Property Damage
Frederick has a broad property damage practice spanning advice, pleadings and representation. He has wide experience of claims with a diverse subject matter including serious domestic and commercial fires, floods, tree root encroachment, fallen trees and their maintenance, arson damage, road traffic accidents, negligent building work and similar matters.
Selected Cases
- Nash v Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited [2023] EWHC 2326 (KB): Acting for the claimant, at first instance and on appeal, in an action against the lessor of a car which had been destroyed by fire shortly after it was leased to the claimant. Difficult issues of causation given the extent of the fire damage.
- Escape of water. Acting for the claimant in a subrogated recovery against the manufacturer of a domestic sprinkler system following a flood during building works. Then advising insurers on how to deal with the uncooperative insured, including taking an assignment of the cause of action given the insured’s intention to wind itself up.
- Commercial fire. Acting for the claimant in a subrogated recovery following a serious commercial fire at a rubber granule storage facility occupied by three related companies. Advising on strategy and merits.
- Escape of water. Acting for the claimant in a subrogated recovery following an escape of water. Proceeding directly against the defendant’s insurers pursuant to the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010.
- Drilling. Acting for a drilling company in a claim for damage caused when the drilling works hit a sewer. Advising on strategy, defending the claim from the sewage undertaker and pursuing a recovery against the employer who had directed the line of the drilling.
- Acting for a plumber claiming against the supplier of a tap, where the plumber was seeking to recover the compensation he had been forced to pay to his client when the tap failed following installation.
- Acting for the Part 20 defendant roofing company in a claim in respect of water damage following the failure of a temporary roof.
- Advising on the possibility of making a subrogated recovery against a co-insured sub-contractor following flood damage during building works.
- Advising on the application of the Berni Inns defence in multiple subrogated recoveries in respect of fire damage.
Events
News
Blogs
Articles
- Supreme Court restates principles of private nuisance
- Carlo Taczalski and Frederick Simpson are successful in the Court of Appeal Cross-undertakings have little place in the security for costs regime
Qualifications
- MA Philosophy (Cantab)
- GDL, BPTC (University of Law)
- Academic Scholar, Christ’s College Cambridge
- ‘Best Junior Officer’ Sword, Irish Guards
- Lord Brougham Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
- Debating Shield, Lincoln’s Inn
- Lord Denning Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
Memberships
- COMBAR
- PNBA
- TECBAR
- SCL
- LCLCBA
- ACIArb
- LCIA YIAG
Recommendations
“Frederick is diligent, methodical and a really good drafter.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“He is an outstanding junior. He is legally and strategically astute with an outstanding eye for detail. He is a real go-to for a junior on construction matters. His style of advocacy is confident and composed.”
Legal 500, 2025
“Freddy is very hard-working and has a great demeanour. Freddy’s drafting is exceptionally clear and easy to follow.”
Legal 500, 2024