Kate Golding

Kate is a Solicitor and Associate Director who leads our Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence teams, based in the Yeovil office. She began her career at Battens in June 2007, having previously completed her training contract with the firm. Since then, Kate has progressed to Associate Director, reflecting her dedication and expertise in her field. Most of the claims Kate handles involve significant and life-changing injuries. She focusses exclusively in helping clients with Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence claims, almost exclusively acting for injured Claimants. She works with clients on an individual and bespoke basis, guiding them through the claims process so that they can access specialist advice, treatment and rehabilitation to improve the quality of their lives as their claim continues and ensure that they are properly compensated for everything they have been through at the end. Kate has over 20 years’ experience of conducting personal injury claims, having qualified in December 2001. She brings a unique insight to the process having worked on the opposite side of the fence advising insurance companies, self-insureds and local authorities, including the Royal Mail, Network Rail, Devon and Somerset County Councils and the NHS Litigation Authority in defending personal injury claims prior to coming back to Battens in 2007. Kate’s invaluable inside knowledge of the insurance industry means she can advise clients if their claim has a reasonable chance of success and what sort of realistic level compensation they can expect to receive, taking account of the arguments likely to be raised in response. Many clients can apply to be represented under Conditional Fee Agreements, also called no win no fee agreements, or under legal expenses insurance or union funding that they had before their accident happened. Kate will always advise on the funding arrangement that would best suit the needs of both the client and the claim. Kate is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, the leading not-for-profit organisation promoting expertise in the practice of personal injury and clinical negligence law, for the benefit of injured people. Career Highlights: Successfully representing a young Mum in a claim for compensation for significant injuries, including physical and psychological injuries that led to the development of a pain condition, that she suffered in a road traffic accident. The claim included a not-insignificant claim for the assistance that the client had received with childcare for her three young and very socially active children whilst she recovered from her injuries and settled at a Joint Settlement Meeting for a sum just short of six figures. Successfully representing a client in a claim arising from an accident at work in which the client injured his lower back, but numerous complications arose including bladder, bowel, lower limb and psychiatric symptoms, including a chronic pain condition. The cause and value of the injuries was highly contentious with the client’s medical experts providing evidence that suggested that the value of the claim was significantly higher than the Defendant’s experts would seek to persuade the court it was worth. The claim eventually settled for a six-figure sum at a Joint Settlement Meeting. Concluding a criminal injuries compensation claim for a client who suffered life-changing injuries as a result of a stabbing at her home, in which her partner was fatally injured. A claim was also made and successfully concluded relating to his death. Assisting in successfully settling a claim for clinical negligence arising from a delay in our client being treated at hospital which ultimately led to the need to amputate his leg. Whilst breach of duty was admitted on behalf of the NHS Trust, the argument was maintained throughout that even if the client had been treated earlier, the outcome would have been the same. A settlement was eventually agreed without any further admissions being made.