Lucy specialises in all aspects of personal injury and civil law, with a particular emphasis on employers’ liability and public liability cases. She takes instructions on the full range of personal injury cases including multi-track and fast-track trials, disposal hearings and interim hearings including applications and costs and case management conferences.
Lucy has a busy paperwork practice, both advisory and drafting. She appreciates the importance of engaging with cases at an early stage in order to identify issues, provide practical advice and prepare cases thoroughly. Lucy is experienced in undertaking conferences with clients and experts covering complex issues including liability, causation and quantum. Lucy is adept at advising in cases involving vulnerable clients: her manner allows for thorough examination of the issues whilst remaining sensitive to the needs of the lay client. She is known to be approachable and professional.
Lucy receives instructions from both claimants and defendants and will accept instructions on a Conditional Fee basis where appropriate. Lucy is often able to offer an urgent turnaround of paperwork where required.
Lucy was appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil Regional C Panel in 2020. Lucy is regularly instructed by government departments, including the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Department for Work and Pensions, to provide advice, pleadings and representation at hearings. She has advised on sensitive and legally complex matters.
Notable Cases
F-O v S M Gates (2022)
Successfully established liability for the Claimant at multi track trial involving expert engineering evidence. The Claimant was crushed by an electric gate which fell off its rollers when manualised. The Defendant had altered the gate to manual on a temporary basis whilst providing a quote, but failed to warn the Claimant of the risks of the gate falling off its rollers. The Claimant was crushed and sustained serious injury. The claim subsequently settled for £80,000.
S v P G G Ltd (2022)
Advised the Claimant following a serious crush injury whilst at work. The Claimant sustained fractures to L1, affecting his ability to return to high skilled work as a Rope Access Technician and Roofer. The claim subsequently settled for £150,000.
Davies v F S A (2022)
Represented the Defendant to trial in relation to a claim for repetitive strain injury whilst working in an abattoir.
A v A (2022)
Successfully struck out the Claimant’s claim for personal injury on grounds of abuse of process. The claim had exited the pre-action protocol portal for RTA following notice by the Claimant, but proceedings had been issued pursuant to Part 8 in any event. The claim was struck out as an abuse of process.
R (a child) v G (2021)
Advised on liability and quantum in a product liability claim. Child was injured by a needle when he bit into a doughnut, resulting in a severe psychiatric injury.
H v E (2021)
Advised and drafted pleadings for a Claimant in relation to an employers’ liability multitrack claim. Proceedings were issued several months after limitation had expired due to file handler error. Liability remained in dispute and a limitation defence raised. Preparations were made for an application to disapply limitation pursuant to Section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980, following which the claim was settled at GBP 50,000.
U v H (2021)
Advised on pre-action letter of claim: employee sustained a psychological injury sustained when they were given sight of a disturbing threatening letter from a third party, breach of duty alleged based upon the manner the information was disseminated.
T v B (2021)
Advised a child Claimant in respect of a Part 36 offer for severe facial scarring and psychological sustained as a result of a road traffic accident. Further scar revision treatment was outstanding (having been put on hold due to the pandemic), necessitating careful advice due to the competitive nature of the Part 36 offer. The Defendant was persuaded to increase their offer to enable court approval.
T v AA Underwriting (2020)
Successfully represented a Claimant in an RTA liability trial. The Defendant alleged that no accident had taken place and sought a finding of fundamental dishonesty against the Claimant. To the contrary, the court found that the Defendant driver caused an accident and was under the influence of alcohol at the time. The Defendant driver was found to have wholly mislead the court in evidence.
M v H (2020)
Advised and drafted pleadings in a multitrack public liability case. The Claimant had sustained a long spiral comminuted fracture of her mid and distal femur when she fell down an open manhole cover. The psychological trauma also resulted in the development of Crohn’s disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Advised on the extensive care and assistance, aids and equipment claim, as well as the complex and unusual gastrointestinal injuries sustained. Considered causation issues due to the Claimant’s pre-existing health conditions. Following issue, the claim settled in the sum of GBP175,000.
N v UK Insurance (2020)
Represented a Claimant at fast track trial whose breast implant was dislodged as a result of a road traffic accident. The implant moved out of place, resulting in the Claimant’s breast being asymmetrical and necessitating breast re-augmentation surgery under general anaesthetic.
Williams v Bolton Borough Council (2019)
Successfully represented a Claimant cyclist and established 100% liability against a pedestrian who stepped out from behind a refuse wagon without looking.
M v Ministry of Justice (2019)
Represented a Claimant who fell ill with food poisoning after breaking his Ramadan fast in an immigration detention centre. Successfully established causation of post infective irritable bowel syndrome which was likely to be permanent.
M v G (2018)
Advised Claimant on liability and quantum in an employer’s liability claim where the Claimant lost his forefinger in machinery. The Claimant had not received training on that particular machine.
Q v D (2017)
Successfully appealed a first instance Stage 3 hearing decision to award general damages outwith the relevant bracket of the JC Guidelines.
Appointments
Attorney General’s Regional Civil C Panel - 2020
Awards
Nottingham Law School Scholarship 2013
University of Nottingham – Law Graduates Association Moot Prize 2012
University of Nottingham – The MacGregor Award 2012
Memberships
The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
Personal Injury Bar Association
Northern Circuit
Qualifications
University of Nottingham – LLB (Hons)
Nottingham Law School – BPTC
