Paul Kirtley

Call 1982

kirtley@exchangechambers.co.uk

"Paul demonstrates an immediate grasp of the issues in a case. He combines strategic and tactical awareness with great client care."

The Legal 500 2024
Photo of Paul Kirtley

Personal Injury

Considered as one of the leading civil practitioners on the North Eastern Circuit, Paul undertakes work in all areas of the personal injury field and is highly experienced in complex, high value claims. He specialises in:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury / Head Injury claims
  • Spinal Cord claims – Paraplegia and Tetraplegia
  • Upper and Lower Limb Amputee and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome claims
  • Serious Road Traffic Accidents: involving difficult liability issues / contested accident reconstruction evidence.
  • Fatal Accidents Act claims
  • Industrial accidents involving Work at Height claims
  • ‘Dangerous Sports’ claims – motor racing, hang gliding, motor-cross, rallying and motorcycling
  • Serious Orthopaedic Injury
  • Psychiatric Injury
  • Industrial Disease litigation involving HAVS (VWF) and Asbestos Exposure claims, Noise Induced Loss, Dermatitis, Occupational Asthma, work-related Stress and work-related Upper Limb Disorders
  • Claims for abuse suffered in care.
  • Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals
  • Cross border claims (Rome II etc)
  • Cauda Equina claims

Approachable yet analytical, Paul is well known for his friendly and collaborative manner. His effective advocacy style has translated well to the area of Joint Settlement Meetings and negotiated settlements. He has a proven track record in achieving excellent outcomes for his clients.

Often engaged as a senior junior leading more junior counsel in complex claims, he is described as “streets ahead of a number of silks” by one of his instructing solicitors.

Paul uses his experience as an Accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator (10+ years) and his judicial experiences as sitting as a Recorder since 1998 to inform and guide his approach to challenging cases.

Paul provides in-house training and other training events to solicitors and other organisations, attracting Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) CPD accreditation.

Personal Injury Cases

Paul is regularly instructed on a range of high value claims relating to both personal injury and clinical negligence.  Over the last 3 years, he has finalised more than £30 million of claims.  His highest recorded settlement is circa £10 million. Subject to the particular circumstances of any given case, Paul’s cases generally have a value of over £100,000.

 Illustrative recent cases include:

Acting for the claimant in double amputee case – settled for £4 million

Acting for the claimant – client sustained an arm injury and was no longer able to conduct their job in Royal Protection Group. Case settled for just under £1 million after originally being valued at £30k.

Acting for the claimant – Armed police officer involved in road traffic accident. Unable to continue with role and retired in ill health. Case Settled for £1.7 million.

Acting for the claimant in a successful high value maritime personal injury claim – involving complex evidence and negotiations with a range of maritime experts. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the mediation was conducted remotely.

Successfully mediated a high value personal injury claim with eight parties from around the UK and the Isle of Man participating remotely.

Acting for the first British man to be fitted with a bionic ‘Michelangelo hand’ following a serious industrial accident.

Establishing breach of duty and achieving a seven figure settlement for a Hang Glider who crashed to the ground whilst under training.

Securing a seven figure settlement for a scaffolding worker in a case in which liability was fiercely contested.

Acting in a complex child brain injury case – with issues including pre-existing behavioural difficulties and securing a favourable outcome in a partial liability claim through a collaborative relationship with the defendant.

Acting for the claimant in a complex medical negligence claim relating to myositis ossificans – after a week-long trial on causation a successful outcome was achieved.

Roadgang operative struck whilst engaged on the highway leading to severe brain injury and orthopaedic injuries. Liability split, required innovative approach to Periodic Payments and their relationship with statutory funding.

Drowning leading to hypoxia – issue over claimant being in a low state of awareness as opposed to a persistent vegetative state – applicability of domiciliary over residential care – successful outcome valued at £6.5 million on lump sum basis.