- All Barristers
- Nicholas Grimshaw
Nicholas is a personal injury specialist. He is Counsel of choice for many institutional clients and insurers facing multi-track claims, particularly in cases of serious injury or fatal accident.
The consistency of strong advice and advocacy Nicholas provides to clients has typically generated repeat instructions over very many years. He is accustomed to working as part of a team in litigation involving multiple experts and professionals. He has frequently been instructed in cases involving fraud or fundamental dishonesty, often because of video surveillance or social media evidence. He is regularly instructed by insurers applying ethical standards and/or Codes of Conduct to the management of their claims, and particularly welcomes instructions on this basis. He has a significant sports law and field sports practice, variously dealing with claims made against participants, venues and NGBs.
Nicholas is particularly sought after for his vast experience and handling of Joint Settlement Meetings in high value/catastrophic injury claims and is regularly instructed without a leader in cases having pleaded value in excess of £1million. He has acted in numerous mediations, often involving multiple parties and sensitive issues e.g. fatal accidents, terminal disease, confidentiality.
Longstanding experience in cases of industrial deafness has led to a busy practice for insurers dealing with these claims, often involving highly technical expert evidence as to medical causation and/or limitation disputes.
Paperwork is provided across the full spectrum required by his solicitor client base., e.g., Counter-Schedules, Questions for Experts and Advice on Liability/Quantum/Settlement Parameters. Nicholas is happy to provide informal support and assistance by telephone.
"Nick is user-friendly and always prepared."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
Notable Cases
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Caillet v O’Hare Holdings [2023]
Personal Injury
Instructed for the Defendant in a high-profile case involving injury to an International DJ and her alleged loss of earnings. Reported in The Times, Daily Mail and Daily Mirror.
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D v V [2023]
Personal Injury - JSM
Instructed for the Defendant in a case of alleged brain injury to a small business owner, resulting in £3.5m claim for damages, mainly loss of income and care. Case taken on at short notice and settled at a JSM.
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AB v Bus Company [2023]
Personal Injury
Instructed for the Defendant in a brain injury claim pleaded at £4m, resulting from a child running out from behind an ice cream van into the path of a bus. Liability resolved by negotiation with Leading Counsel for Claimant, shortly before trial.
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E v Sports Centre [2022]
Personal Injury – Fundamental Dishonesty
Instructed by Kennedys (Sheffield), in the dismissal of an action for damages brought by a former professional footballer in relation to severe knee injuries. The Claimant alleged his injuries were attributable to a defect in the artificial pitch surface, which caused him to catch his foot, twist and fall awkwardly.
After a 3-day trial before Her Honour Judge Evans at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, it was found that whilst the Claimant had undoubtedly sustained severe knee injuries, they had resulted from a football tackle during ordinary play. The Judge went on to make a finding that the Claimant had been fundamentally dishonest in the presentation of his claim against the venue. The usual QOCS order was disapplied and the Defendant’s costs of the action can be enforced to the full extent of their entitlement.
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S v M (2022)
Personal Injury
Instructed by the Defendant in a case of allegedly catastrophic pain syndrome following a foot injury, apparently resulting in total immobility. The claim for damages was pleaded at £4.5m. There were contentious interlocutory hearings, including successful applications to withdraw an admission, and introduce dermatological evidence to establish the true cause of incapacity. Case settled, based on the Defendant’s evidence.
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A v County Council [2022]
Personal Injury - JSM
Instructed by the Defendant Council in a sensitive and lengthy claim, involving severe abdominal injuries and gastrointestinal problems following an assault at work. There was complex medical evidence and dispute over causation, Settled at a JSM.
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YYY, Aviva Insurance v ZZZ [2021] EWHC 632
Personal Injury
Instructed for the Insurers at the High Court trial of a contribution claim against a motorcyclist following an RTA in which the pillion passenger sustained catastrophic injury.
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Clough v P&O Trans European (Holdings) Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 430 7 Apr 2005
Personal Injury – Court of Appeal
Instructed by the Defendant in a claim brought against them by an employee injured in the rupture of a vehicle suspension system. The Claimant was the only eyewitness to what had happened, but the trial judge rejected his account and preferred the analysis of the Defendant’s engineer, dismissing the action. The Court of Appeal considered the correct approach to evaluation of factual vs expert evidence. The decision of the trial judge was upheld, and the Claimant’s appeal was dismissed.
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Burridge v Airwork Ltd [2004] EWCA Civ 459 19 Mar 2004
Personal Injury – Court of Appeal
Instructed by a professional football coach who sustained severe personal injuries in a road traffic accident in Oman. A vehicle door was opened directly into the path of his bicycle. Primary liability was established at trial and allegations of contributory negligence were dismissed. The Court of Appeal addressed the evidential burden in cases of this kind and application to the circumstances of the case, upholding the decision of the trial judge.
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H v D (January 2018)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in personal injury claim following shooting accident on a grouse moor resulting in serious injury to gamekeeper.
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H v M (December 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Claimant at Appeal Hearing concerned with procedural points arising from an industrial disease claim. Defendants' appeal dismissed.
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H v A (December 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Claimant in personal injury claim following RTA, in which he had sustained serious chest injuries and chronic pain. Settled shortlybefore trial.
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W v D (November 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in personal injury claim following an agricultural accident which resulted in an upper arm amputation. Claimant'scase pleaded at £6-8 million. Settled at Mediation.
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Q v C (November 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in personal injury claim following a construction accident which resulted in serious foot injury. Claimant's casepleaded at £2 million. Settled at JSM.
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H v E (October 2017)
Instructed by Defendants in product liability claims which followed a double fatality. Both claims settled at JSMs.
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S v S (July 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in brain injury claim following RTA. Settled at JSMs.
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W v P (June 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in spinal injury claim following accidentat a school. Trial on liability, resulting in agreed apportionment forcontributory negligence.
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P v C (May 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Claimant in brain injury claim following RTA. Settled at JSM.
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C v MIB (April 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in RTA involving serious multiple injuries. Settled at JSM.
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S v Leeds CC (March 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants in multitrack trial by a parent followingslipping accident at school during winter weather. Claimant's action dismissedon liability.
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T v O (March 2017)
Personal Injury
Instructed by Defendants following serious injuries to multiple Claimants from high speed RTA involving uninsured driver. Settled at JSM.
Appointments
- Pupillage Secretary (2002-2023) For more than 20 years Nicholas has been responsible for graduate recruitment in Chambers. During that time Chambers has grown from 60 members to more than 100.
- British Fencing Nicholas has lifelong involvement in the sport of fencing, as a competitor and community club coach. For many years he sat on the Panel of British Fencing’s Disciplinary & Grievance Committees. During the period 2010 – 2012 he acted for several elite athletes in selection appeals and grievance processes at the highest level.
Professional Associations
- Northern Circuit Personal Injury Bar Association
Education
- Keble College, Oxford
- Inns of Court School of Law
Awards
- Paul Methven Scholar & Inner Temple Award
- Inner Temple Pegasus Scholarship
