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.
Newtownards is about 5 miles from the Ulster Hospital, the nearest 24-hour emergency department, along the A20. If someone else caused your injury on the road or at work, you can usually claim. This guide covers local roads, the town's dairy and logistics work, hospitals and how a claim is heard.
Start your free case reviewIn the Ards and North Down policing district, 7 people killed, 62 were seriously injured and 455 slightly injured on the roads in 2025, according to PSNI figures for 2025. In 2024 the A21 Bangor Road at Newtownards carried about 21,000 vehicles a day, according to Department for Infrastructure counts.
The A20 runs from the town through Dundonald to Belfast. The 2 km A20 Southern Distributor, opened in 2009, links Mayne Road South with the Comber Road and Portaferry Road. In 2024 DfI announced improvement schemes on the A20 Portaferry Road and on the A21 Comber Road and South Street. Read how car and road accident claims work.
Yes, if your employer, or someone else at work, was at fault. Work in Newtownards includes dairy food manufacturing, with packing lines, and warehousing and logistics with large pallet stores.
Stacked pallets and forklift trucks bring a risk of falling loads and of collisions with people on foot. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 cover forklifts and other lifting equipment, 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. Larger claims go to the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.
Paul Kearney, who leads the firm, is a solicitor advocate and former barrister, qualified in Northern Ireland and the Republic.
The minor injury unit at Ards Community Hospital on Church Street is permanently closed. For an emergency, go to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, about 5 miles away on the A20, which has a 24-hour emergency department. Check current waiting times on nidirect.
The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust runs both hospitals and holds your records. We request them with your permission, because notes made soon after the accident are useful evidence.
No, but you can. Our Belfast office at 7 Donegall Square West, BT1 6JH, is about 10 miles from Newtownards, around 30 minutes by car through Dundonald. Most claims can also be handled by phone, email or video.
Start with your GP. Outside surgery hours, Ards Community Hospital runs a GP out-of-hours service, although its minor injury unit has closed. Tell whoever sees you how the injury happened, so it is in your notes, as that record can support a claim later.
Claims for a defective road are made against the Department for Infrastructure, which maintains the roads, not against Ards and North Down Borough Council. Photograph the defect with something beside it to show its size, note the exact spot, and report it to DfI Roads. Not every defect leads to a successful claim, so get advice early.
Usually not. A crash on your way to or from work is normally a road traffic claim against the insurer of the driver at fault, not a claim against your employer. It is different if you were driving as part of your job, for example making deliveries, as your employer's duties can then apply too.
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
