News & Events
News & Events
Robert Dickason and Joshua Hitchens have secured the dismissal of Contempt Proceedings arising out of the widely reported case of Muyepa v Ministry of Defence [2022] EWHC 2648 (KB). Robert Dickason and Joshua Hitchens, instructed by Marc Livingston, Simon Barker and Catriona Virden of Janes Solicitors, have secured the dismissal of Contempt Proceedings brought against their clients, Brian and Racheal Muyepa. The Proceedings, which arose out of Mr. Muyepa’s record £3.7m claim for non-freezing cold injuries against the Ministry of Defence, will now not proceed to trial, meaning that Mr. and Mrs. Muyepa will not be found guilty of Contempt of Court and will not face the prospect of being committed to prison for Contempt of Court. Find out more…
News 12 Oct, 2023
Robert Dickason of Outer Temple Chambers and Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC of Fountain Court Chambers acted for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in litigation arising from the use of hormonal pregnancy test (HPT) tablets taken to diagnose pregnancy in the 1950s-1970s. In this group litigation, over 200 claims were issued against the pharmaceutical manufacturers of two HPTs (Primodos and Amenorone Forte), as well as against the Government on the basis that it was responsible for safe regulation of HPTs in the 1950s-1970s. The claimants maintained that HPTs taken during pregnancy had caused them to suffer congenital malformations, miscarriage and/or stillbirth. Previous litigation brought in the 1970s-80s had also sought to prove that HPTs caused congenital malformations, but…
News 2 Jun, 2023
Robert Dickason appeared for the defendant trust in Masih v The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust [2023] EWHC 1280 (KB) in a clinical negligence High Court appeal which was dismissed on all grounds. Robert appeared for the defendant NHS Trust in this clinical negligence appeal in the High Court arising from the death of a 33 year old man who was being treated for severe acute pancreatitis when, in the course of his hospital admission, he suffered an unexpected and fatal cardiac arrhythmia. Breach of duty was admitted but the claim was successfully defended after an 8-day trial on causation involving expert intensive care and cardiology evidence. The claimants appealed, challenging the trial judge’s application of Bolitho and his assessment of the expert evidence and literature. On 26 May 2023, Mr Justice…
News 31 May, 2023
OTC’s Robert Dickason is instructed for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. Following the official launch by Baroness Hallett of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on 21st July 2022, and the commencement of Module 1 focusing on the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic, the process of evidence gathering is already underway. OTC’s Robert Dickason, one of the Attorney-General’s B Panel counsel, is instructed for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (formerly the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government). Robert’s instruction reinforces OTC’s involvement in the Inquiry from its outset. See also our recent announcement of Paul Livingston and Joshua Cainer joining the Inquiry’s legal team here. The next 12 months sees…
Covid-19 1 Aug, 2022
We are delighted to announce new appointments to the Attorney General’s A and C panels. Naomi Ling joins the A Panel, Rob Dickason joins the B Panel and four members of Chambers have been added to the C Panel. Naomi Ling joins the Attorney General’s A Panel, recognising her considerable expertise in employment and pension law. The A Panel deals with the most complex government cases in all kinds of courts and tribunals. Members will often appear against QCs. In general, those appointed to the A Panel will have over 10 years’ advocacy experience. Rob Dickason joins the Attorney General’s B Panel and continues to represent a range of Government departments in a variety of healthcare-related public and private law…
News 3 Sep, 2020
Robert Dickason, led by Ben Collins QC, has successfully defended the Ministry of Defence in the High Court appeal brought by former serviceman Pte Wayne Bass, following dismissal of his claim for damages in early 2019. Private Bass contracted Q Fever, leading to Q Fever Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, during his deployment in Afghanistan in 2012. He was medically discharged from the Army and brought a claim for damages against the MOD on the basis that it ought to have provided him with an alternative form of antimalarial which would have protected him against both malaria and Q Fever. He also asserted that the Management of Health and Safety in the Workplace Regulations 1999 applied during his deployment in Afghanistan because…
News 13 Jan, 2020
Robert Dickason, led by Ben Collins QC, represent the MOD seeking to uphold the trial judge’s findings below – see our news coverage from March 2019 for details. The appeal will be heard by Martin Spencer J over two days (5-6th December) and its outcome is likely to have a significant bearing on the remainder of the Q Fever litigation cohort, in which soldiers deployed to Afghanistan seek substantial damages for Q Fever Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which they contracted during deployment and allege could have been avoided with better care and treatment by MOD. To find out more or to instruct Robert, contact Graham Woods or Chris Rowe on +44 (0)20 7353 6381.
News 4 Dec, 2019
James Aldridge and Robert Dickason (instructed by Wolferstans) recently secured £120,000 in damages for the parents of a stillborn child. The child died as a result of inadequately managed pre-eclampsia late in pregnancy, leading to placental abruption. The settlement included compensation for the mother’s subsequent development of fibromyalgia as a result of the physical and psychiatric trauma which she went through, although the Defendant Trust did not admit causation. The judgment of the court is available on Lawtel [R v Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (2018)].
News 26 Jul, 2019
Ben Collins QC and Robert Dickason have successfully defended the Ministry of Defence in the first contested trial in the Q Fever litigation, which was widely reported in January 2019. Private Wayne Bass contracted Q Fever, leading to Q Fever Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, during his deployment to Helmand Province in Afghanistan in 2012. He was medically discharged from the Army and brought a claim for damages against the MOD on the basis that it ought to have provided him with an alternative form of antimalarial which would have protected him against both malaria and Q Fever. He also asserted that the Management of Health and Safety in the Workplace Regulations 1999 applied during his deployment in Afghanistan because decisions relating…
News 27 Mar, 2019
The third edition of APIL’s guide to Clinical Negligence was published today, with Jonathan Hand as contributing author of the chapter on causation together with Christopher Gibson QC and Rob Dickason. APIL Clinical Negligence focuses on the key and developing areas of clinical negligence including medical product claims. It combines know-how about conducting these claims with the latest thinking on new and developing areas of practice. Under Paul Balen as General Editor, this new edition has been substantially revised to take account of: Consent – the impact of Montgomery and Webster Damages – the discount rate; Roberts v Johnstone etc Mediation – the new NHS Resolution agreement Case management and costs budgeting Product liability – update on the test for defect…
News 21 Nov, 2018
Outer Temple congratulates Robert Dickason on his recent appointment to the hotly-contested Attorney General’s C Panel. The appointment runs from 1 March 2015 for five years. He will be undertaking personal injury, clinical negligence, inquest and public work for the Crown.
News 11 Feb, 2015
Three members of the Outer Temple Health & Safety team are currently engaged in the three month inquest arising out of the July 2009 tower block fire at Lakanal House, Camberwell, South London, in which six residents tragically died. Ben Compton QC and James Leonard, leading Robert Dickason, represent two of the construction companies involved.
News 13 Feb, 2013
