PI Brief Update

On the Right Track: High Court Rules on Pre-issue Settlements and CPR r46.13(3) - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

27/03/26. On 18 March 2025, Costs Judge Nagalingam handed down his Judgment in Smith v Wigan [2026] EWHC 660 (SCCO). The sole issue was whether the Costs Officer should have restri...

Supreme Court revives 'lost years' claims by young child claimants: CCC v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2026] UKSC 5 - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

25/03/26. On 18 February 2026, the Supreme Court handed down a landmark judgment on the recoverability of “lost years” damages by young child claimants. By a majority of four to ...

Court of Appeal Settles the Debate: Liability Only Part 36 Offers on the Fast Track - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

23/01/26. The Court of Appeal had handed down a unanimous judgment in Smithstone v Tranmoor Primary School [2026] EWCA Civ 13 providing clear guidance on when a liability only Part...

Driving a coach and horses: District Judge reins in unqualified advocates - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

21/01/26. Michael Brooks Reid discusses the decision of District Judge Pratt (“the Judge”) in Vehicle Control Services Ltd v Langley [2026] EWCC 1, which will be undoubtedly ruffli...

Commitment Issues: The Court of Appeal Separates Committal from Contempt - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

21/12/25. On 11 November 2025, the Court of Appeal handed down its Judgment in Buzzard-Quashie v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police [2025] EWCA Civ 1397 which reiterates ...

Causation proves fatal in tragic suicide case - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

18/12/25. Michael Brooks Reid discusses the recent Court of Appeal decision in the clinical negligence case Zgonec-Rozej and Ors v Dr Stephen Pereira [2025] EWCA Civ 171. The judgm...

Plead it or Weep: The Pitfalls of Oral Evidence in an OIC - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

24/11/25. OIC hearings can, at times, feel like a lawless landscape when it comes to witness evidence. This article seeks to clarify when a witness can and should be allowed to g...

A Question of Fact: Factual findings and evaluation of evidence in the High Court - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

19/11/25. Michael Brooks Reid discusses the High Court’s approach to evaluation of evidence in the clinical negligence case Deakin-Stephenson v Behar & Chelsea and Westminster...

Watson, We Have a Case! MH Site Maintenance Services Limited, Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited v James Watson - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

21/10/25. On 24 June 2025, the Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in MH Site Maintenance Services Limited, Markerstudy Insurance Services Limited v James Watson [2025] EWCA C...

An offer too good to ignore? ‘Intransigence’ proves a costly defence stragegy - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

20/10/25. Michael Brooks Reid comments on the recent judgment of HHJ Russen KC in Learning Curve (NE) Group Ltd v Lewis & Anor [2025] EWHC 2491 (Comm), a case highlighting the u...

The Devil's in the Detail-ed Assessment: XX (a protected party by her husband and litigation friend YY), ZZ v Jordan Young, Aviva Insurance Limited - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

16/10/25. On 24 September 2025, Costs Judge Nagalingam handed down his judgment in XX (a protected party by her husband and litigation friend YY), ZZ v Jordan Young, Aviva Insuran...

Too Late to the Party? Not necessarily. Some clarity on adding parties in PI claims after expiry of limitation - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

26/09/25. Michael Brooks Reid comments on the recent judgment in the case of Doroudvash v Zurich Insurance Plc  [2025] EWCC 10.

The Facts

The claimant police officer was injured...

A Judgment to Remember: WM and EW v Wilkinson [2025] EWHC 2300 (KB) and the Fallibility of Memory - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

24/09/25. On 9 September 2025, HHJ Howells (sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge in the High Court) handed down judgment in WM v Wilkinson . The decision examines the standard...

Silence Speaks Volumes: Inferences from a Missing Witness - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

20/08/25. The Claimant, who was born with congenital heart issues, was 25 when she underwent elective open-heart surgery requiring a re-do sternotomy [cutting through the sternum...

