Most of our clients come to us after a road accident or an accident at work. Choose the type of claim closest to yours.
Drivers and passengers, whiplash, hit-and-run and uninsured drivers.
Car accident claims →Construction sites, factories, lifting injuries, missing safety equipment and stress at work.
Workplace claims →Birth injury, obstetric, gynaecology and paediatric cases, plus GP, hospital and surgical errors.
Medical negligence →Brain and spinal cord injuries, amputation, burns and paralysis.
Serious injury claims →Support for families after a death on the road, at work or in medical care.
Fatal accident claims →Cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bus and taxi passengers.
Road traffic claims →Supermarkets, pavements, wet floors and other public places.
Slip and trip claims →Tell us what happened and we'll tell you honestly whether you have a claim.
Start a free case review →You can call us, email us, or fill out our online form, whatever is easiest for you.
One of our friendly team members will speak with you to understand what happened and answer any questions you have. This first chat is completely free, and there's no pressure to move forward.
If we think you have a good case, we'll explain everything clearly and let you know what the next steps are. We'll give you honest advice, so you know exactly where you stand and what to expect.
Once you decide to go ahead, we'll take care of the whole process. That includes all the paperwork, phone calls, and dealing with insurance companies. You can focus on getting better while we deal with your claim.
If your claim succeeds, the other side pays your legal costs and you keep 100% of your compensation.
Downe Hospital in Downpatrick treats minor injuries by appointment, but the nearest 24-hour emergency department is at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, about 22 miles away. This guide covers that, the A7 and A25, work in the town's food factories and where a claim would be heard.
Start your free case reviewIn the Newry, Mourne and Down policing district, 7 people killed, 134 were seriously injured and 660 slightly injured on the roads in 2025, according to PSNI figures for 2025. Only Belfast had more people killed or seriously injured that year.
The A7 is the main road to Belfast, by way of Crossgar, and it carried about 12,600 vehicles a day at Quoile in 2024. The Department for Infrastructure calls it one of the key routes between Downpatrick and Belfast, and it put £400,000 into new traffic signals at the Saintfield junction in late 2025.
The A25 runs through the town as Church Street and links Downpatrick with Castlewellan, Newry and Rathfriland. Read how car and road accident claims work.
Yes, if your employer, or someone else at work, was at fault. Food manufacturing is one of the biggest employers in the town, from meat products to vegetarian food.
In food factories, people are most often hurt on wet floors and by cutting machinery. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 cover conditions such as floors, and a breach can support a claim.
Read how accident at work claims work.
Most claims settle without a court hearing. If yours goes to court, claims worth up to £30,000 are currently heard in the County Court for the South Eastern division, which covers the Newry, Mourne and Down council area. Larger claims go to the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.
Downe Hospital on Struell Wells Road has an urgent care centre and a minor injury unit, which treats broken bones, sprains, bruises and wounds. Both work by appointment, so phone before you go. The hospital has no emergency department, and the nearest is at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, about 22 miles away. Check current waiting times on nidirect.
Both hospitals are run by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, which holds your records. With your permission, we request them for you, as a medical record made soon after the accident is useful evidence.
No. Our Belfast office, at 7 Donegall Square West, is about 20 miles from Downpatrick up the A7, around 40 minutes by car. Most claims can be handled by phone, email or video.
For a serious injury, call 999 or go to the emergency department at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald. For a sprain, a cut or a possible broken bone, phone the urgent care centre or minor injury unit at Downe Hospital first. Either way, get checked soon after the accident, as a record made then is evidence of how you were hurt.
Yes, if the other driver caused it, for example by pulling into the junction when it wasn't safe, and the claim is made against their insurer. Crossing or entering a junction without care was the main cause of 307 injury collisions in Northern Ireland in 2025, according to PSNI figures. At traffic lights such as those at Saintfield, witnesses and dashcam footage can show who had the green light.
It can be the agency, the factory or both, depending on who controlled your work and the place where you were hurt. You don't need to work that out yourself. Tell us who pays you and who supervises you on site, and keep any accident report, rota or payslip that shows where you were working.
You usually have three years from the date of the accident, or from when you first knew you were injured, if that is later. For a child, the three years start on their 18th birthday. It is still best to get advice early, while evidence such as CCTV and witness details is available.
No. There are no upfront fees. If your claim succeeds, the other side pays your legal costs and you keep 100% of your compensation. If it doesn't, our legal insurance covers the costs. Read how funding works.
Kearney Law Group Ltd is a solicitors' practice regulated by the Law Society of Northern Ireland. Registered in Northern Ireland, company number NI663222. Registered office: Bishop Street Chambers, 26–28 Bishop Street, Derry BT48 6PR.
Kearney Law Group only handles personal injury and clinical negligence claims.
We act for clients across Northern Ireland, including Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, Newry, Craigavon and Bangor. See all the areas we cover.
Contact us to arrange your free first conversation.
Belfast: Scottish Provident Building, 7 Donegall Square West, Belfast BT1 6JH
02890 912 938
Derry: Bishop Street Chambers, 26–28 Bishop Street, Derry BT48 6PR
02871 362 299
Email: [email protected]
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday 8am – 8pm
Friday 9am – 5pm
