Ben Bradley acts for both Claimants and Defendants in both clinical negligence and personal injury cases where individuals have suffered life changing injuries. He is frequently instructed without a leader in claims of 7-figure value, with a particular focus on brain injury, spinal cord injury and amputation cases.
His personal injury practice covers a range of niche areas of expertise, including aviation accidents, equestrian accidents, injuries arising from sport and cross-border litigation (including significant experience of representing foreign nationals who leave the UK jurisdiction following catastrophic injury).
His clinical negligence practice focuses on serious injury work across all fields of medicine, with particular expertise in birth injury, adult brain injury, spinal injury/cauda equina cases and amputation cases.
The legal directories describe him as being “quite simply outstanding” (Legal 500, 2024); and someone who is “top drawer and destined for silk” (Legal 500, 2023).
In recent years, he has recovered in excess of £50m for Claimants as well as defending multiple catastrophic injury claims on behalf of Defendants.
Ben’s personal injury practice mostly focuses on spinal cord injury and brain injury work where he acts both alone and with leading counsel.
He also practises across a range of niche specialisms. He has been involved in ground-breaking litigation in cases involving historic sexual abuse (particularly in sporting contexts). He has represented some of the leading race trainers in the country defending personal injury cases brought against them following riding accidents. He has appeared in the House of Lords/Supreme Court on 3 separate occasions.
Ben has represented numerous foreign nationals who have suffered catastrophic injury in the United Kingdom, before seeking to return home for their care and rehabilitation. He has recovered significant damages (including on a PPO basis in local currency and/or adopting a more advantageous discount rate) for such Claimants, structured in such a way to minimise the additional economic and currency risks which may arise from living outside the UK.
ZSA v AAA [2023] EWHC 2977 (KB)
Significant 7-figure plus PPO settlement for foreign national injured in the UK. PPO paid in local currency index linked to local wages index. With Christopher Wilson-Smith KC. Instructed by Barratts.
Barry Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses v BXB [2023] UKSC 15; [2021] EWCA Civ 356
Supreme Court and Court of Appeal decisions reviewing vicarious liability of the Jehovah’s Witnesses for acts of abuse committed by an Elder on an adult. With James Counsell KC. Instructed by Bolt Burdon Kemp.
TVZ and others v Manchester City Football Club Limited [2021] EWHC 1179 (QB); [2022] EWHC 7 (QB)
Alleged vicarious liability for significant acts of abuse committed by Barry Bennell.
2 day interlocutory application before Cavanagh J addressing inter alia admissibility of the facts surrounding a compensation scheme (in the context of waiver of privilege) and the findings of internal/external investigations relating to the index abuse. 6 week trial followed. With James Counsell KC. Instructed by Bolt Burdon Kemp.
Bathie v Anthony [2021] 10 WLUK 515
Successful defence of farmer whose cow trampled on the Claimant whilst she was using a public right of way. Instructed by Clyde & Co.
McPherson v Smith [2018] EWHC 1433 (QB)
Successfully established primary liability against Defendant driver, who turn right across the Claimant motorcyclist’s path. The Claimant suffered catastrophic spinal injuries as a result. Beat Part 36 offer made on the issue of liability. Instructed by Stewarts.
Young v AIG Europe [2015] EWHC 2160 (QB); J.P.I. Law 2016, 1, C34-C36
C suffered Spinal Cord Injury in RTA causing paraplegia; followed by a stroke some weeks later. The issue was as to whether the stroke (causing hemiparesis) was caused by the index accident. With Gerard McDermott KC. Instructed by Stewarts.
A v The Trustees of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society [2015] EWHC 1722 (QB); [2016] EWCA Civ 1026
First historic sex abuse claim to be brought against the Jehovah’s Witness Organisation. Ten day trial undertaken with James Counsell KC. Judgment was entered for the Claimant. The Defendant’s application for permission to appeal was refused by the Court of Appeal, following (unusually) contested oral argument. Ben acted alone in the Court of Appeal. Instructed by AO Advocates.
AXM and others v Chelsea Football Club
Acting for four claimants severely affected by racist abuse by youth coach and development manager when playing for Chelsea’s youth teams. Significant six-figure settlement. With James Counsell KC; instructed by Bolt Burdon Kemp.
Re: IXH
£2.3m lump sum settlement for individual who sustained significant brain injury in Cyclist vs HGV collision. Acted without a leader. Settlement Approved by the High Court. Instructed by Stewarts.
RE: XXX
Significant 7-figure settlement in an abuse claim. Acted against Leading and Junior Counsel without a leader. Instructed by Irwin Mitchell, Birmingham.
Re: CX
£14m lump sum recovered on behalf of a child Claimant who suffered significant brain injury in an RTA. Led by Christopher Wilson-Smith KC and instructed by Stewarts.
Re: GHI
Settlement worth in excess of £16m capitalised with a liability discount (equivalent of c.£20m on a full liability basis) for an adolescent Claimant who suffered catastrophic brain injury in a RTA. With Eliot Woolf KC. Instructed by Scott-Moncrieff and Associates.
Re: MXH
Settlement worth c.£10m capitalised for an individual who suffered serious brain injury in an RTA. Complicating causation issues arising as a result of the Claimant’s pre-existing MS. With Gerard McDermott KC. Instructed by Stewarts.
Re: ZZZ
£1m settlement for an adult Claimant with pre-existing learning disabilities. Complex care claim which arose as a result of him suffering minor (though not inconsequential) injuries, along with the loss of his main carer in an RTA. Acted alone against Leading Counsel. Instructed by Stewarts.
