Mike qualified in 1994 and began specialising in large loss litigation in 2003. Since that time he has gained experience in many areas, most notably traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputees, chronic pain and fatal accidents. Despite currently conducting a high value motor caseload Mike has previous experience of public liability claims, sporting injuries, and contempt of court.
Mike regularly attends joint settlement meetings, both with and without counsel, and has engaged in ADR. His settlements include conventional lump sums and PPO’s.
Lectures to the insurance industry and peers have included: Interim Payment Strategies, Fraud & Exaggeration in Large Loss, The Future of Large Loss and Amputees & Bionics. Most recent lectures have focussed on fundamental dishonesty, which is an evolving area of interest in Mike’s caseload.
Notable trial outcomes include:
Turner v Green & MIB [2008] EWHC 3133 (QB): A £2.5M defeated fraudulent motor claim
Tolley v Carr [2010] EWHC 2191 (QB): A case examining rescuers and contributory negligence in road traffic accidents
Day v Randhawa [2011] 1 WLUK 47: The court refused to adjourn the issue of future losses due to uncertainty over a potential change in the discount rate
MIB v Richards [2011] EWHC 806 (Admin – Divisional Court): £2.4M exaggerated motor claim defeated; subsequent imprisonment for contempt
Campbell v Advantage [2021] EWCA Civ 1698: A £10m+ action, which has now settled. Confirmed the test in Owens v Brimmell, which has been a feature of English law since 1977. The first occasion the Court of Appeal has ruled on a passenger’s liability when accepting a lift from an unfit driver (20%), and now represents a landmark authority on that issue.
Chan v Peters & Advantage [2021] EWHC 2004 (QB): A 7 figure RTA claim was dismissed, the 17 year old pedestrian being found entirely at fault for coming into contact with the car. The Court of Appeal refused the claimant permission to appeal the judge’s findings
Shepherd v Advantage [2022] (unreported): Fundamental dishonesty had been pleaded in this 7 figure claim, and the case collapsed mid-trial
Shaw v Wilde [2024] EWHC 1660 (KB): at the date of judgment the largest personal injury claim to have been dismissed for fundamental dishonesty. It was initially pleaded at £6.6m, and the court’s valuation for FD purposes was £1.2m. The judgment provides guidance on dishonesty in high value claims, substantial injustice, and costs orders following split trials. The case was defeated after a hard fought 10-day trial.
Recent settlements include the following:
CBA v ZYX: A £20M lump sum settlement for a child TBI case involving a significant future care claim, with a long life expectancy
HB v MK: A significant brain injury case which settled for a lump sum of £4.15M, plus a PPO of £320,000 per annum.
Mike has been described by the Legal 500 as “sound, experienced” and a ‘stand-out’ individual, along with being "renowned for acting in brain injury and polytrauma cases, and fundamental dishonesty cases".
