Practice Overview
Lucy specialises in the areas of personal injury, travel, private international law and clinical negligence.
She is recommended in the legal directories as a leading junior in the fields of travel and personal injury. She is regularly instructed to act in catastrophic personal injury claims and has been described as “first port of call” for cases arising from accidents abroad.
Lucy is frequently instructed in cross-border claims and cases arising from accidents abroad, and to advise on issues of jurisdiction and applicable law. She is described in Chambers and Partners as being noted for her knowledge of EU legislation and applicable law and as handling catastrophic injury cases arising from road traffic accidents.
She has wide experience not only of claims under the Package Travel Regulations but also in relation to recovery claims from suppliers abroad. She is regularly instructed in substantial claims resulting from holiday incidents, including activity and accommodation accidents, winter sports accidents, illness and disease claims and road traffic accidents. She acts in claims brought against the MIB in respect of foreign road traffic accidents.
Lucy is very familiar with the issues arising in choice of law disputes, including the application of the Rome I Regulation and the Rome II Regulation and their predecessors.
She has particular experience in jurisdiction and enforcement issues under the Brussels Regulation and otherwise, including disputes as to validity of service; contesting jurisdiction on substantive and procedural grounds; registration and enforcement disputes; and jurisdiction over non-parties.
Lucy was lead Assistant Editor for the 2nd edition of European Civil Practice (Layton & Mercer), and makes use of her fluent French and rudimentary Hungarian.
Cases include:
Scales v MIB (ongoing): cycling accident in Spain
Mountain v Zyro (ongoing); sledging accident in Norway
Howes v MIB (2018); loss of arm in Cretan moped accident
Hamblett v VHV (2018); collision on motorway in Germany
Bogdanovics v MIB (ongoing); fatal motorcycle accident in Lithuania
Pratt v AXA France (2017); spinal cord injury from fall in French auberge
Palmen v MMA (2016); catastrophic injury when off-piste skiing in France
Syred v PZU and HDI [2016] EWHC 254 (QB); claims governed by Polish law involving severely injured car passengers
Huxtable and Dale v Baloise (2016); pedestrians injured by drunk driver in Bruges
Berry v Babaloukas (2016); road traffic accident involving pilgrim in Athens
Cook v Virgin Media (2015) CA; appeal concerning forum non conveniens in cases involving England and Scotland (acted for successful respondent)
Doble v Carnival plc (2015); multiple claims for alleged cruise holiday illnesses
B v B (2015); spinal cord injury claim arising from RTA in Spain
Salmon v MAAF (2015); significant claim arising from RTA in France
Greaves-Lord v AXA (2014); motorcycle accident governed by French law
Wagenaar v Weekend Travel and Serradj (2013); CA (2014); skiing accident in France resulting in catastrophic injury. Court of Appeal decision on effect of QWOCS on third party claims
Clark v Hotelplan and Luontoloma (2014); package holiday claim arising from cross-country skiing in Lapland
Keefe v Mapfre (2014); brain injury claim arising from accident in Spanish hotel.
All aspects of personal injury litigation, including private international law issues arising in foreign claims. Extensive experience of employer’s liability claims including disease (WRULD, deafness, asthma and cancers), manual handling and workplace accidents, stress at work and bullying; occupier’s liability claims; sporting accidents; catastrophic injuries and fatal claims; product liability claims; and direct claims by foreign social insurers.
Cases include:
Evans v Strzelec (ongoing): claim for spinal injury after rear end collision
Johnson v British Cycling Federation (2017); claim for brain injury sustained in cycle race
T v T (2016); alleged brain injury sustained by child in rta
Mulcahy v CVS (2016); claim arising from pneumothorax after slipping accident
Dixon v Rymer-Cooper (2015); catastrophic CRPS after car ran over foot
Parkin v Aviva (2015); significant injuries from motorcycle accident
Doughty v Pogorzelski (2015); severe traumatic brain injury to pedestrian
B v B (2015); spinal cord injury after RTA in Spain
Howes-Roberts v Puddle (2014); high value loss of chance claim by City worker
Wagenaar v Ski Weekend (2014) CA; effect of QWOCS on third party claims
Purton v Vaitkevius (2014); high value loss of chance claim by executive chef
Harris v CDMR Purfleet Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 1645; adequacy of reasons for date of knowledge in WRULD case
Experience of claims related to obstetrics and gynaecology (cord prolapse; hypoxia; Erb’s palsy); general surgery; paediatrics; neurology; orthopaedics; general practice; ophthalmology; cosmetic procedures; wrongful birth, mental health.
Cases include:
RT v Chelsea v Westminster (2018); suicide attempt
BM v NHS Commissioning Board (2018); spinal surgery
PK v South Warwickshire (2017); obstetric treatment
LT v Dorset County Hospital (2017); pressure ulcers
Dunn v Plymouth Hospitals (2017); fall alleged to contribute to stroke damage
Edwards v George Eliot Hospital (2016); glaucoma treament
MB v Royal Surrey City Hospital (2016); hydrocephalus
SC v Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust (2016); colorectal surgery
Kneuss v Blagg [2016]; spinal decompression surgery
JKL v University College London Hospitals (2015); cancer diagnosis /treatment
RM v Great Ormond Street Hospital (2015); paediatric cancer diagnosis
Fraser v George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (2014); bile duct injury during surgery
Dunphy v John Weiss & Son Ltd (2014); non-matching coloured lens implanted
Bevan Davies deceased v Hywel Dda Local Health Board (2014); diagnosis of sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
Ellis v Powys Local Health Board (2013); treatment of craniosynostosis
Lucy has expertise in private international law and is regularly asked to advise on issues of jurisdiction, applicable law and enforcement issues. She has particular experience of the application of the Brussels Regulation, Rome I and Rome II in cross-border cases in the fields of personal injury, clinical negligence and insurance.