Somek & Associates

02/06/2026

For athletes and dancers, injury can have life‑altering consequences, making specialist physiotherapy expertise essential in clinical negligence and personal injury claims.

We have expanded our physiotherapy expert witness services to support high-value sports and dance injury cases.

Our physiotherapists deliver clear, evidence‑based reports grounded in real clinical experience.

From analysis of injury and short- and long-term rehabilitation requirements to return‑to‑performance timelines, our experts understand the true demands of each discipline.

Follow the link below to read about the reports we provide and the typical cases we support in this area. ⤵️

https://www.somek.com/news/physiotherapy-sports-dance-injury-expert-witness-services/

01/06/2026

Understanding Skin Cancer: What You Need to Know

Martin Heaps, Expert Witness and Registered Nurse at Somek & Associates, shares key insights into the two most common types of skin cancer, Basal Cell and Squamous Cell carcinoma.

Learn how to spot early warning signs, understand risk factors, and why early detection is critical. Watch here.

29/05/2026

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐤 & 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬! 🎉

You’ve already met our fantastic speakers, and now it’s time to introduce our exhibitors. We’re delighted to have a brilliant range of organisations joining us to showcase their expertise and connect with clinicians, legal professionals, and the Somek team.

We’re proud to have ISKOmed UK Limited and Promoting Independence (OT Services) as our main sponsors, alongside our other excellent exhibitors: Etac Group, Proactive, Independence Mobility, The Expert Witness Institute, Possum Ltd., Allied Mobility, A1 Momentum, Pressalit, N-able Services, Stiltz Lifts, and Enhancing Skills for Life, 501c3

We are looking forward to next week and can’t wait to see our experts on 5th June! 👏

28/05/2026

Somek Expert Leanne Cook Is Raising Money For Cancer Research UK.

Leanne Cook, mental health nurse & expert witness, is taking on the Swim 10k Challenge fundraiser in May to help raise money for Cancer Research UK.

This cause is very close to Leanne’s heart, as at the end of last year, she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia. She started treatment on New Year’s Eve and is now nearly four months in.

Thankfully, her blood levels have stabilised well, and treatment is working as it should.

Leanne feels incredibly grateful that, because of research and advances in treatment, this type of cancer can now be managed. What would once have been life-limiting is now something she can live alongside, although it will be a lifelong condition.

The progress that has been made is the result of years of research, funding, and people supporting causes like this.

That is why Leanne is setting herself this challenge, not just physically, but as a way of giving something back.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how small, it really does make a difference. To donate via Leanne’s JustGiving page, please click the link below.

https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/leannes-giving-page-2023474?fbclid=IwY2xjawRcYRNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR6KJT-TkdCnuUtQw1rqRYgea6rF2cKgZI6MFZtdjj7AKzTWKBaFO_F6gACXbg_aem_jEZl6sxN8k5UxsxPJ23j1Q

Good luck, Leanne, with your 10k Swim Challenge. We are so pleased to hear that treatment has gone well. We hope you can raise a good amount of money for a great cause!

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page. I’m going to be taking on the Swim 10k Challenge in May to help raise money for Cancer Research UK. Please show your support and help fund life-saving cancer research by donating to my page. At the end of last year, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leuk...

28/05/2026

In her latest medico-legal industry insights piece, titled;

𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙀𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙬

Jessica Thurston, MD at Somek & Associates explores why clinical negligence and personal injury lawyers should invest in the next generation of experts and why this matters.

The expert witnesses you rely on today won’t be there forever. With waiting lists already stretching past a year in some specialisms, the pipeline of new, fully trained, high‑calibre experts are ready and waiting to serve your case needs. They will apply a wealth of knowledge from years of hands on patient led care.

Developing expert witnesses isn’t immediate — it takes years of training, mentoring, and real case experience to build the independence, clarity and authority the courts expect. We need to work collaboratively and start now.

By engaging new experts you future proof expert witness availability within reasonable timeframes when you need it.

Read Jessica's full article by clicking the link below;

https://www.somek.com/insights/future-expert-evidence-clients-begin-instructing/

27/05/2026

As we wrap up our Mental Health Awareness Month series, we’re hearing from Janice Muradzikwa, Somek’s Clinical Advisor and Deputy Team Leader for our CBM team. 💬

In this final video, Janice shares how she looks after her own mental well-being.

Thank you to everyone who has followed and supported our series throughout May.

Let’s keep the conversation going and continue prioritising our mental health every day 💚

We’d love to hear from you… What do you do to support your mental well-being? 👇

27/05/2026

Raising the Barre: Clinical Standards in Dance and Performance.

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 Nina Slawson.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞?

In this article, Nina Slawson shares insight from a career spanning over two decades in physiotherapy across dance and elite sport, working with more than 600 dancers, as well as Olympic medal winners and world champions.

She explores the demands of physiotherapy in performance, from injury prevention to the connotations in relation to high-value claims.

A valuable perspective on clinical standards, accountability, and safe return to performance in a high-pressure industry.

For solicitors handling claims in relation to dance or sports injury - this is a particularly valuable read. ⤵️

https://www.somek.com/insights/nina-slawson-dance-injury-physiotherapist/

26/05/2026

📰 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭: Joanne Boothroyd

This month, we are shining the spotlight on Jo Boothroyd, Occupational Therapy Expert and member of the Quantum training team.

Jo began her career in the NHS, specialising in neuro-rehabilitation and orthopaedics, before pursuing expert witness work after training with Somek.

Over the past 15 years, she has built a successful career as both an independent occupational therapist and as an expert witness working with clients who have sustained complex injuries.

You can learn more about Jo’s journey into expert witness work and her aspirations for the future in the article below. ⤵️

https://www.somek.com/insights/spotlight-on-an-expert-jo-boothroyd-occupational-therapy/

25/05/2026

𝐖𝐄'𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘! 📢

We'll be back to our normal business hours on Tuesday.

Everyone at Somek & Associates wishes you a wonderful bank holiday.

Make the most of the potential sunny weather ☀️

22/05/2026

Marketing asked for volunteers to produce a 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓 video suitable for socials on the subject of how they look after their well-being in aid of mental health awareness month.

It's fair to say Danielle Gibson stretched the brief a bit with her 3-minute entry!

Thanks, Danielle; whether you run, compete, or just walk in the fresh air, it's the taking part that counts, and we are here for it!