Education
- 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
Appointments
- Northern Circuit Representative for the Personal Injury Bar Association - 2009 to 2013
- Co-opted member of the executive committee of PIBA – 2013 to date
Professional Associations
- Northern Circuit
- Personal Injuries Bar Association
Profile
Richard predominantly specialises in personal injury cases, and practises almost exclusively in the Multi-Track. He has a busy practice, representing Claimants and Defendants. He has been instructed for many years on behalf of all of the major insurance companies and many local authorities.
He has considerable experience in all areas of PI work, including RTA claims, employers’ liability, public liability, product liability, occupational disease, the liability of landlords and Animals Act claims. He is experienced in all quantum issues, including fatal accident claims, and has a wide experience of procedural issues, including those related to periodical payment orders, provisional damages awards etc.
Richard regularly appears in cases of high value, and has acted in many cases pleaded in excess of £1 million. He has been led by leading counsel numerous times (see ‘Notable Cases’) and frequently receives instructions in catastrophic injury claims, acting for both Claimants and Defendants. He is experienced in joint settlement meetings and mediations.
Richard has a very good understanding of the medical issues arising from high-value personal injury claims, and tests medical evidence in conference and at trial on a regular basis. He is also experienced in high value cases thought to be dishonest, and many of his cases involve video surveillance evidence. He has a great deal of experience in chronic pain cases, and is very familiar with the medical issues relating to pain conditions, including CRPS, fibromyalgia and somatoform disorder.
Richard also has considerable experience in advising insurers as to issues relating to motor insurance, and has advised many times on coverage and policy issues, liability under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Motor Insurers’ Bureau liability.
Richard is also experienced in clinical negligence work, both for Claimants and Defendants, and in cases involving the negligence of solicitors (especially arising from personal injury claims).
Notable Cases
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Personal Injury
Griffiths v Gwynedd County Council (Court of Appeal, 22nd October 2015)
Highways Act claim arising from an accident befalling a cyclist on a remote rural road. Represented Defendant authority successfully at first instance, and in the Court of Appeal (led by Tim Horlock QC). Decision clarifies the test for dangerousness in respect of rarely-used highways.
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Personal Injury
Jones v The TSK Group
Appeared for the Defendant in a 3-day trial before Edis J. Pain case (neuropathic pain disorder) with 4 experts. Claimant claimed in excess of £600,000, and recovered £6,000.
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Personal Injury
E v United Utilities
Appeared for Defendant on a largely successful application to strike out a substantial personal injury claim on the grounds that the claimant had concealed the fact that he had returned to work until late in the litigation.
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Personal Injury
McCracken v Smith [2015] PIQR P19
Case concerning (amongst other things) the scope of the doctrine of in personal injury claims where a driver is held liable in negligence to a claimant who is engaged in a joint criminal enterprise at the time of an accident. Led by Stephen Grime QC.
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Personal Injury
M v TRC
Complex claim involving alleged brain damage suffered by a child after anoxia caused by a ruptured trachea. Settled at JSM.
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Personal Injury
B v M
Below knee amputation claim. Settled at JSM.
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Personal Injury
B v V
Brain injury claim. Settled at JSM with periodical payments order.
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Personal Injury
C v McC & MIB
Brain injury claim. Preparation for trial prior to late settlement. Very substantial commercial care claim. Led by Stephen Grime QC.
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Personal Injury
S v Severn Trent Water
Brain injury claim claimed in excess of £1 million. Settled at JSM.
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Personal Injury
Alexander v Freshwater Properties Ltd.
Serious hand injury case with substantial loss of earnings claim. Successfully applied for strike out of loss of earnings claim. Claimant subsequently declared bankrupt, giving rise to complicated procedural issues.
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Personal Injury
D v Chapman and Plymouth Citybus
High value brain injury claim. Drafting and interlocutory work and representation at trial. Led by Tim Horlock QC.
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Personal Injury
Pearson v Mohammed et al.
Brain injury claim. Represented one of numerous defendants to a very complex liability dispute. Prepared paperwork for mediation and subsequent proceedings, and appeared at interim hearings and an interlocutory appeal before Haddon-Cave J. Led by Stephen Grime QC.
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Personal Injury
A v KNL
Instructed for multiple claimants in catastrophic injury claims arising from a road traffic accident, led by Tim Horlock QC.
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Civil Procedure
Joyce v West Bus Coach Services Ltd. [2012] EWHC 404
Instructed in the preparation of the Notice of Appeal and numerous skeleton arguments, relating to jurisdiction as well as the substantive issues.
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Credit Hire
Accident Exchange/Autofocus Litigation
Instructed on behalf of two major insurers, led by Mark Turner QC, in the defence of numerous appeals arising from the allegedly fraudulent activities of Autofocus Ltd.
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Personal Injury
Berry v Star Autos Ltd et al.
Successfully opposed a substantial interim payment application in a catastrophic injury claim on behalf of a Defendant
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Personal Injury
Stanton v Collinson
Catastrophic head injury claim, led by Mark Turner QC. Instructed at the quantum stage of this litigation, which had previously been to the Court of Appeal on the issue of contributory negligence.
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Credit Hire
Pattni v First Leicester Buses Ltd. [2012] PIQR Q1
Concerning the recoverability of contractual interest on credit hire charges. Led by Mark Turner QC.
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Credit Hire
Bent v Highway and Utilities Construction (Costs) [2011] EWCA Civ 1539
Concerning costs and interest on the conclusion of credit hire litigation subject to two appeals to the Court of Appeal.
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Civil Procedure
Re: A Firm of Solicitors
Instructed jointly by six insurers and led by Mark Turner QC in applications arising out of the suspected misconduct of two firms of solicitors in Greater Manchester.
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Personal Injury
Barrow v Elite Cleaning & Environmental Services Ltd.
Catastrophic spinal injury claim, led by Stephen Grime QC, involving issues of NHS funding, double recovery and reverse indemnities.
What the directories say
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. "He is exceptional - he has a superb forensic analysis of papers and is an outstanding advocate." "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
‘His practice includes catastrophic injuries and fatal accident claims.’
Legal 500, 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 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
‘Experienced across a wide range of personal injury matters.’
Legal 500, 2017
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 UK, 2017
'Experienced in multi-track cases.'
Legal 500, 2016
"He is impressive on every level - a phenomenal advocate, very calm, very collected. He gets the right balance in being sufficiently forceful but not overly aggressive." "He is bright, analytical, and knows cases inside out. He can identify the key issues in a case and will go straight to those." (Personal Injury)
Chambers UK, 2016
'He focuses on multi-track personal injury cases mainly for defendants, with an emphasis on catastrophic injuries'
Legal 500, 2015
Deals with a variety of complex personal injury cases, primarily on behalf of defendants. He has considerable expertise in cases concerning severe brain and spinal injuries. "He is very bright and very thorough." "He is very good for hearings, applications, and on papers."
Chambers UK, 2015
‘A thorough, precise and highly skilled advocate.’ (Personal injury and clinical negligence)
Legal 500, 2014
“Another of the set's members who manages a broad caseload. His work encompasses fraud, clinical negligence and personal injury claims”
Chambers UK, 2013
‘Applies his “superb brainpower” to personal injury, motor fraud and clinical negligence cases’
Chambers UK, 2012.
'Recommended’
Legal 500, 2011
'...is developing a very strong practice.'
Chambers UK, 2011
Recommended’
Legal 500, 2010
'Recommended’
Legal 500, 2009
‘Enthusiastic commendations’
Legal 500, 2008
