Timothy Meakin
Year of call
1989
Instructing Timothy Meakin
For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.
Timothy Meakin is a leading barrister who specialises in Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury matters.
He is a specialist in clinical negligence and personal injury law and is instructed by claimants, the NHSR, insurers and defence organisations. He has a wide-ranging practice, representing clients in all parts of the country and he is considered to be a formidable advocate and negotiator, who pays close attention to detail and who is also assiduous in managing his clients’ particular requirements. His main areas of practice are high value and complex clinical negligence cases, both on liability and quantum issues, in addition to serious personal injury cases, including a sub-specialism in sports related injuries, workplace and military related injuries.
He also has a particular interest in wider sports law cases and has represented many sports personnel and sporting bodies on disciplinary issues, anti-doping, selection disputes and child protection. He has served on legal advice committees for the Commonwealth Games. In addition, he has contributed to leading publications in his specialist fields of practice, in addition to providing seminars for solicitors and other organisations on selected topics.
He also sat for five years as a part-time Tribunal Judge for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal. His specialism and expertise are recognised within the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners’ rankings.
Legal Expertise
Clinical Negligence
Clinical Negligence
Timothy’s experience in clinical negligence and healthcare work is extensive, both in advice, arbitrations, and representation at trial. He routinely advises and represents claimants and healthcare organisations on maximum severity injury claims with associated high level awards. His recent case law history demonstrates his experience in dealing with high value claims. This area of work includes:
- Neonatal and perinatal injuries (in particular cerebral palsy, Erb’s Palsy, paraplegia and quadriplegia) and wrongful birth claims.
- Neurology, including adverse outcomes of neuro-surgery, brain injury, cauda equina, CNS injury.
- Obstetrics, gynaecology and fetal medicine.
- General surgery-including bowel, intestinal and related complications arising from surgery.
- Orthopaedics, including foot, ankle, knee injuries, upper limb and spinal injuries.
- General Practice, negligence arising from delayed referral and late diagnosis of complex conditions.
- Oncology, including all aspects of breach of duty and causation of injury caused by late diagnosis of serious oncological conditions.
- Claims based on associated sub-specialisms including cardiology, renal/hepatic pathology, psychiatry, and consent to treatment issues.
- Fatal Accident Act claims based on the above, including representation at Inquests.
Timothy has a special interest in birth related injuries and associated severe brain injury cases. He acts for both claimants and defendant organisations. The value of the claims settled or obtained at judgment is in the region of £250,000 to £16.25 million.
Notable Clinical Negligence cases
S v Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust [2024]
The claimant suffered a loss of vision and associated cognitive deficits as a result of the negligently late diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). Proceedings were brought against two defendants and liability was denied, but the claim settled on payment of £3m.
GO v Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust [2024]
Liability only case of negligent failure to act on an arrested labour and to perform a caesarean section in 2009, which resulted in severe neurological injuries to the claimant. Settled and approved on a 85: 15% basis in the claimant's favour.
D v Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2024]
Liability and quantum settlement relating to the defendant's negligent failure to anticoagulate the claimant following admission for symptoms indicative of a stroke. The delay led to a stroke which resulted in left sided paralysis and permanent cognitive deficits. The case was settled at a mediation at £1.75m.
R v North West Anglia Foundation Trust [2024]
In this Fatal Accidents Act 1976 case, the deceased presented at the defendant's hospital with acute chest pain and ST elevation. There was a negligent failure to admit and investigate the deceased, who subsequently died soon afterwards of an acute aortic dissection. The claim was settled for the claimant and the dependents at £667,500.
E v University College Hospitals Trust [2024]
A negligent failure to diagnose and treat the over-prescription of hydrocortisone in 2016. This resulted in the claimant suffering an adrenal crisis and failure, and being prescribed lifelong steroid replacement, with associated symptoms, including Cushingoid features. The claim settled at £520,000.
S v Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2023]
Liability only case relating to the negligent failure to expedite the delivery of the claimant, in a high risk pregnancy in 2018. Delay led to an hypoxic ischaemia episode resulting in cerebral palsy. Liability admitted 90%: 10% in the Claimant's favour and approved by the Court.
