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 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. She has wide experience not only of claims under the Package Travel Regulations but also in relation to recovery claims from suppliers abroad.
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 impact upon liability, limitation and the assessment of damages.
She has particular experience in jurisdiction and enforcement issues under the Brussels Regulation and at common law, 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.
Current and Recent Work
Choudhury v PZU (ongoing); domicile requirement for jurisdiction in claim against insurer
RCX v PMX (2021); jurisdiction issues and anti-suit injunction in cruise ship meningitis claim
Tate v Allianz [2020] EWHC 3227 (QB); jurisdiction over French aggravation claim
Rasmussen v Zurich (2020); extremely high value fatal accident claim under Spanish law
Scales v MIB [2020] EWHC 1747 (QB); assessment of catastrophic injuries under Spanish law
Hutchinson v Mapfre [2020] EWHC 178 (QB); spinal cord injury in pool in Ibiza
Pandya v Intersalonika [2020] EWHC 273 (QB) ; brain injury claim time-barred under Greek law
Brownlie v FS Cairo (2020); fatal claim arising from road accident in Egypt
Campbell v Global Travel (2020); spinal cord injury in coach accident in Spain
Vickery v MAPA (2020); multiple victim road accident in France
Tyrrell v MMA (2019); catastrophic road traffic accident in France
Ford v Royal Crown Insurance (2019); brain injury in Cypriot moped accident
Hawkeswood v Lusitania (2019); brain injury in road accident in Portugal
Gibson v Generali (2019); amputation after motorcycle accident in Poland
Mountain v Zyro (2018); 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 (2017); 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
Cook v Virgin Media (2015) CA; appeal concerning forum non conveniens in cases involving England and Scotland (acted for successful respondent)
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
All aspects of personal injury litigation, including private international law issues arising in foreign claims. Extensive experience of employer’s liability claims including disease, manual handling and workplace accidents, stress at work and bullying; occupier’s liability claims; sporting accidents including skiing cases; catastrophic injuries and fatal claims; product liability claims; and direct claims by foreign social insurers.
Current and Recent Work
Cherian v Cambridge University Hospitals (2021); fall from theatre stool
T v MIB (2020); brain injury after moped accident
Palizban v Protech (2020); alleged brain injury after fall at work
Dyos v British Airways (2020); claims for further compensation after aircraft fire
Scholes v Beards Installations (2020); injuries after fall through mezzanine
Masood v MIB (2020); chronic significant injuries alleged after minor shunt
Powell v Christal Clear (2020); alleged brain injury after fall through balcony
XYZ v NH (ongoing); brain injury after fall at German building site
Evans v Strzelec (2019): claim for spinal injury after rear end collision
Wrightson v Flor and others (2018); intestinal injury after ingestion of bleach
Johnson v British Cycling Federation (2017); claim for brain injury sustained in cycle race
Wagenaar v Ski Weekend [2014] CA; effect of QWOCS on third party claims
Harris v CDMR Purfleet Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 1645; adequacy of reasons for date of knowledge in WRULD case
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.
Recent significant cases include CPAM v Whittington Hospital and CPAM v RSA concerning recoupment of French social security benefits.
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.
Current and Recent Work
MM v NHS (ongoing); diagnosis of neurofibromatosis
CS v Weaver (ongoing); gall stone surgery
TF v Essex (2020); suicide attempt
Orton v Heart of England (2019); diagnosis of oral cancer
DS v Lewisham and Greenwich (2019); tibial osteotomy
RT v Chelsea and Westminster (2018); suicide attempt
BM v NHS Commissioning Board (2018); spinal surgery
LT v Dorset County Hospital (2017); pressure ulcers
PK v South Warwickshire (2017); obstetric treatment
Dunn v Plymouth Hospitals (2017); fall alleged to contribute to stroke damage
Edwards v George Eliot Hospital (2016); glaucoma treatment
MB v Royal Surrey City Hospital (2016); hydrocephalus
Kneuss v Blagg [2016]; spinal decompression surgery