DHV v Motor Insurers' Bureau [2025] EWHC 2038 (KB) - Philip Matthews, Temple Garden Chambers

18/08/25. On 1 August 2025, Mr Justice Dias delivered judgment in a dispute between DHV, a protected party, and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) over the payment of penalty inter...

Tom Clark v Omar Elbana [2025] EWCA Civ 776 - Andrew Ratomski, Temple Garden Chambers

18/07/25. Date of judgment: 24 June 2025.

This sports negligence claim arises from a collision between the Defendant, and now Appellant, and the Claimant during an amateur rugby m...

Benjamin Hetherington v Raymond Fell & Anor [2025] EWHC 1487 (KB) - Philip Matthews, Temple Garden Chambers

15/07/25. In the case of Hetherington v Fell, the High Court dealt with a serious accident involving a cyclist, who was injured during a time trial event organized by the Ferryhi...

David Richardson & Ors v Slater & Gordon UK Limited [2025] EWHC 1220 (SCCO) - Andrew Ratomski, Temple Garden Chambers

13/06/25. Date of judgment: 19 May 2025.

This judgment concerned a group of 224 claims against solicitors, the Defendant, from which ten test claimants were identified. Senior Cos...

JD Wetherspoon Plc v Burger & Risk Solutions BG Ltd [2025] EWHC 1259 (KB) - Philip Matthews, Temple Garden Chambers

11/06/25. The Claimant sustained a serious hip injury after being forcefully restrained by two door supervisors outside a JD Wetherspoon (JDW) pub in August 2018. The supervisors...

Costs budgeting can be retrospective: BDW Trading Limited v Ardmore Construction Limited [2025] EWHC 1063 (TCC) - Andrew Ratomski, Temple Garden Chambers

21/05/25. Date of judgment: 2 May 2025

Andrew Mitchell KC sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court was required to decide whether the court had the power to make a costs manage...

High Court Refuses to Play Ball: Footballs, Fences and Foreseeability - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

16/02/26. This article examines the recent decision of the High Court to dismiss the Claimant’s appeal in Adam Lillystone v Bradgate Education Partnership [2025] EWHC 3341.

The Clai...

Hire Education: Court of Appeal guidance on non-party costs orders against credit hire organisations - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

22/01/26. Michael Brooks Reid comments on the recent Court of Appeal judgment in Tescher v Direct Accident Management Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 733, a decision which may signify a change...

A Pain in the Neck: The Negative Consequences of the Whiplash Reforms - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

20/01/26. On 29 October 2025, the MoJ announced its post-implementation review of the Whiplash Reform Programme, including the increase in the small claims track (SCT) limit from...

A hollow victory: Harassment proven but dishonest Claimant loses all - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

20/12/25. Michael Brooks Reid discusses the recent High Court decision in Taiwo v Homelets of Bath Ltd [2025] EWHC 3173 (KB), in which the whole claim, including statutory damage...

Flout the Rules and Find Out: The Unforgiving Nature of the DBA Regime - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

19/12/25. On 10 September 2025, Mr Justice Dexter Dias handed down his judgment in Reeves v Frain and McKinnon [2025] EWHC 2311 (KB), concerning the regulation of damage-based ag...

Throwing good money after bad? A warning on wasted costs - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

20/11/25. Michael Brooks Reid comments on the Employment Appeal Tribunal’s consideration of the wasted costs jurisdiction in the case of Gurney v Randall and Others [2025] EAT 154.

T...

A Matter of Construction: Home Extensions under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

18/11/25. On 12 September 2025, the Court of Appeal handed down its unanimous decision in  Stephenson v First-Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) v Criminal Injuries C...

Managing the Risks of AI in Expert Evidence: 10 Practice Standards for Lawyers and Experts - Ramune Mickeviciute, Hugh James LLP & Geoffrey Simpson-Scott, Hodge Jones and Allen LLP

23/10/25. We hope we do not exaggerate by saying that one of the biggest nightmares that any lawyer faces is being penalised for using or submitting false or inaccurate informati...