ABC v Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust [2023]
The claimant, a protected party, suffered permanent severe neurological deficits as a result of a negligent failure to make a diagnosis following repeated stroke related symptoms. The settlement at £229,000 lump sum and £150,000 pa periodical payments was approved by the Court.
Personal Injury
Personal Injury
Timothy is a specialist in high value death and personal injury claims, in particular as he has regular trial experience, which is invaluable in assessing both litigation risk and the value of claims in general. His expertise is in the following areas, representing both individuals, companies and other organisations. He is noted as a specialist within the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
He has an extensive practice in severe traumatic injury and fatal accident cases and undertakes serious personal injury work from county court to appellate level, on behalf of claimants and defendants. His personal injury practice includes three sub-specialties of claims; first, claims against the Ministry of Defence relating to serious injury incurred in the course of service by military, RAF and naval personnel. Secondly, as part of his specialist sports law practice, serious personal injury and clinical negligence claims incurred by sports personnel. Thirdly, group actions relating to damages for historical abuse against local authorities.
Timothy also appears before disciplinary tribunals and at inquests in relation to all such claims.
Severe Traumatic Injury in UK and Europe: Timothy has developed an extensive specialist practice in serious personal injury and fatal accident cases, from county court to appellate level, which he undertakes on behalf of both Claimants and Defendants. This area of his practice concentrates on serious trauma in the workplace and public areas (EL/PL). In addition he is regularly instructed on catastrophic traumatic injuries to the brain and spine from industrial accidents, military accidents (to service personnel), and road traffic accidents. Timothy’s severe road traffic injury practice incorporates disputes on jurisdiction/forum of a claim, including the judgments regulation regime and applicable law (under the Rome II/Brussels I and II Treaties) in relation to accidents in Europe.
Claims Against the Ministry of Defence: Timothy has a long established specialist practice in clinical negligence and personal injury actions against the Ministry of Defence in relation to death or serious injury suffered by members of the armed forces. The particulars of his practice are set out below.
Sport Related Personal Injury: Timothy specialises in advising and representing individual sports personnel, clubs and sports governing bodies on high value complex sports related injury, including both on-field injury arising from negligent play, but also the injury caused by the alleged negligence of medical and coaching staff.
Product Liability: Timothy advises and represents parties in relation to product liability cases, in particular in relation to medically related defective products and defective foodstuffs.
Immigration Related Damages: Timothy advises on a range of issues relating to personal injuries sustained whilst applicants have been unlawfully detained, or removed from the jurisdiction, including severe psychiatric injuries, leading to awards of damages for pain and suffering in addition to exemplary and aggravated damages awards.
Mesothelioma & Asbestos Related Death & Injury: Timothy has extensive experience in these types of work-place industrial disease claims, including Fatal Accidents Act and Law Reform (MP) Act 1934 claims, and in particular advising on “lost years” cases for reduced life expectancy.
Notable Personal Injury cases
H v Ministry of Defence [2024]
A liability and quantum claim relating to the failure to provide a safe system of work for a chef on a submarine, who suffered acute eczema on his hands from excessive use of cleaning products. The symptoms were sufficiently severe to result in a medical discharge from the Royal Navy and a consequent loss of earnings: Settled at £200,000.
T v Hilton Hotels [2023]
A trial before HHJ. Glen at Southampton County Court on behalf of the defendant. The claimant suffered what was claimed as a severe debilitating hand injury. Medical and other evidence challenged her honesty and judgment was given in favour of the defendant on the basis that the claimant was fundamentally dishonest and the claim was dismissed.
A v Hamza [2023]
A claim for damages for injury sustained in a road traffic accident, with liability eventually admitted. The claimant suffered multiple fractures, including to his spine and frontal sinus. He also suffered permanent symptoms from a bowel injury, with additional permanent anaemia. Settled at £350,000.
