MULTIPLE INJURIES AND TARIFF CASES: ASSESSING DAMAGES – A PRIMER
Following the judgment on Friday in Hassam & Anor v Rabot & Anor [2023] EWCA Civ 19 there is now a clear cut approach to assessing damages where a claimant’s injuries include damages for matters not within the whiplash tariff. Here…
COURT OF APPEAL JUDGMENT TODAY: WHIPLASH TARIFF INJURIES AND COMMON LAW DAMAGES: HOW SHOULD THE COURT DEAL WITH “MIXED” CLAIMS?
In the judgment today in Hassam & Anor v Rabot & Anor [2023] EWCA Civ 19 the Court of Appeal (by a majority view) decided that the Civil Liability Act 2018 did not impact on the assessment of damages for…
COURT AWARDS CLAIMANT DAMAGES FOR HARASSMENT: FORTHCOMING WEBINAR ON THE LAW OF HARASSMENT AND THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
In Thomas Hodson Hodson Developments Ltd v Person Unknown & Ors [2022] EWHC 1960 (QB) Mr Justice Jay awarded damages in a case where he found that the defendants had harassed the claimant. An award was made for general damages…
THE FIRST TIME YOU MAKE A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES – SHOULD NOT BE IN THE DRAFT ORDER AFTER THE COURT OF APPEAL HEARING
There is an interesting short judgment of the Court of Appeal in BG & Anor, R (On the Application Of) v Suffolk County Council (Consequentials) [2022] EWCA Civ 1053 relating to an attempt by the successful party to put an…
PERIODICAL PAYMENTS AND PROVISIONAL DAMAGES: THE IMPORTANCE OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: WEBINAR 9th SEPTEMBER 2022
This webinar looks at recent cases in relation to periodical payments and provisional damages and considers their practical implications for personal injury practitioners. Booking details are available here. WEBINAR CONTENTS Cases to be considered include: The decision in Mathieu v…
WEBINARS ON KEEPING YOUR COOL: UNDERSETTLEMENT, PROCEDURAL PITFALLS AND LIMITATION PROBLEMS: AVOIDING MATTERS HEATING UP WHEN THE HEATWAVE IS OVER
In September I am presenting a number of webinars with the theme of “avoiding problems”. These are avoiding undersettlement: avoiding procedural pitfalls and avoiding problems with limitation. “AVOIDING UNDERSETTLEMENT: A GUIDE FOR PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS” 19th September 2022 …
THE REDUCTION OF A SUCCESSFUL CLAIMANT’S COSTS BECAUSE OF CONDUCT: RELEVANT CALDERBANK OFFERS CONSIDERED: RECOVERABLE COSTS REDUCED BY 15% AND 60%
In Mathieu v Hinds & Anor (No. 2: Costs) [2022] EWHC 1624 (QB) Mrs Justice Hill reduced a claimant’s recoverable costs. An initial 10% reduction was made because of the pursuit of a claim for provisional damages which was not…
SIMMONS -V- CASTLE 10% UPLIFT APPLIES TO DAMAGES FOR BREACH OF REPAIRING COVENTANT: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION TODAY
In Khan v Mehmood [2022] EWCA Civ 791 the Court of Appeal held that the 10% uplift in s.44(6) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 applied to damages for breach of a repairing covenant. “……
DAMAGES IN ANTICIPATION OF DEATH: WHEN THERE IS A REDUCED LIFE EXPECTANCY: WEBINAR 21st JUNE 2022
This webinar looks at the difficult, but important, issue of how the courts award damages when a claimant has reduced life expectancy as a result of their injuries. Booking details available here. TOPICS TO BE COVERED What is the…
THE CHILD CLAIMANT AND FATAL ACCIDENT LITIGATION: WEBINAR 15th JUNE 2022
This webinar looks at the problems and issues faced by a child who has suffered the loss of parents or carers. It looks at the position when children are the sole claimants, have a dependency claim as part of a…
