Personal Injury

Overview

Deka Chambers occupies a special position in the market, offering an award-winning personal injury team that is recognised as being at the forefront of both claimant and defendant work.

Both as a team and as individuals we are consistently ranked by the leading legal directories as leaders in the field. We specialise in providing a sophisticated service focused on understanding the particular needs of each client and identifying the right strategy to resolve every case.

We are regularly instructed in cases of the utmost seriousness, complexity and importance. Our barristers have appeared in many of the groundbreaking personal injury claims of the last 30 years that have shaped the law in this area. In addition, our members are responsible for advising on and settling some of the most sensitive and highest value cases litigated each year, both for individuals and multi-party actions.

Deka Chambers offers the same high-quality service at all levels. Our barristers pride themselves on providing clear, expert and robust advocacy and advice along with pragmatic and commercial solutions to resolve the full range of personal injury cases. We provide representation in courts throughout England & Wales and also offer a specialist cross border team who act in cases with an international dimension.

Our service covers all areas of personal injury work, from road traffic accidents, employers’ liability claims and industrial disease to occupiers’ liability, highways and sports law claims. We have renowned expertise in the areas of public authority liability, abuse, education, social services and occupational stress claims. We offer specialists who are market leaders in cases that intersect with human rights and discrimination claims.

We draw on our expertise in personal injury law to strengthen the service we offer in other areas and the high quality of our personal injury work is also underpinned by our experience in other fields, such as clinical negligence, industrial disease, Court of Protection, professional negligence, inquest and inquiry work and CICA claims.

Our members write or contribute to a number of leading texts, including Kemp & Kemp Quantum of Damages, Kemp & Kemp Personal Injury Law Practice and Procedure, the editorial committee of the JC Guidelines, Munkman on Employers’ Liability, Jordans Road Traffic, Jordans Local Authority Liability, Saggerson on Travel Law, APIL Guide to Catastrophic Injuries, and texts on Workplace Accidents, Accidents at Sea and Asbestos Claims.  We provide regular lectures, webinars, seminars and briefings.   

Our personal injury team is supported by a clerking team who are recognised as one of the best.

Areas of Expertise

  • Abuse Claims
  • Animals Act
  • Asbestos Disease Work
  • Catastrophic Injuries
  • CICA
  • Court of Protection
  • Costs
  • Education
  • Employers’ Liability
  • Highways claims
  • Industrial Disease
  • Marine Accidents
  • MIB
  • Occupiers Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Road Traffic Accidents
  • Travel & Foreign Claims
  • Social Services
  • Sports Law

Notable Cases

  • HXA v Surrey County Council [2024] 1 WLR 335
  • Lewis-Ranwell v G4S Health Services (UK) Ltd (2024)
  • Paul v Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust [2024] 2 WLR 417
  • AB v Worcestershire County Council [2023] 2 FLR 795
  • Trustees of the Barry Congregation v BXB [2023] 2 WLR 953
  • Archer v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2022] QB 401
  • Tindall v Chief Constable of Thames Valley [2022] RTR 16
  • Hillsborough litigation [2021]
  • Barclays Bank Plc v Various Claimants [2020] AC 973
  • Whittington Hospital NHS Trust v XX [2021] AC 275
  • CN v Poole Borough Council [2020] AC 780
  • James-Bowen v Commissioner or Police of the Metropolis [2018] 1 WLR 4021
  • Sumner v Colborne [2019] QB 430
  • Edwards v Sutton LBC [2017] PIQR P2
  • Jimmy Savile litigation against the BBC [2014]
  • A v Essex County Council [2011] 1 AC 280
  • Savage v South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust [2009] 1 AC 681
  • Van Colle v Chief Constable of Hertfordshire [2009] 1 AC 225
  • Ashley v Chief Constable of Sussex [2008] 1 AC 962
  • A v Hoare [2008] 1 AC 844
  • Ashley v Chief Constable of Sussex [2007] 1 WLR 398
  • JD v East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust [2005] 2 AC 373
  • Adams v Bracknell Forest BC [2005] 1 AC 76
  • Eagle v Chambers (No 2) [2004] 1 WLR 3081
  • Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services [2002] 1 WLR 1052
  • Johnson v Unisys Ltd [2003] 1 AC 518
  • Phelps v Hillingdon LBC [2001] 2 AC 619
  • W v Essex County Council [2001] 2 AC 592

Awards

       

Excellent chambers in terms of Travel and Cross Border Personal Injury Litigation. A really good range of barristers across all levels of call undertaking this work.

Legal 500 2025

Deka Chambers has an impressive offering of highly specialist counsel practising in the field of defendant personal injury.

Legal 500 2025

Exceptional clerks room. Very personable, and outstanding client service.

Legal 500 2025

The number one, go-to, travel law set with real strength in depth from top to bottom.

Legal 500 2025

Some excellent barristers and very organised and client focused clerks. Clark in particular is first rate and pleasure to work with.

Legal 500 2025

Deka is a leading set in all personal injury matters, and particularly travel PI cases. If Deka are approached, it is likely that they will be able to help, and provide an outstanding service.

Legal 500 2025

Clerks are efficient and responsive.

Legal 500 2025

An excellent breadth and depth of knowledge as well as skill set strengthened by the merger between the sets.

Legal 500 2025

An excellent set with real depth and breadth.

Chambers and Partners 2025

The clerking is second to none, and advice is received in a timely manner.

