Personal Injury
Richard specialises in complex and high-value personal injury cases. He has a very busy practice, representing Claimants and Defendants. He has been instructed for many years on behalf of all of the major insurance companies, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and many local authorities.
Richard spends most of his time handling brain injury, spinal cord injury, catastrophic polytrauma and amputation claims. He has a longstanding interest in claims involving pain disorders and fatal accidents and a particular interest in claims giving rise to issues of dishonesty and illegality. He has also advised and presented seminars on the liability of insurers in respect of the use of autonomous vehicles.
Richard is very experienced in joint settlement meetings and mediations. He has considerable experience in the medical issues arising from high-value personal injury claims, and tests medical evidence in conference and at trial on a regular basis. He enjoys cases involving very complex expert evidence.
Insurance & Reinsurance
Richard also has considerable experience in advising insurers on policy and coverage issues arising from all types of personal injury claim, most commonly issues concerning policy interpretation and potential declinature or avoidance for non-disclosure, late notification etc.. He has a particular expertise in respect of issues arising from compulsory motor insurance, including liability under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Motor Insurers’ Bureau liability. He has a lot of experience in Article 75 issues and the arbitrations which arise from them.
View full profile »News
- New Silks – Claire Toogood KC and Richard Whitehall KC
- Claire Toogood and Richard Whitehall to be appointed Queen’s Counsel
Qualifications
- Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne
- University of Cardiff, LLB, Law and French
- Certificat d’Etudes Universitaires Generales, Rennes
- Inns of Court School of Law
- University of Cardiff, LLM Commercial Law
Memberships
- Northern Circuit
- Personal Injuries Bar Association
- Northern Circuit Representative for the Personal Injury Bar Association – 2009 to 2013
- Co-opted member of the executive committee of PIBA – 2013 to date
Recommendations
“Richard is an outstanding advocate.” “He is very forensic and very knowledgeable.”
Chambers and Partners, 2023
“He is well prepared and very good in cross-examinations.” “Absolutely excellent – he offers detailed and sensible advice, and is excellent with clients, insurers and experts in conference and always willing to go the extra mile.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“Very careful and cerebral.” “He really gets to grips with the issues in his cases and clients love him.”
Chambers and Partners, 2021
“His attention to detail is excellent, and he is very good with clients and experts. He’s sensible in negotiations to make sure he achieves the right result.” “He has a technical ability beyond his years.”
Chambers and Partners, 2020
“He is very experienced, intelligent, good with clients and a strong negotiator. He never lets you down and clients like him too.”
Chambers and Partners, 2019
“An experienced junior who handles all areas of personal injury, primarily focusing on multi-track cases of significant value. He regularly acts in catastrophic injury, RTA and industrial disease claims, and is also very well versed in issues of EL/PL. “A very impressive advocate at trial. His attention to detail and forensic analysis of records allows him to expertly tie both his lay and expert witnesses in knots.” “Very technical, experienced and practical.”
Chambers and Partners, 2018
“An experienced junior who handles all areas of personal injury, primarily focusing on multi-track cases of significant value. He regularly acts in catastrophic injury, RTA and industrial disease claims, and is also very well versed in issues of employers’ and public liability. “One of the finest barristers I’ve had the pleasure to be against. His cross-examination was flawless and devastating, absolutely lethal.” “He handles difficult cases very well: he’s very good in court and always well prepared.”
Chambers and Partners, 2017
