Personal injury forms the majority of Frederick’s practice. He is recognised as a Leading Junior in both Chambers UK and the Legal 500 in this field. His work is approximately divided equally between claimants and defendants. Frederick is instructed at all stages of proceedings, from interim applications and CCMC’s through to trials. The majority of his work is in relation to cases valued in excess of £100,000 with much of it proceeding in the High Court. He has appeared unled in appeals in both the High Court and Court of Appeal in cases within this area. 

Recent cases have included:  

• Acting for the claimant in a case brought under the Animal’s Act for serious head, facial and dental injuries sustained when kicked by a horse in the course of employment. Despite liability being in issue, the case settled in the claimant’s favour in a high six figure sum following negotiation. It is notable that this case is one of a large volume of cases in which Frederick has been instructed involving damage inflicted by horses. 

• Acting for the successful defendant in a case arising out of the psychiatric injury of a secondary victim arising out of a fatal railway accident. 

• Acting for the claimant in a claim arising out of a serious outdoor climbing accident. The claimant sustained catastrophic lower limb injuries. The matter considered the extent of duty owed between amateur rock climbers. The matter settled for a high six figure sum.   

• Acting for the claimant in a fatal accident claim proceeding following a high speed road traffic accident. Following Frederick’s involvement at all interim stages and in an advisory capacity the case settled in a high six figure sum shortly prior to trial 

• Acting for the claimant in a large claim for chronic pain (functional neurological disorder). Frederick successfully obtained a seven figure settlement at JSM having been involved in the claim from the outset

• Acting for a claimant motorist in a large counter-claim for life changing personal injury and traumatic brain injury. At a split trial judgment was given in favour of Frederick’s client. The case subsequently settled favourably for Frederick’s injured client.

Frederick provides advice on quantum, liability and tactics either following pre-trial conferences or on the papers. He is particularly sought after by defendants in cases where fraud or fundamental dishonesty is alleged.  

As a result of his previous career as an outdoor instructor Frederick maintains a particular interest in accidents arising out of participation in supervised high risk or ‘extreme’ sports. He has recently advised on cases involving rock climbing, mountaineering, scuba diving, skiing and horse riding. He has held instructing qualifications in rock climbing (indoor and outdoor), mountaineering, caving, mountain biking, orienteering, canoeing and kayaking.  

He is often instructed to advise on jurisdictional issues where such accidents have occurred abroad. Frederick has recently been regularly instructed to advise and provide precedent documents following the UK’s departure from the European Union. 

Frederick is happy to consider conducting appropriate cases for claimants on a CFA basis. 

Frederick is often instructed on behalf of claimants in clinical negligence cases and has particular expertise in the field of dental practitioners’ negligence. 

Recent cases have included an action against an uninsured dentist who had been struck off the register. The case required consideration of issues surrounding disclosure of records where the engagement of the medical practitioner is limited and the obtaining of a freezing injunction to avoid assets within the UK being disposed of before the claim could be met. The matter concluded at trial in the claimant’s favour with a six figure sum awarded to Frederick’s client. 

Frederick has also recently been involved in cases arising out of the negligence of optometrists, physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons. 

Frederick is happy to consider conducting appropriate cases for claimants on a CFA basis. 

Frederick has a flourishing practice in claims arising from accidents which have occurred overseas. Over recent years he has acted for both claimants and defendants in matters where the index accidents have occurred in a number of EU Member States as well as Cape Verde, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt,  Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. He has worked with a network of expert witnesses from across these jurisdictions and is happy to assist with sourcing an appropriate expert if necessary. 

Frederick has experience in cases brought under the Athens and Montreal conventions. He has a particular expertise in cases in which fraud or fundamental dishonesty is alleged. 

Frederick has undertaken multiple claims over the last 10 years in respect of personal injury brought under the Montreal Convention. He advises at all stages including going to trial on behalf of major airlines (BA, Jet2) as well as acting for claimants.  

He has a familiarity with related claims under the European delayed flights regulations and Package Tour Regulations. He has recently represented a package tour company in a large multi-track claim for cancellation charges in around 100 cases brought against Ryanair. 

