 people.

Website