John Davis

Get to know John

I have been representing clients who have suffered serious injuries, particularly those who have suffered life-changing neurological conditions, for over 30 years, and I have considerable experience in the field of complex personal injury litigation.

Clients are at the centre of what I do. I am fully committed to getting to know my clients and their needs and to obtaining funding at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure that they are able to receive the rehabilitation required to meet their life-long needs and to reach their best possible outcome and quality of life. During my career I have acted for hundreds of clients whom I have helped to achieve awards of damages totalling over £200 million.

Until 2016 I was the Regional Managing Partner at the Newcastle office of Irwin Mitchell and since then I have worked as a legal consultant, using my experience and expertise to help and support seriously injured people .

Career highlights

Each successful case is a highlight and I get great satisfaction from achieving a great outcome for each client. Some of the cases that I have handled during my career include:

• DR v L (and others) [2021] 8-figure compensation settlement for a pipelayer who sustained a life-changing spinal cord injury at work
• H v B [2015] £3.5 million compensation settlement for a lollipop lady hit by a car whilst stopping traffic
• OM v County Durham & Tees Valley Health Authority [2016] Successful settlement of a medical negligence case where a child suffered cerebral palsy
• PJ v. DH [2013] £6 million successful settlement involving a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury and above knee amputation
• GB v. LJ [2013] e£1.4 million lump sum settlement plus periodical payments of £67,000 per annum for life for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury.
• M v. SH [2013] £3 million lump sum compensation settlement for a client who suffered multiple disabling leg fractures
• LG v. KS [2012] £2.45 million lump sum settlement plus periodically payments of £135,000 initially, increasing to £156,000, per annum for a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury
• B v K [2010] Successful settlement of a case involving a client who suffered severe adult brain damage and paraplegia
• B v MIB [2010] £8.35 million settlement for tetraplegic Polish migrant worker injured in a road accident
• M v County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2009] Multi million pound settlement for a woman who was left with profound brain damage following a failure to diagnose a brain haemorrhage
• C v. D [2009] Successful settlement for a client who suffered severe brain damage and organic personality change and had complex care issues
• H v. H [2009] Successful settlement for a client who suffered severe infant brain damage where there was also a complex periodical payments dispute
• W v. C D & TVHA [2008] Successful settlement of a medical negligence claim where a birth injury had caused cerebral palsy
• D-C v A [2008] Successful settlement of a claim involving a teenager who suffered a catastrophic brain injury
• S v A [2006] Successful settlement of a claim involving a teenager who suffered a severe brain injury
• D v A [2005] Successful settlement of a claim involving a teenager who suffered tetraplegia as a result of a road traffic accident
• W v W [2002] Successful settlement of claim arising from serious brain injury following a road traffic accident
• O v M [2003] Successful settlement of a claim involving a client with complex brain and physical injuries
• S v. J [2001] Successful settlement of a claim involving a client who suffered a catastrophic head injury, which despite the defence of malingering, compensation was awarded at QB trial which exceeded the Part 36 offer as punitive interest was awarded

Recognition

I am accredited by the Association for Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) with three areas of specialism, as a Spinal Cord Injury Specialist, a Brain Injury Specialist and as a Personal Injury Specialist.

Additionally, I have been highly commended in independent legal guides, Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 for many years.

I am currently listed in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame, an elite group of lawyers who have received constant praise from their clients for continued excellence and who are at the pinnacle of their profession.

In the Chambers and Partners guide, I am ranked in the highest band. The 2022 edition states: “John Davis is a consultant within the team and has great depth of experience in complex personal injury work. He frequently handles brain and spinal injury claims connected with catastrophic RTAs and workplace incidents."

The extra mile

As well as representing my clients, I frequently deliver training, not only to other lawyers but also to healthcare and other professionals working in the field of rehabilitation.

I have also worked with a number of charities which support individuals who have sustained serious neurological injuries and in 2012 I was recognised for this work by being awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.