Graham Courtney chats to Angela Curran, medical negligence specialist solicitor and partner at Elmwoods Law & Mediation.
When it comes to legal affairs, you cannot beat legal experience…and that’s what Angela Curran has. Over thirty years of it to be precise. A biochemistry graduate from Newcastle University who went on to study law at the College of Law in York and train in the North East Angela says her journey to medical negligence lawyer was serendipity. A test case fell into her lap and from that point she was smitten with the work and the people she represents. Although Angela does all types of medical negligence work, she has a national reputation in birth trauma cases. She represents children and adults who have suffered brain damage at birth. These cases require forensic skill to investigate the circumstances of the injury then the ability to determine the lifelong needs of the injured party and supporting family. In April, Angela secured over £14 million for a child injured during delivery. She is now working with the injured child’s family to find accommodation that can be adapted to the child’s particular needs as well as pulling together a bespoke package of therapies and support to ensure that the child has the best possible opportunities. Parents always want to know that their child will be looked after when they are no longer able to. Most large settlements in this field are by way of periodical payments which continue for as long as the child lives. A large lump sum can be difficult to manage when there is no certainty about life expectancy but periodical payments give the parents that security and peace of mind. Most of Angela’s cases are against NHS Trusts and because of their complexity can take several years to completely conclude. It is no surprise therefore that she becomes very close to her clients, keeps in touch with them and encourages them to share experiences. Her view is that it’s invaluable for parents of a brain injured child to make contact with other parents in similar circumstances and share their experiences. She actively introduces parents to each other and encourages them to form networks. “Over the years working in medical negligence I’ve secured over £100 million in compensation for clients. I know that my continued interest and support is really appreciated. It’s a collective strength. I want parents to voice opinions and ask questions of each other because one client will have invariably faced a similar issue and can help. It saves them all from having to reinvent the wheel.” In 2019 Angela decided to take the plunge and join forces with her business partner Jonathon Stokes, and form Elmwoods Law & Mediation. As well as both being litigation solicitors they are also qualified and accredited mediators. Angela has 25 years’ experience of mediating medical negligence disputes and is on a panel of mediators used by the NHS to help settle medical negligence cases before they go to court. She finds this process fascinating and loves the fact that in mediation there can be far more on the table than money which is the only solution at a trial. People who have been damaged as a result of medical negligence want to be sure they help prevent the same thing happening to someone else and often look for protocols and guidelines to be established as part of the mediated settlement. You won’t be surprised to read that Angela has received awards for the work she does but arguably the one she is most proud of is her Outstanding Individual Contribution to Charity award that she won at the 2017 North East Charity Awards for the work she does at The Percy Hedley Foundation. She suspects that in part this was due to the ongoing support she gives families long after their cases conclude. Her initial involvement with the Foundation was almost thirty years ago when she went along to the school to present a cheque for money she had raised for equipment and really hasn’t left the place since! She is currently a Trustee and Chair of Governors at Percy Hedley School and Chair of Governors at Northern Counties School which is part of the Foundation. She was formerly Chair of Governors of Hedley’s College and has been on numerous committees over the years. “It really is an amazing place; the dedication and skill of the staff is outstanding. The difference they make to the pupils is tremendous. I’ve loved being involved.” True to her fundraising roots Angela remains on the Ball Committee, something she has been involved with since the ball was introduced more than a decade ago and has now raised over £1 million for the Foundation. She is delighted that the Ball is going ahead this year in November (she tried to sell me tickets, she tells me it’s a fabulous event). There is a lot of synergy between her day job and her work at Percy Hedley which she feels is a benefit to both her clients and the Foundation. How does she relax? A husband, lots of children and a Newcastle United season ticket guarantee her life is never quiet. She can’t wait to get back to St James Park.
