John Brown

John Brown

  • Called in 2005

Personal Injury

John has experience of complex and high value claims, including serious brain and spinal injuries and those involving chronic pain.

He has experience across the range of personal injury actions including road traffic, employer’s liability, public liability, product liability, fatal and sporting accidents. However, John has significant experience in employer’s liability claims and in particular those arising out of serious accidents on constructions sites.

John also has significant expertise in cases where fraud or fundamental dishonesty is alleged. Acting primarily for defendants in this area, he has secured a number of findings of fundamental dishonesty for major insurer clients both after trial and following stand-alone applications. He also has experience in the use of surveillance footage, telematics and other intelligence evidence.

John also has experience of industrial disease work 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 Defendant in an employer’s liability claim involving a brain injury together with orthopaedic and facial injuries. Neurological symptoms including headaches, dizziness, impaired memory and speech problems. The Claimant has been left with behavioural, cognitive and emotional symptoms and is no longer able to work as a result. Claim currently valued at up to £1m.
  • Acting for a Defendant in a claim involving a 2 year-old boy who fell out of a first floor window whilst his family were staying in temporary accommodation provided by the local authority. Injuries include multiple skull fractures and a brain injury (subdural haematomas and contusions of the right frontal and left parietal lobes).
  • Acted 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.
  • Acted for 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.
  • Acting for a Defendant in two linked claims where both Claimants were passengers in the Defendant’s vehicle. The Defendant lost control of the vehicle whilst driving at high speed whilst drunk. The first Claimant sustained multiple serious injuries including spinal, rib and facial fractures. The claim has an estimated value of several hundred thousand pounds. The second Claimant died in the accident, leaving behind a number of dependents including a 3 year-old son. The claim (including financial and services dependency) has an estimated value of up to £1m.
  • Acted for the Defendant in a case involving a brain injury with an estimated value in the region of £3 million.
  • Acted 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. Claim valued at over £1m.
  • Acted 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.
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If you would like to instruct John Brown or would like help or advice in doing so, please call and talk to our excellent clerking team, led by Chief Executive/Director of Clerking, Paul Cray. Our phone number is +44 (0)20 7583 9241. Alternatively, please email us at chambers@farrarsbuilding.co.uk

For more information about our clerking team, please click here for the clerks page.

Appointments & Memberships


Rugby Football Union Judicial Panel Member

Personal Injury Bar Association

Professional Negligence Bar Association

Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers

South Eastern Circuit

Education & Qualifications


City of London University, Inns of Court School of Law, BVC
University of Bristol, LLB (Hons) Law
St Olave’s Grammar School, Orpington

Testimonials


A solid, reliable and dependable barrister. Technically adept, well researched and thorough in his approach. Plain speaking and pragmatic in his advice… a pleasure to instruct and provides a quality of work and expertise that you can have every confidence in.

Directory Quotes


John is ranked as a ‘Leading Junior’ in Personal Injury by Legal 500.

‘John is an exceptionally skilled and zealous advocate. He always shows forensic attention to the detail of every case whether that be in written advice or on his feet.’ Legal 500, 2024

Personal Interests


Having been a keen rugby player in his younger days, John’s sporting interests now principally involve attempting to travel long distances very slowly by means of swimming, cycling and running. This developed into completing an Ironman (in a respectable 11 hours 43 minutes). When time allows, he also enjoys playing golf and skiing.