Re: LXH
Significant six-figure settlement in a child abuse claim. C groomed and then abused by her school teacher. Instructed by Irwin Mitchell LLP.
Ben’s clinical negligence practice exclusively focuses on serious injury work, spanning across all areas of medicine. He has particular expertise in birth injury, adult brain injury; spinal injury/cauda equina cases; and amputation cases. Ben also receives regular instructions from the major Medical Defence Organisations, with a particular expertise of representing medical practitioners at Inquests, and in civil proceedings.
He goes to trial regularly; succeeding for Claimants on liability, variously in amputation; spinal injury and urology cases in recent years. The directories frequently praise his ability to “simplify the most complex medical cases” (Chambers & Partners, 2023) whilst retaining his ability to act as “a fierce litigator…[with] a good eye for the detail” (Chambers & Partners, 2024). His client care skills are well recognised, being described as someone who will “put clients at ease” (Chambers & Partners, 2023) and who “relate[s] well to his clients regardless of their intellectual ability” (Chambers & Partners, 2020).
Younas v Okeahialam [2019] EWHC 2502 (QB)
Listed as one of Nigel Poole KC’s top 5 clinical negligence cases of 2019. Successfully established liability at trial in a complex mixed cardiology/spinal cord injury case. Instructed as sole counsel by Stewarts.
JAH v Burne and others [2018] EWHC 3461 (QB)
Successfully established causation in respect of the loss of the Claimant’s arm. With Gordon Bebb KC. Instructed by Wolferstans.
Downing v Peterborough & Stamford NHS Trust [2014] EWHC 4216 (QB)
Claimant suffered debilitating chronic pain following an operation to (allegedly) cure his snoring. Quantum only trial. The Claimant received a £2.4m award (on a full liability basis; discounted to reflect previously agreed liability discount, based on 2.5% discount rate). Compromised in part on appeal thereafter. With Harry Trusted. Instructed by Scott-Moncrieff and Associates.
Re: CF
High six-figure settlement following untimely diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome. Instructed by Stewarts.
Re: RE
Significant liability settlement following delayed diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome. With Eliot Woolf KC. Instructed by Stewarts.
Re: AD
Liability settlement for individual who suffered catastrophic brain injury secondary to a myocardial infarction. Alleged that C should not have been discharged from hospital following initial myocardial infarction and that had he remained in hospital he could have been resuscitated without complication. Instructed by Irwin Mitchell.
Re: AL (Deceased)
Fatal claim, following open heart surgery. Represented the family at both a high profile inquest; and thereafter in civil proceedings. Complex quantum issues – Deceased had significant and complex pensions. Acted alone against Leading Counsel. Settled for significant six-figure sum. Instructed by Stewarts.
Re: ML
Above knee amputation. Instructed as sole counsel; significant seven-figure settlement. Instructed by Irwin Mitchell LLP.
Re: DR
Below elbow amputation. Settled for £1.5m. Instructed as sole counsel. Instructed by Irwin Mitchell LLP.
Re: SG
Catastrophic quadriplegia claim in young adult. Patient ‘coned’ following lumbar puncture. Liability settled on a percentage basis. Quantum settled thereafter at a capitalised sum in excess of £20m (if valued on a full liability basis). With William Latimer-Sayer KC. Instructed by Stewarts.
Re: AE
Catastrophic spinal cord injury claim. Failure to diagnose vertebral fracture in A&E, resulting in the patient being allowed to mobilise, suffering a spinal cord injury thereafter. Settled for capitalised value of c.£8m. With Gerard McDermott KC. Instructed by Stewarts.
Ben has undertaken cross-jurisdictional personal injury work since he started at the Bar, managing hundreds of group actions against major tour operators in the process. He has now changed the emphasis of his Travel practice, focusing upon higher value cross-jurisdictional work.
Ben acted for over 1,000 Indian Nationals who variously suffered injuries whilst being exposed to mercury in thermometer factory; he also acted for a number of Indian Nationals who suffered serious injuries in a Road Traffic Accident whilst visiting the UK.
In the field of aviation, Ben has been instructed to act (against Leading Counsel) for a number of soldiers who suffered career ending injuries when a Voyager aircraft entered a steep dive. He is an avid Aviation Enthusiast, holding both a UK PPL (with associated IR(R) and Night Ratings) and a South African Foreign Licence Validation. He is frequently instructed to advise on liability disputes arising from general aviation accidents.
He continues to act in clinical negligence cases where individuals either reside overseas, (and have been injured in the UK), or where UK residents have been subjected to clinical negligence abroad.
M40 Litigation
Acted for 7 Indian Engineers who were injured in a high speed RTA. Complex cross-jurisdictional issues. Travelled to India to assist with quantum investigations. Settled following a 2-day mediation; complex cross-jurisdictional quantum issues, including arguments about the applicable discount rate, where injured individuals now reside overseas. With Gerard McDermott KC. Instructed by Stewarts.
Voyager Litigation
Acted for a number of servicemen and women who suffered career ending injuries, following an adverse incident on an RAF Voyager aircraft. Acted alone against Leading Counsel. Instructed by Bolt Burdon Kemp.
Re: XXX
Successfully acted for Claimant injured following an engine failure and poorly executed autorotation landing in a helicopter accident. Instructed by Irwin Mitchell.
Re: ZZZ
Successfully acted for Claimant following an engine failure in a fixed wing aircraft and subsequent allegedly poorly executed forced landing, resulting in fatal injuries.
Ben Bradley is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.
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