Long-recognised in the leading directories, Mat specialises in personal injury and clinical negligence work. His practice predominantly comprises catastrophic and serious injury cases, and cases of complexity. He is regularly involved in cases of the highest value, where care and case management claims comprise the bulk of the value. He also has significant experience of complex earnings claims, whether for the self-employed, those just entering the labour market, or those with less than perfect record-keeping.
Mat receives instructions equally from claimants and defendants.
He regularly gives talks on a variety of topics relating to serious and catastrophic injury claims, and is a contributing editor to BPILS.
Brain injuries
Mat has many years’ experience of brain injury litigation, having acted for the CICA in dozens of pre-tariff claims, many of which he saw through to final assessment. His current case encompasses the spectrum of brain injuries, from mild TBI or post-concussional syndrome through to those whose brain injuries significantly affect their life expectancy.
Mat’s current or recent caseload includes:
- Liability-disputed EL claims in the haulage industry, one with mild TBI resulting, the other causing C to lose capacity.
- Road traffic accidents, involving young children.
- Passenger claims with disputes as to knowledge of allegedly drunk drivers.
- RTA for a self-employed nurse, causing moderate TBI, with complications also arising from SCI.
- Untraced driver/dispute driver claims.
Spinal Injuries
Mat’s spinal injury work arises predominatly from RTAs, although he also has experience of workplace accidents giving rise to varying degrees of SCI.
Recent or current cases include:
- Paraplegia arising from a construction site fall.
- RTAs causing incomplete SCI but significant neurological compromise.
- RTA for a self-employed nurse, with T-spine SCI in addition to TBI (as above).
- Pedestrian suffering SCI with no direct spinal fractures.
Mat has long experience of assessing the accommodation and related needs of claimants with significant spinal cord injuries, and their changing needs during the ageing process.
Amputation cases
Mat has many years’ experience of cases involving amputation. The following are current or recent examples:
- Above knee amputation as a result of delayed diagnosis of sepsis developing in the foot.
- Many below-knee amputations, often required as a result of road traffic accidents or workplace accidents.
- Amputation of feet and toes, commonly as a result of industrial accidents.
- An injury to the contra-lateral foot of a pre-accident amputee (against Henry Pitchers), said to give rise to additional accommodation, care, and prosthetic needs.
Mat recognises the importance of keeping abreast of developments in prosthetics and technology, given their centrality to such claims.
Fatal accidents
Mat has many years’ experience of FAA claims, whether arising from RTAs, workplace accidents and/or industrial exposure, through clinical or other alleged state mismanagement.
As a result, he has wide-ranging experience of the Coroner’s Court, representing families, companies, state institutions and NHS Trusts in a wide variety of inquests, including article 2 and other jury inquests involving allegations of misfeasance or neglect.
Mat has wide experience of drafting complex schedules and counter-schedules in such cases.
Recent cases have included claims where the deceased had a newly established business not known to HMRC; where the deceased minicab driver had partly formed but credible plans to convert stables into quasi-industrial units; and a deceased who had retired young who, it was suggested, would have returned to work once again. All achieved significant settlements.
Complex orthopaedic
Whether arising through RTA or workplace accident, many of Mat’s clients have multi-site or complex injuries. Recent cases have included:
- A young motorcyclist, suffering lower limb poly-trauma, returning to manual work but missing out on a potential career in the Marines.
- An HGV driver who suffered knee and shoulder injuries, and developed diabetes allegedly as a result of enforced inactivity.
Psychiatric
Whilst physical injuries comprise the bulk of his practice, Mat also has significant experience of claims arising predominantly through psychiatric mechanisms, recently including:
- A child suffering minor initial physical injury, developing into somatic symptom disorder.
- Parents whose child suffered TBI, developing psychiatric symptoms following the RTA; impacting on their capacity to run the family business.
- Minor/mild TBI misdiagnosed as more significant injury, giving rise to functional/somatic symptoms.
Recommendations
“A bright guy, who is very careful in his preparation.”
Chambers UK 2020
“He’s a tenacious litigator, he sees the bigger picture and he’s very good with clients.“ ”He’s someone who can assimilate masses of complex stuff very, very quickly. He has impressive attention to detail and is always totally prepared.”
Chambers UK 2019
“Very diligent and easy to deal with.” “Very personable and very switched-on.”
Chambers UK 2019
“He has an amazing eye for detail; clients warm to him.”
Legal 500 2019
“He fights very hard on behalf of his clients and he is excellent at disentangling complex and voluminous evidence.” “He provides balanced advice to achieve the best outcome.”
Chambers 2018
“Specialises in fraudulent injury claims.”
Legal 500 2017
“Superb on detail and can dissect even the most complex evidence into understandable formats.” “Provides balanced advice to achieve the best outcome.”
Chambers UK 2017
“His advocacy skills are formidable.”
Legal 500 2016
“Intellectually there are few who can compete with him, he can grasp the most complex evidence and make it simple.”
Chambers UK 2016
Appointments
Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown (2007) but did not re-apply in 2012
Memberships
Personal Injuries Bar Association; PNBA
Qualifications
BA (Worcester College, Oxford)
