Cari is a Partner and Joint Head of the National Serious Injury Team which won “Claimant Catastrophic Injury Team of the Year” at the PI Awards 2021.
Cari specialises in representing adult and child claimants who have sustained life changing injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, limb loss and polytrauma following road traffic collisions, injuries at work and assaults. Cari is passionate about ensuring that her clients access specialist rehabilitation and support as early as possible in order to achieve the best recovery and liaises with her clients (and families where appropriate), case managers, treating clinicians, expert witnesses and support teams to ensure that the best possible outcome (both in terms of compensation and rehabilitation) is reached for her clients.
Bringing claims against insurance companies, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and local authorities, Cari has recovered many millions of pounds in compensation for her clients.
For each client she works with, Cari sets up a bespoke team of highly qualified professionals including leading counsel and specialist juniors, excellent medico-legal experts and skilled therapists in order to provide the best support to her clients.
Given the nature of her clients’ injuries, Cari liaises closely with the Court of Protection team for those clients who lack the capacity to manage their financial affairs and property.
Cari enjoys working collaboratively with individuals and organisations (such as NHS clinicians, police and emergency services, rehab providers, charities, defendant solicitors and insurers) who share her belief that we should all work together in the best interests of injured people.
Accreditations and memberships
- Chair of Trustees at Headway Cardiff and South East Wales
- Trustee of the Wales Mobility and Driving Assessment Service
- Association of Personal Injury Lawyers ( APIL)
- Spinal Injuries Association ( SIA) panel solicitor
- Headway UK panel solicitor
- Brake panel solicitor
- Horatio’s Garden (spinal injury charity) regional partner
- UKABIF (United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum) panel solicitor
- Limbless Association panel solicitor
Recognition
Chambers and Partners 2023: Cari is ranked as a “Band 1” lawyer.
Legal 500, 2023: Cari Sowden-Taylor is a “Leading Individual”.
Recent high value settlements
- £13.75 million traumatic brain injury involving professional negligence [2022] ( QB)
- £6.75 million spinal cord injury [2021] ( QB)
- £3 million lump sum plus £28,500 per annum periodical payment for traumatic brain injury [2022] (QB)
- £500,000 CICA claim for traumatic brain injury [2020]
- £3.3 million traumatic brain injury [2019] (QB)
Work History
Cari qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and was appointed a partner at Hugh James in 2016.
Additional languages spoken
Cari is a fluent Welsh speaker.