Karyn McPhee

Get to know Karyn

I’ve worked at Slater and Gordon Lawyers, in the personal injury team in Edinburgh since 2000 and have a career spanning almost three decades in this area of law.

I specialise in a vast number of personal injury matters, but have special expertise in serious injury claims, such as fatal injuries, spinal cord injuries and head injuries, industrial disease claims including asbestos related disease and industrial deafness, and abuse litigation, including both historic and recent abuse.

I have been recognised in the independent legal guide, Legal 500, as a 'Key Lawyer' in the 2022 edition.

Career highlights

I've represented many clients in my career on cases which I would consider career highlights, but some of the most recent include:

• Representing a retired gentleman who suffered serious injuries to his leg in a road traffic accident which resulted in a below knee amputation. He was a hospital in-patient for approximately one year and as a result of the trauma, he also suffered mental health issues. I immediately appointed a case manager and rehabilitation, which took some time due to my client's ill health. In addition I also instructed a a prosthetics expert. The case settled for £1 million.
• Representing the family of a man who died from malignant mesothelioma as a result of his exposure to asbestos. His family were Australian as he had immigrated there in 1990, however, he was exposed when working as a joiner many years before in Scotland. The case settled for approximately £260,000.
• Representing a serving police officer who was involved in a road traffic collision when a passenger in a police vehicle travelling at approximately 90mph. She suffered serious injuries, was diagnosed with PTSD and was medically retired from work. I instructed a psychiatrist, an orthopaedic surgeon, an actuary and employment expert and a vocational rehabilitation expert. The case settled for approximately £775,000.