Stephen Killalea KC *

Steve Killalea KC has a leading silk’s practice in personal injury specialising in representing claimants in catastrophic brain and spinal cases.

Steve has also extensive experience of Inquests, Health and Safety prosecutions, and civil Actions against the Police, based upon his substantial criminal trial experience.

Steve is a leading personal injury silk (Star Individual – Chambers UK 2023), with one of the most substantial catastrophic injury practices in the country. He acts for claimants with significant brain and spinal injuries both nationally and internationally

He is known for his advocacy and ability to tackle the most difficult and contentious cases whilst being attentive to the needs of clients. He is frequently instructed in high-value cases in which there is a need for delicate and sensitive handling of the claimant, and family, with a substantial number of cases involving brain damaged children.

Chambers UK latest guide recognised Steve Killalea KC as “Star Individual” (Personal Injury).

“Stephen Killalea KC has an outstanding reputation in maximum severity spinal injury cases and for his adroit handling of the most complex liability disputes for claimants who have suffered life-changing injuries. He is able to advise both children and adult claimants on cases with substantial future care complexities. He is also noted for his handling of cases involving industrial injuries.” – Star Individual (Personal Injury), Chambers UK 2023

Recent notable cases include:

-Acting for a 67 year old Claimant who sustained a catastrophic spinal and traumatic brain injury, rendering him tetraplegic, when his car was struck by a Turkish lorry on the M1 near Luton in November 2017. Although Claimant was not wearing a seatbelt, medical causation led to the case being compromised on a full liability basis.

-Acting for a 58 year old male who was injured in an RTA, rendering him incomplete tetrapl egic, when Defendant driver allegedly had a heart attack. Liability in dispute but approached by Claimant as full liability case at JSM. Compromised at £3,500,000. An unusual element was a claim for costs of spending four months a year for several years in Australia.