Personal Injury
Crown Office Chambers undertakes all forms of personal injury and occupational disease work. This includes claims involving industrial accident, injuries of utmost severity, occupational disease, road traffic litigation, aviation and marine claims, disaster work, environmental claims and local authority based disputes. It forms a large part of the work which we undertake.
"Widely recognised as one of the leading sets in the field" (Chambers & Partners 2008), Chambers is recommended by all the specialist Legal Directories in personal injury. Many of those who practise in this field are identified individually in the directories as highly regarded. The size and resources of Crown Office Chambers enable us to offer our clients a greater choice of specialist advocates and advisers at all levels - even at short notice. Our recognised strength in depth and experience of team working in personal injury, disease and related costs claims has allowed the development of even higher standards of expertise.
Established Expertise in Personal Injury
Crown Office Chambers acts in all forms of personal injury, disease and related insurance work. Its members are retained for Claimants and Defendants and for every type of client whether large or small. The number of practitioners in Crown Office Chambers allows us to provide high calibre teams of counsel for the large and complex disputes. However we also have a reputation for the effective handling of claims which require the personal touch.
As a leading set in disease litigation, Crown Office Chambers has assembled many of the Bar’s leading practitioners in this area. Asbestos, stress, COSHH, work-related upper limb disorder, vibration white finger, dermatitis, asthma, cancer and deafness claims all figure widely in many members’ practices. Members are also involved in advisory work in emerging areas of contention, such as passive smoking, pharmaceutical, toxic mould, mobile telephone, pollution and DVT claims. They frequently act in related insurance litigation.
Chambers has also been active in many technical and innovative aspects of quantum litigation, most notably in catastrophic injury and rail disaster claims and in precedent setting authorities. It has been in the forefront of the use of structured settlements, periodical payments and flexible claim resolution formats. Costs litigation also figures prominently in a number of members' practices, and Chambers has a dedicated team who are expert in this field.
Several members have been involved in major litigation involving public bodies and their prospective liability in private law actions. Others specialise in environment-related and pollution claims.
Members of chambers undertake conditional fee agreements in appropriate cases. A personal injury service protocol is operated for those who wish to enter into it. ADR is extensively undertaken by members, and a fully equipped ADR suite is available for use at Crown Office Chambers.
Recent Cases
Recent cases in which members have been involved include:
- Welsh Ambulance Services v Jennifer Williams [2008] EWCA Civ 81 Christopher Purchas QC and William Stevenson QC
- Burton v Kingsbury [2007] EWHC 2091 (QB): William Stevenson QC and Andrew Davis
- Majrowski v Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Trust [2006] UKHL 34 (harassment and statutory duty) Mark Turner QC and David Platt.
- Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co & otrs [2006] EWCA Civ 27 (pleural plaques): Michael Kent QC.
- Sowerby v Charlton [2006] 1 WLR 568 (admissions): Richard Lynagh QC and David Platt.
- View more Recent Cases
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