Experience
Rachel is a defendant catastrophic injury lawyer dealing with accidents from RTAs and EL/PL. She deals with all ranges of brain injury from walking wounded to minimally conscious state. She has a particular interest and expertise in spinal injuries from incomplete spinal cord injury to ventilated tetraplegia. She also specialises in amputation cases and cases involving Functional Neurological Disorder.
Many of Rachel’s cases involve statutory funding for care and she finds ways of maximising statutory funding to create win/win situations for both her insurer clients and claimants through use of indemnities.
In appropriate cases, Rachel adopts a collaborative working approach with claimant solicitors to include meeting the claimant and their family, attending MDT meetings and regular route mapping meetings. This approach has often resulted in quicker settlements and has made litigation less antagonistic for everyone involved.
Rachel has a particular interest in spinal injuries and has visited Neurokinex and The Wellington. She is also in touch with contacts at Hobbs and Royal Bucks to explore facilities and new developments in spinal rehabilitation. Rachel has had two cases involving ventilated tetraplegic children. One of those cases was recently pleaded in excess of £83m and settled with a PPO.
Rachel is a former editor of Bingham & Berrymans “Personal Injury and Motor Claims Cases,” the leading PI text. In 2015 she won the “Individual Achiever of the Year” award from top insurer LV=.
Testimonials
Legal 500 (2025) "Rachel Coombs is an absolute standout. Incredible attention to detail. Strong relationships with clients. Undertakes cases involving injuries of the utmost severity with sensitivity and care. Knows when to collaborate."
Legal 500 (2024) "Rachel is an outstanding lawyer, who is completely on top of every case on her desk, she is compassionate when needed and is prepared to take a hard line when necessary."
Recent Cases
Rachel’s recent cases include:
- A child who suffered a brain injury and was left ventilated tetraplegic following an RTA.
- A male who was rendered tetraplegic when the car he was travelling in crashed into a tree.
- A male who suffered a transhumeral amputation and hypoxic brain injury in a collision whilst on a motorbike.
- A female who suffered an above knee amputation following a collision as a pedestrian.
- A female who remains in PDOC following a severe traumatic brain injury after a collision as a pedestrian.
- A group of four claimants all seriously injured as bystanders at a car meet when two cars collided.
- A child who suffered a brain injury, loss of an eye and facial/dental injuries when travelling in a car involved in a collision.
- A male who elected for a below knee amputation years after a motorbike accident.
- A child who sustained a brain injury and hemiplegia when she ran into the road in front of the defendant's car.
- A child who was rendered incomplete tetraplegic when the car she was travelling in was involved in a collision.