Michael practices largely in clinical negligence, but also advises and appears in all areas of personal injury work including the Coroner's Court, CICA and CRU appeals.

Particular areas of clinical negligence practice include

·Defective Blood Products

·Cauda Equina Syndrome

·Cerebral Palsy

·Failure to obtain informed Consent to treatment

·Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

·Dental Negligence

·Electrophysiology

·Removal of Ganglions

·Gastrointestinal and Genito-urinary Surgery (misdiagnosis of cirrhosis and peritonitis, unnecessary surgery, negligent exploratory laparotomy, complications in kidney stone removal)

·Hospital Acquired Infections

·Indemnity issues where clinical services have been contracted out

·Nursing Practice

·Neurology (misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment leading to brain injury and/or death)

·Oncology (errors in diagnosis and treatment, including administration of chemotherapy drugs via heart catheters)

·General Orthopaedic Surgery (including joint replacements and amputations)

·Prescription of excessive medication causing dependency

·Pressure sores

·Negligent Spinal Surgery

·Systemic failure within hospitals



Particular areas of personal injury work include

·Catastrophic injuries

·Fatal Accident Act / Law Reform Act claims

·Fraudulent insurance claims

·Industrial injury (deafness / asbestosis, dermatitis, occupational asthma and other disease claims/ general health and safety at work)

·Inquests

·Product liability and consumer protection

·Professional negligence in PI claims

·Public liability (including highways claims/occupiers' liability/defective premises and disrepair claims)

·Road traffic collisions (and particularly, motorcycle-related claims)

Michael has worked for Trade Union PI firms and Defendant insurers alike, and has a particular interest in issues of fraud surrounding road traffic related and other injury claims.

He therefore has extensive experience of the full spectrum of fraud issues that largely arise in personal injury, road traffic, employers’ liability and public liability claims, including:

·challenging expert engineering and medical evidence

·exaggerated injury and loss

·fraudulently damaged vehicles

·fraudulent hire agreements

·'ghost broking' and other motor insurance application fraud

·individual and large scale fraud investigations, including police operations

·indemnity cost issues, contempt applications and DPP referrals

·induced and staged collisions

·low velocity impacts

·phantom passengers

·withdrawal of indemnity and Financial Ombudsman Service issues

Michael is often instructed at the outset of fraud matters in order to provide detailed analysis of insurers’ intelligence and other evidence; to assist in formulating case strategy; to evaluate witnesses in conference; and undertake other advisory and drafting tasks, as well as to provide interlocutory and trial advocacy.



Direct Access

Michael undertakes Direct Access work, and has acted for both Claimants and Defendants in such capacity, as well as LSC, CFA and privately funded work.

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Interests

Being interested in winter and water sports, motorsports (track days / sports bikes), and Muay Thai; and having advanced PADI qualifications, Michael has a particular interest in sporting injuries, including motorcycle and scuba diving claims.

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