Chaos Beats Causation: The Limits of Accident Reconstruction - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

17/10/25. Michael Brooks Reid comments on the High Court’s approach to the neurosurgical evidence in the case of MW (a child) v Wilkinson & Anor [2025] EWHC 2300 (KB).

Facts

A car...

The Price of Change: Niprose Investments Limited and 30 Other Claimants v Vincents Solicitors Limited [2025] EWHC 2084 (Ch) - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

29/09/25. On 6 August 2025, His Honour Judge Hodge KC handed down his judgment in Niprose Investments Limited and 30 Other Claimants v Vincents Solicitors Limited [2025] EWHC 208...

Fundamental Dishonesty? Court needs to see the Homework, not just the answer - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

25/09/25. Michael Brooks Reid comments on an aspect of the recent High Court judgment in Brown v Morgan Sindall Construction and Infrastructure Ltd  [2025] EWHC 2204 (KB).

The ...

QOCS in mixed claims: Sex, lies and a £100,000 costs bill - Michael Brooks Reid, Temple Garden Chambers

21/08/25. In Samrai and Ors v Rajunder Kalia [2024] EWHC 3143 (KB), seven claimants brought claims against the defendant, a religious leader, alleging to have been financially and ...

A Cautionary Read: Poor Pleadings, Non-compliance and the Automatic Disapplication of QOCS - Georgina Pressdee, Temple Garden Chambers

19/08/25. Read v North Middlesex Hospital Trust [2025] EWHC 1603 (KB).

On 5 August 2025, Master Thornett handed down judgment in Read v North Middlesex Hospital Trust [2025] EWHC...

Caroline Robinson v. Air Compressors & Tool Limited & Ors [2025] EWHC 1469 (KB) - Philip Matthews, Temple Garden Chambers

17/07/25. Robinson considered whether to make a wasted costs order against a Claimant who had unsuccessfully brought proceedings against three different defendants.

Background

The ...

Rashpal Samrai and Others v Rajinder Kalia and Others [2025] EWHC 1449 (KB) - Andrew Ratomski, Temple Garden Chambers

15/07/25. Date of judgment : 13 June 2025.

This judgment concerned a number of consequential costs matters following the handing down of judgment in the main claim where the Defenda...

How late is too late? Leadingway Consultants v Ayoub Saab & Anor [2025] EWCA Civ 582 - Andrew Cousins, 7 Harrington Street Chambers

10/07/25. Often in applications for setting aside default judgment and relief from sanctions the court has to consider the question of promptness in the making of the application...

Mark Edwards & Ors v 2 Sisters Food Group Limited [2025] EWHC 1312 (KB) - Philip Matthews, Temple Garden Chambers

12/06/25. The case concerns an appeal by four former employees of 2 Sisters Food Group Ltd, who alleged that they contracted Covid-19 due to workplace safety failures in June 202...

R (Ayinde) v London Borough of Haringey and Al-Haroun v Qatar National Bank QPSC and Another [2025] EWHC 1383 (Admin) - Andrew Ratomski, Temple Garden Chambers

10/06/25. Date of judgment: 6 June 2025

The Divisional Court’s judgment in these joined contempt cases following a Hamid hearing heard on 23 May 2025 has received wide-spread attent...

Glaister & Anor, R (on the application of) v Assistant Coroner for North Wales [2025] EWHC 1018 (Admin) - Philip Matthews, Temple Garden Chambers

20/05/25. In Glaister, the Court had sent out a draft judgment in a judicial review case relating to a coroner’s decision. Specifically, this was circulated in the form of a ‘con...

Claimant fruit picker’s employer found negligent but not the third party driver who drove into collision with him - Andrew Ratomski, Temple Garden Chambers

16/05/25. Radoslav Pashamov v (1) Leon Taylor and (2) Edward Vinson Limited [2025] EWHC 1035 (KB)

Date of judgment: 30 April 2025

Simon Tinkler sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge ...