Sharon Burkill

Sharon specialises in clinical negligence claims on behalf of Claimants.  She joined Kingsley Napley in 2005 and became a senior associate in 2010.  Prior to joining Kingsley Napley, Sharon worked not only in clinical negligence practice but also in insurance litigation, personal injury and education law. 

Sharon has extensive experience of pursuing clinical negligence claims for both adults and children who have suffered significant injuries following medical treatment.  She has particular interest and experience in claims involving children who have suffered brain injury either during or after their birth as well as claims involving abdominal surgery and gynaecology. 

Recent and notable cases

• RL (by Her Mother and Litigation Friend, JL) –v- North West London Strategic Health Authority [LTLPI 25/11/2009] - In in 2008, Sharon obtained an extremely high value settlement for a 31 year old Claimant who had athetoid cerebral palsy as a result of care provided at the time of her birth.  This was a particularly difficult case in which many of the crucial medical records had been destroyed. The client’s former solicitors had advised that the case would not be able to proceed.  In the event, an admission of liability was obtained shortly before trial and the claim settled for a lump sum of £3m together with annual periodical payments for the remainder of the Claimant’s life.  The combined settlement amounted to an award in the region of £7.1m.

• ZQ –v- West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust [LTLPI 11/6/10] - In 2009, Sharon settled another birth injury claim (resulting in cerebral palsy) for £5.1m and this settlement was, again, by way of a mixture of a lump sum and periodical payments.

Other cases include:

• Sharon acted for a young man with brain damage in an extremely complicated case. He had an underlying neurological disability and he subsequently suffered further brain damage as a result of negligence.  Later still, he underwent surgery that went tragically, but non-negligently wrong, causing him yet further injury.  The claim for compensation was not accepted by the Defendant but a settlement was negotiated on the basis that the Claimant’s pre-existing injuries had been exacerbated  by poor medical care;
• Sharon has recently secured an admission of liability for the death of a young mother following abdominal surgery.  Quantum of the claim is still being investigated but it is estimated that the claim will settle for a six figure sum;
• Sharon represented the family of a young child damaged by meningitis in which there was a delay by the hospital in making the diagnosis and instituting appropriate treatment.

What clients say:

"Sharon has been praised by her clients for her understanding and sympathetic approach, for her caring “bedside” manner and professional competence."

Professional Societies

• The Law Society
• APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers)
• AvMA (Action against Victims of Medical Accidents)
• ACAL (Association of Child Abuse Lawyers)

Articles

• Education and the Law Volume 13 Issue 1 March 2001 pages 51 – 67 (on education negligence).

Personal Information

Outside of work Sharon enjoys country life in East Sussex, tending her menagerie of animals and her garden, playing tennis, and spending time with her family.