Recent travel & international law cases have included: 

• Acting for the defendant tour operator in a fatal accident arising out of an alleged breach of the Package Tours Regulations; 

• Acting for the claimants in a coach crash in France where jurisdiction was originally disputed and involving inter alia a six figure claim for hire; 

• Acting for numerous claimants and defendants in relation to skiing accidents, some resulting in catastrophic injuries. Matters have proceeded under French, Swiss, Italian and Andorran Law; 

Frederick has provided training both domestically and overseas to tour operators and solicitors in relation to cross jurisdictional personal injury claims. He has provided numerous training lectures on behalf of ABTA.  

He is a member of the Pan European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers (PEOPIL). 

Frederick is a recognised authority in the field of insurance law as the author of the latest edition of Atkins Court Forms on the subject and the Consultant Editor for the relevant volume of Halsbury’s Laws of England. 

Frederick regularly acts for individuals and insurers in cases involving interpretation of contracts of insurance. 

He has gained particular experience dealing with road traffic accidents where one or more of the parties was uninsured at the time of the collision. As such he has developed a familiarity with cases involving the MIB and the uninsured and untraced drivers’ agreements. He is regularly instructed to advise both insurers and prospective claimant’s in respect of these issues. 

 Frederick has experience dealing with various types of insurance contracts including life, property and credit.  

Frederick is the author of the latest edition of Atkins Court Forms on Insurance and the Consultant Editor for the relevant volume of Halsbury’s Laws of England. 

Within the field of property damage he acts predominantly for insurers in defending substantial claims for damages arising out of fire, flood and subsidence.  

Frederick is regularly instructed to deal with commercial contractual disputes between companies, insurers and in matters relating to the sale of goods to consumers. 

Recent cases have included: 

• Advising travel operators in relation to recoveries claims against overseas suppliers 

• Advising a coach company on the recovery of significant hire charges exceeding £250,000 under the Brussels I Regulation (recast) for an accident which occurred in Europe; 
• Representing a barrister at trial in a claim for unpaid fees requiring analysis of the construction of the contract as between solicitor and counsel and the role of the Sale of Goods and Services Act. Following three years of contentious litigation the case resulted in the total amount of all fees owed to the barrister by the solicitor being awarded by the judge at trial; 
•  Advising on the general construction of credit hire agreements and subsidiary insurance agreements arising out of the same;
• Providing advice on precedent pleadings for a large insurer in respect of claims brought inappropriately under the European Communities (Rights Against Insurers) Regulations 2002 

• Advising a major insurer in relation to their subrogated rights following outlay resulting from disruption caused in the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Frederick has an interest in accidents occurring in the course of both competitive and non-competitive sports. Following his previous work as an outdoor instructor and expedition leader he has a particular focus on injuries sustained in ‘extreme’ sports, both at home and abroad. Frederick has recently been instructed to advise on accidents occurring in the course of football, rugby, rock climbing, skiing, scuba diving and horse riding.  

Frederick maintains an interest in disciplinary tribunals arising out of competitive sports and is keen to further develop this aspect of his practice. 

Frederick acts exclusively in the field of solicitors negligence. He has dealt with cases regarding negligence in the course of contentious and non-contentious business including commercial litigation, personal injury litigation and conveyancing.   

He acts for both claimants and insurers. 

• BPTC, City University, London.
• GDL, City University, London.
• MA (Cantab.), Social and Political Sciences (SPS), Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Awards

• Prince of Wales Scholar, Gray’s Inn.
• City University Essay Prize in Tort.

• Personal Injuries Bar Association.
• Pan European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers.
• London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association.
• Advocacy Trainer – Gray’s Inn.

• Consultant Editor, Halsbury’s Laws of England (Vol 60: Insurance), 2023.
• Contributing Author, Atkins Court Forms (Vol 23(1): Insurance), 2023.
• Contributing Author, Butterworths Personal Injury Litigation Service: Special Aspects of Future Loss & Special Heads or Bases of Claim, 2020 – Present.
• Risky Business: Challenges and Changes in the Assessment of the Standard of Care Owed to Participants in Supervised ‘Extreme’ Sports, Gray’s Inn Student Law Journal, 2012.

Frederick enjoys outdoor sports, particularly skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering and ultra-running when time allows.