About John's role
I act for clients with serious injuries caused as a result of accidents, especially head and spinal cord injuries resulting in permanent disability. My team is the largest and most experienced specialist brain injury team in the North of England and our aim is to obtain financial help for clients at the earliest possible time, whenever possible, in order to pay for rehabilitation, a care package and suitable accommodation.
We fight fearlessly to improve the quality of life of our clients and to support our clients with sympathy and sensitivity. Irwin Mitchell has been involved in some of the leading and most significant cases in this area of law. I am often asked to provide a second opinion in difficult and problematic cases when other solicitors are already involved.
Memberships and professional organisations
- Headway (the brain injury association)
- The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
- Head Injury and Spinal Injury Special Interest groups
- SIA (Spinal Injuries Association)
- NABIF (Northern Acquired Brain Injury Forum)
- UKABIF (United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum)
- APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers)
Hobbies and spare time
Sport, music, natural history, walking and spending time with my beautiful wife and 3 children. I am also the chair of Headway Newcastle and North Tyneside and chair of Brainbox, a charity which aims to provide help and support for brain injured children and their families.
High-profile cases
Pontefract man paralysed in car crash gets £8m payout
Disabled crash victim gets £6.3 million
Brain damage man wins £5m payout
Injured cyclist awarded £5m
Memory loss woman wins £4m payout
£2.7m for injured farm worker
Disabled girl is awarded over £2 million
Hope for woman who was hit by bus
John has also acted in the following reported cases in the Court of Appeal:
- Jade Spillman v Bradfield Riding Centre [2007] EWHC 89 (QB)
- Alan Jackson v Marley Davenport [2004] 1 WLR 2926
- Warriner v Warriner [2002] EWCA Civ 18
- Naylor v Payling [2004] EWCA (Civ) 560