Owen Winters

The scheme will help to process applications for all victims who were given blood transfusions or clotting factor treatments contaminated with HIV and hepatitis viruses and for members of their close family.

These flawed medical procedures resulted in over 30,000 patients being given contaminated blood products from the late 1960s through to the early 1990s, leading to unmitigated physical and mental health problems.

Owen Winters, solicitor spearheading the scheme for KRW LAW, said: “We feel very privileged to be appointed by the government-established agency IBCA to process this important work.

“It’s a responsibility we take very seriously, as evidenced by our establishment of a large team of staff to conduct such sensitive work.

“We already represent a large number of infected and affected persons expecting to have their applications progressed by IBCA in the very near future.

“Although this contract is in its infancy, we have already helped two applicants reach the conclusion of their applications, securing over £2.6 million in the process.

“Our latest successful applicant was a Northumberland resident given a blood transfusion infected with Hepatitis-B, awarded over £1.6 million in compensation last week.

“We look forward to delivering on the challenges ahead to process all extant and pending applications as expeditiously as possible.”

Managing partner Gerard McNamara added: “This new work probably marks the first time the firm has been approached by a UK government agency to service contracted work of any nature.

“To that end, I want to thank IBCA for placing trust and confidence in ourselves to deliver a first-class service for all current and pending applicants.

“The nomination is an endorsement of our track record in serving trauma-linked victims generally.

“I think it’s equally significant and indeed more than coincidental that our specialist in-house abuse litigation team has represented the biggest number of historic institutional abuse survivors both in terms of volume of cases and financial compensation secured.

“Equally, I see last month’s appointment as marking the latest stage in the maturation of our business from its inception almost a quarter of a century ago to the multi-faceted specialist law firm entity it is today.

“I want to commend all the staff who have contributed enormously to that evolution. It’s a fitting endorsement to mark our 25 years in business this year.”

Further details on the new redress application scheme can be obtained by contacting the firm’s dedicated team via email on IBCATeam@kevinrwinters.com or by calling the practice on +44 (0) 28 90241888.