Chambers and Partners 2025

The clerks are responsive, clear and very easy to deal with.

Chambers and Partners 2025

Deka Chambers has an extensive group of barristers in the field of personal injury and clinical negligence, from newly qualified to senior KCs. They have considerable strength-in-depth.

Legal 500

The newly created Deka Chambers is a stand out Personal Injury set with a broad range of specialisms, and the set’s members have outstanding appellate practices.

Legal 500

Fully deserving of its reputation as a leading set in the field of personal injury.

Legal 500

The Set consists of hard hitters willing to take on risks and offer practical advice to get the best results for clients.

Legal 500

A host of top go-to counsel can be found at [this] wonderful set.

Legal 500

Personal Injury Barristers

King's Counsel

Jacob Levy KC

Call 1986 | Silk 2014

John Ross KC

Call 1971 | Silk 2001

Edward Bishop KC

Call 1985 | Silk 2011

Andrew Warnock KC

Call 1993 | Silk 2012

Matthew Chapman KC

Call 1994 | Silk 2017

Stuart McKechnie KC

Call 1997 | Silk 2018

Giles Mooney KC

Call 1998 | Silk 2019

Laura Johnson KC

Call 2001 | Silk 2022

Sarah Prager KC

Call 1997 | Silk 2023

Paul Stagg KC

Call 1994 | Silk 2024

Edward Lamb KC

Call 2006 | Silk 2024

Juniors (15 years +)

Roger Hiorns

Call 1983

Bruce Silvester

Call 1983

Gaurang Naik

Call 1985

Julian Waters

Call 1986

Edwin Buckett

Call 1988

Stephen Glynn

Call 1990

Angus Piper

Call 1991

Cyrus Katrak

Call 1991

Jeremy Crowther

Call 1991

Laura Begley

Call 1993

David Thomson

Call 1994

Laura Elfield

Call 1996

Jeremy Ford

Call 1996

Simon Butler

Call 1996

Johnathan Payne

Call 1997

Simon Brindle

Call 1998

Perrin Gibbons

Call 1998

Roger André

Call 1999

Robert Horner

Call 1999

Linda Nelson

Call 2000

Adam Dawson

Call 2000

Simon Trigger

Call 2000

Sabrina Hartshorn

Call 2001

Gurion Taussig

Call 2001

Christopher Lowe

Call 2001

Ben Hicks

Call 2001

Ian Stebbings

Call 2001

Esther Pounder

Call 2003

Hugh Rimmer

Call 2003

Abigail Stamp

Call 2004

Jack Harding

Call 2004

Andrew Spencer

Call 2004

Bernard Pressman

Call 2004

Ian Clarke

Call 2005

Lisa Dobie

Call 2006

James Byrne

Call 2006

Roderick Abbott

Call 2006

Ben Rodgers

Call 2007

Juniors

Robert Parkin

Call 2009

Holly Tibbitts

Call 2010

Tom Collins

Call 2010

William Dean

Call 2011

Conor Kennedy

Call 2011

Helen Pooley

Call 2012

Ella Davis

Call 2013

John Schmitt

Call 2013

Laura Hibberd

Call 2013

Kerry Nicholson

Call 2015

Max Melsa

Call 2015

Daniel Searle

Call 2015

Thomas Jones

Call 2015

Dominique Smith

Call 2016

Richard Collier

Call 2016

Theodore Bunce

Call 2017

Susanna Bennett

Call 2017

Thomas Yarrow

Call 2018

Lucy Lodewyke

Call 2018

Francesca Kolar

Call 2018

Amelia Katz

Call 2018

Madeleine Miller

Call 2019

Louise Thomson

Call 2019

Anirudh Mandagere

Call 2019

Thomas Clarke

Call 2022

Pupils

Directors

Michael Goodridge

Director of Clerking & Business Development

Senior Clerks

Clark Chessis

Senior Clerk

David Barrow

Joint Deputy Senior Clerk

Jaime Brooks

Joint Deputy Senior Clerk

Practice Managers

Ellie Brand

Practice Manager

Phillip Austin

Practice Manager

Assistant Practice Managers

Matthew Shepherd

Assistant Practice Manager

Jamie Moylan

Assistant Practice Manager

George Housden

Assistant Practice Manager

Jay Levell

Assistant Practice Manager

Junior Clerks

Ronnie Scarlett

Junior Clerk

Lily Mason

Junior Clerk

Latest News & Events

Francesca Kolar interviewed by The Advocacy Tutor

Francesca Kolar was interviewed by Sonia Simms for The Advocacy Tutor Brief. Spotlight on Francesca Kolar Francesca Kolar was called to the Bar in 2018. She is an experienced barrister practising across civil, criminal, family, clinical negligence, and police law. She appears regularly in the County…

Deka Briefing: Best Evidence

Welcome to the Deka Chambers January Briefing where we draw once again upon our multi-disciplinary expertise to deliver a series of articles which examine key themes in litigation. For this edition we consider Best Evidence. Success at trial is often as much about enabling clients…

Estall v Sodexo – duty of care?

Richard Collier was instructed as sole counsel for the defendant by Michael Gwilliam, partner at DWF, and successfully applied to strike out a high value personal injury claim with enforceable costs. The case involved complex legal argument concerning duty of care. “I can see no…

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Deka Chambers: 5 Norwich Street, London EC4A 1DR

© Deka Chambers 2025

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