THE COMPENSATION RECOVERY UNIT, LISTED AND UNLISTED BENEFITS
I gave a webinar earlier today in relation to deductions from damages. One of the issues considered was the problems caused by Universal Credit. There is an important distinction, in law, between “listed” benefits – which are subject to CRU…
PROVING THINGS 229: WHO BEARS THE BURDEN OF PROOF WHEN A CLAIMANT SEEKS DAMAGES GROSS OF TAXATION
We are returning for the second, but not the last, time to the judgment of Mrs Justice Hill in Mathieu v Hinds & Anor [2022] EWHC 924 (QB). The judge awarded an injured claimant damages for loss of earnings gross of tax. …
HIGH COURT ISSUES A WARNING TO THOSE PLEADING CLAIM FOR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES: THERE MUST BE A PROPER BASIS FOR SUCH A PLEA
In Underwood & Anor v Bounty UK Ltd & Anor [2022] EWHC 888 (QB) Mr Justice Nicklin sent out a warning about the pleading a claim for exemplary damages. Such claims should only be made where there is a proper…
PROVING THINGS 227: FAILURE TO PROVE A DEBT CLAIM: “THE PROOF REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE CLAIMANT IS ENTITLED TO THE SUMS WHICH IT CLAIMS IS SADLY LACKING”
The judgment of Mr Justice Turner in Emery Planning Partnership Ltd v Bevan [2022] EWHC 494 (QB) illustrates a failure by a claimant to prove a debt claim. It is (yet another) object lesson that facts and evidence are needed…
CLAIMS FOR LOSS OF EARNINGS OF THE SELF-EMPLOYED AND THOSE INVOLVED IN ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORT: WEBINAR 14th MARCH 2022
There are 5 million self-employed people in the United Kingdom making up 15.5% of the workforce. A self-employed person (including directors of small companies) face particular difficulties when seeking to recover loss of earnings after being injured. Similarly those who…
CLAIMS FOR LOSS OF EARNINGS: LEARNING FROM RECENT CASES: WEBINAR 7th MARCH 2022
The “Proving Things” series on this blog often looks at cases relating to loss of income. Recent cases on this topic are explored in a webinar on the 7th March 2022: Claims for Loss of Earnings: Learning from Recent Cases,…
“I FIND THAT THE CLAIM WAS CONSTRUCTED BY THE CLAIMANT’S LAWYERS ON A PREMISE WHICH WAS IRRELEVANT AND WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CLAIMANT’S EVIDENCE OR THE LAW”: WHY MUCH MORE CARE IS NEEDED IN DRAFTING SCHEDULES
We are looking again at the decision in Cojanu v Essex Partnership University NHS Trust [2022] EWHC 197 (QB). This time at the judgment in relation to quantum. The case involved a situation where the claimant’s lawyers presentation of the case…
PROVING THINGS 224: PROVING LOSS OF EARNINGS: THE IMPORTANCE (& LIMITATIONS) OF THE CLAIMANT’S OWN EVIDENCE
The impairment of someone’s ability to earn their living is always a serious matter. There are a number of approaches that the court can take to the award of damages. Anyone representing a claimant should read McRae -v- Chase International…
PROVING THINGS 223: PROVING A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF EARNINGS CLAIM (£1,206,053 TO BE EXACT)
In Palmer v Mantas & Anor [2022] EWHC 90 (QB) Anthony Metzer QC (sitting as Deputy High Court Judge) awarded a claimant £1,206,053) in loss of earnings. The judge found that the approach in Smith -v- Manchester was not an…
PROVING THINGS 221: THE COURT WILL NOT SPECULATE
In Hirst & Anor v Dunbar & Ors [2022] EWHC 41 (TCC) Mr Justice Eyre highlighted the need for a claimant to prove losses, and expenditure, the court will not speculate on items relating to expenditure. “In my judgement…