Call: 1996 Education: University of Leeds, LLB (Hons),
Inns of Court School of Law,
BVC (Very Competent),
Lincolns Inn - Hardwicke Scholar
Practice Summary
Commercial Disputes
Personal Injury
Clinical Negligence
Memberships
Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
Personal Injury Bar Association
Personal Injury
Jeremy practices in all aspects of personal injury litigation including road traffic accidents, employer’s liability claims, consumer protection law, occupiers’ liability claims, sporting accidents and occupational disease. His particular specialism is in brain injury; multiple orthopaedic injury; and fatal accident cases. He also has a particular interest in cases with a psychiatric component where his disarming manner enables him to explore the most delicate and emotional aspects of a claimant’s injury. In addition, his ability to develop an early and trusted rapport with clients is one of the foundations of his busy practice.
Jeremy is currently instructed by both Claimants and Defendants (67/33% split) and he conducts cases in his own right and as junior counsel. At the present time he is conducting cases valued at in the region of £1 million and he is junior counsel to Grahame Aldous QC and Andrew Ritchie QC in cases that are likely to exceed £1 million. Given this experience Jeremy is well used to managing cases involving multiple witnesses and experts and in drafting detailed Schedules / Counter-Schedules.
Commercial Disputes
Jeremy has experience in insurance and commercial litigation which stretches back to his involvement as a paralegal at CMS Cameron McKenna in the multi-billion pound Bank of America litigation and Lloyds marine insurance litigation. Since then he has conducted cases involving partnership disputes; sale of goods; general commercial disputes (excluding property) and underground damage claims. In the latter he is instructed by both multi-national utility companies and contractors with such litigation invariably involving multiple parties within the Technology and Construction Court.
Clinical Negligence
Jeremy has growing experience in all areas of clinical negligence. He has also recently contributed to the 9 Gough Square publication “Clinical Negligence”.
Whent –v- Potter (2010): Representing a 19 year old claimant who had lost a testicle in a motorcycle accident and through treatment for the same had discovered he was infertile. His infertility was due to a pre-accident medical condition. Case settled for £80,000, including £35,000 for general damages, a figure that reflected the Defendant’s acceptance that the accident caused the claimant to become prematurely aware of his unrelated infertility, a factor that he would have to address before committing to a future long-term relationship.
Hayat –v- Morgan (2010) (High Court – Settled): Representing a claimant who had suffered multiple orthopaedic injuries in a road traffic accident the most significant of which was a fracture of his right talus extending into the ankle and subtalar joint. Previously an engineer on large building sites his injury and future likely deterioration would make it difficult for him to continue such employment in future. Case settled for just over £500,000 at JSM.
J –v– R (2010) (High Court – Settled): Junior counsel to Grahame Aldous QC in a significant brain injury case in which the Defendant was alleging fraud. Major issues included the 50 year old claimant’s status as a protected party; whether significant legal costs incurred in post accident custody proceedings were recoverable; and the extent of her psychiatric presentation or conscious exaggeration. Cases settled for £665,000 at JSM.
James –v- Lely (UK) Limited (2009) (High Court – settled). Junior counsel to Grahame Aldous QC in this near fatal accident in which the Claimant sustained multiple orthopaedic injuries requiring over 25 surgical procedures. Settled for just over £2 million with the quantum aspects being overshadowed by a dispute over the existence of an organic brain injury.
Brown –v- Smith & Others (2008) (High Court – settled at the door). Junior counsel to Grahame Aldous QC in a fatal accident case. Factually a complex case involving multiple parties arising from a road traffic accident between a horsebox and a group of eight motorcyclists. Although nor a particularly high value case, settling for £350,000, the litigation was complicated by multiple cross claims and difficult issues of causation that were likely to dominate a seven day liability only trial.
Crossland –v- Rhaji (2009) (Reading County Court – settled at the door). Interesting fatal accident claim involving three teenage children after the death of their father, their mother having previously committed suicide only a year before. Applicability of the approach in Harris –v- Empress Motors was the key issue.
Nodder –v- UK Coal (2008) (Sheffield County Court). Instructed by the Defendant in a £400,000+ claim founded on psychiatric evidence. Case settled for £200,000 on second day of trial after psychiatric evidence.
Hopwood –v- Riina (2009) (High Court - settled). Claim in a multiple orthopaedic and head injury case for a professional opera singer. The Claimant achieved a remarkable recovery and has returned to singing at Glyndebourne. Interesting issue concerning whether his injuries adversely affected his voice and thus career progression.
Favaro –v- Sinha (2010) (High Court - settled). Claim by Italian national aged 79 who suffered a fractured hip in a road traffic accident. Complicated by location of the Claimant and the need for a case manager as well as orthopaedic prognosis. Despite her age the case settled for £125,000.
Central Networks –v- Murphy Limited (2009). (TCC – Birmingham District Registry) Case issued and served with incorrect name of parties after the expiry of the six year limitation period. Application to amend the proceedings after the expiry of the limitation period was successful.
Withheld –v- Westminster City Council (2009). Successfully represented Court of Appeal judge in a claim for injuries resulting from a tripping accident in the street.
Spencer –v- Conway (2003) (EWCA Civ 302). Court of Appeal overturned the judgment of a county court judge based on flaws in his factual findings concerning liability in a road traffic accident.
Jeremy spent a number of years lecturing for CLT nationwide on “Calculating & Maximising Damages".
In addition, he has lectured at 9 Gough Square’s flagship personal injury seminars and for solicitors firms on request including Irwin Mitchell; Prettys; and Weightmans. Topics have included:
Jeremy currently sits on the advisory board of a charity “Support for International Change” whose mission is to limit the impact of HIV/AIDS in underserved communities (primarily in Africa) and to train future leaders in global health development (see http://sichange.org/). In the summer he will be attempting the three peaks challenge to raise further funds. If you would like to join the team please contact him!
Otherwise Jeremy lives on a small holding in Norfolk with his wife and four children, the latter all currently being under 6 years of age. When he is not chasing small children, highland cattle, pigs or chickens he also enjoys snowboarding; sailing; and mountain biking. Favourite toy: International Harvester B275.
