John Brown

John has experience across the range of personal injury actions including road traffic accidents, employer’s liability, occupier’s liability, product liability, Highway’s Act, Animals Act, fatal and sporting accidents. He has experience of dealing with complex injuries including spinal, chronic pain/fibromyalgia and brain injuries.

John also has experience of industrial disease work, principally Nosie Induced Hearing Loss, and occupational stress claims. He has detailed knowledge of the issues that commonly arise in such litigation.

Examples of his current or recent work include:

• Acting for a 19 year old Claimant who sustained significant and complex orthopaedic and neurological injury to his leg such that elective through knee amputation is currently being considered.

• Acting for a Claimant who developed a chronic pain condition following an RTA. He was a successful businessman whose business and income suffered significantly. Claim valued at around £1.4m.

• Instructed by a Claimant who sustained multiple and life-threatening injuries and whose partner passed away following injuries sustained in a serious road traffic accident. Claim (including Fatal Accidents Act claim) pleaded in the region of £800,000.

• Acted for the Defendant in a case involving a brain injury with an estimated value in the region of £3 million.

• Instructed on behalf of a young female Claimant who sustained an acquired brain injury following a skull fracture in a road traffic accident. Her injuries included difficulties with cognitive and motor function as well as marked personality changes.

John has experience of dealing with clinical negligence claims, often involving complex issues of liability, causation and quantum.

Examples of his current or recent work include:

• Delayed treatment for complex fracture to the elbow requiring radial head replacement leading to the development of ulnar neuritis and increased risk of arthroplasty.

• Delayed diagnosis of a child’s allergy to chemical components in his prothesis leading to the development of dermatological symptoms and significant restriction in prosthesis use.

• Failure by an optometrist to urgently refer to hospital in circumstances where there was an unexplained significant reduction in vision over a 6 month period resulting in reduced prognosis following corrective surgery.

• Dental negligence claims including failure to diagnose, monitor and treat periodontal disease and negligent provision of implants.

John has particular experience and expertise in cases involving allegations of fraud and/or fundamental dishonesty. Acting primarily for Defendants in this area, he has secured a number of findings of fundamental dishonesty for insurer clients both after trial and following stand-alone applications. He has experience of cases involving the use of surveillance footage, telematics and other intelligence evidence as well as cases involving fabricated or induced accidents, often requiring detailed consideration of expert engineering evidence.

John has significant experience in the field of professional discipline, with a particular focus on the healthcare sector. He has regularly appeared before disciplinary tribunals and in particular the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Conduct and Competence Committee in Fitness to Practice hearings. He has experience in dealing with substantial and complex cases often involving serious allegations of misconduct and lack of competence.

John also has wider experience of other regulatory proceedings, including claims management services regulation, having represented the first ever company to be prosecuted for offences under the Compensation Act 2006.

John has a broad experience of general civil and commercial litigation. His work has included actions involving breach of contract, negligence (including professional), misrepresentation and undue influence. He has experience in areas such as the sale of goods, supply of goods and services and personal guarantees. His experience also extends to the related areas of both corporate and individual insolvency.

John also has experience of property matters including both residential and commercial property. He has experience of landlord and tenant actions, possession claims (including trespassers), suspension of warrants, forfeiture of leases, orders for sale, charging orders and service charge disputes.

In his first few years at the bar John pursued a busy criminal practice spanning the range of criminal offences. As a result he has significant jury trial experience as well as experience appearing before the Court of Appeal. John continues to accept instructions in criminal matters related to his other practice areas including health & safety and driving offences.