P v Ministry of Defence [2023]
The claimant was serving in the army and provided with accommodation that was insanitary and damp as a result of which she was diagnosed with asthma and consequential respiratory symptoms. The symptoms were sufficiently severe that the claimant was medically discharged from the army with a consequent loss of army career earnings. Settled at £200,000.
B v Ministry of Defence: [2023] [HHJ Khan]
A limitation trial relating to an injury suffered by the claimant in the course of her army service. The defendant alleged that the claim was time barred and the claimant relied upon s.33 of the Limitation Act 1980 to disapply the limitation period. Following a 3-day trial with 7 witnesses the Court found in the claimant’s favour and the case was permitted to proceed on to a liability and quantum trial.
Sports Law
Sports Law
Timothy has a specialist interest in sports law, accepting instructions from sportsmen and major sporting bodies on a wide variety of cases, relating to injury, professional negligence and disciplinary matters.
Timothy’s practice covers various aspects of sports law, including:
- specialist personal injury and professional negligence issues, against clubs, medical personnel and physiotherapists/coaches
- disciplinary cases, and in particular doping in sport cases
- child protection issues
In particular he accepts instructions from sports personnel and major sporting bodies, (including the Rugby Football League, UK Athletics, Premier League, British Bobsleigh Association and other sports governing bodies) providing both advice and representation in courts and tribunals. He has extensive experience of managing high value injury claims of this type both in advice and representation at trial. He has represented a number of sports personnel on sports-related cases in 2017-2018, including the British Bobsleigh Association at trial in 2018. Timothy successfully represented a UK Athletics Coach in a professional negligence action brought by an international athlete. (Davenport v Farrow [2010] EWHC 550). In addition, Timothy successfully defended an action at trial brought against British Cycling, which alleged negligence in the management and implementation of a UK Road Race. (B v (1) Brent (2) British Cycling Federation Ltd (2011) HHJ Atkins).
Timothy also undertakes a wide range of disciplinary cases and has advised on disciplinary proceedings brought before various sports governing bodies, including the Football Association, the Rugby Football League, British Gymnastics and the British Canoe Union. Timothy specialises in anti-doping cases, including representation of athletes and sports personnel before the National Anti-doping Panel (NADP)and the Appeals Panel. Clients include national athletes, rowers ice hockey players charged with multiple doping offences relating to steroid use in sport. Tim also writes and speaks on issues relating to Sports Law and he is a member of Lawinsport, including:
- Chairing the expert doping panel seminar at the 2017 Lawinsport Conference
- Article Lawinsport [2017] “Confidential data leaks – what are the vicarious liability risks for sports organisations?”
- Article Lawinsport [2015] “Prosecuting historic doping: Why the 2015 WADA Code’s new limitation period is an opportunity missed?”
- Article; BASL [2015] – “The Evolving Legal Issues in Rugby Related Neuro-trauma”
- Speaker at a BASL North Sports Law Conference in 2014- traumatic neuro-injury in sport
Notable Sports Law cases
In Re X v Commonwealth Games Federation [2024]
The athlete/respondent was represented in antidoping proceedings relating to an adverse analytical finding following testing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The analytical result was challenged as well as sanction, particularly as the athlete was a medal winner. The case was determined on a reduction of sanction from 4 years ineligibility down to 3 years ineligibility.
W v King [2023] EWHC 380
The claimant was injured by an unlawful and dangerous tackle by the defendant in a game of rugby union. She suffered a spinal injury and was rendered paraplegic and wheelchair dependent. A liability only trial found judgment for the claimant (with R. Weir KC).
H v A Premiership Rugby Club, and others [2021]
A clinical negligence claim relating to a brain injury suffered by premiership rugby player, and returned to play prematurely leading to permanent neurological symptoms. Liability not admitted but settled at £600,000.
UK Anti-Doping v R [2021]
Welsh rugby union player charged with anti-doping offences including failure to provide a sample. Fully contested hearing in defence of the player and acquitted of all charges.
UK Anti-Doping v R [2021] Appeal
An appeal on behalf of a rugby union player charged with anti-doping offence and heard before the National Anti-Doping Appeals Panel at a full hearing
Instructing Timothy Meakin
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