Matthew White
Call 1997 (Gray’s Inn)
Appointments Junior Counsel to the Crown (2002)
Qualifications MA (Oxon)
Professional Memberships Personal Injury Bar Association; Employment Law Bar Association
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Personal Injury
Matthew spent his first years of practice in chambers in London. He moved to Bristol at the end of 1999 and has practised at St John’s Chambers since then.
The bulk of his practice is in personal injury work, and he routinely deals with all aspects of such litigation for both Claimants and Defendants (his practice being split roughly equally between Claimant and Defendant work). The types of work dealt with most frequently are:-
- Employers’ Liability
- Public Liability
- Industrial Injuries and Diseases
- Road Traffic Accidents
- Tripping and Slipping cases
- Occupiers’ Liability
- Inquests
Some of Matthew’s particular interests are dealt with under sub-headings below.
Inquests
Matthew regularly conducts inquests for families and other interested parties. He deals with death in custody (article 2) inquests regularly. Other recent inquests of note include:-
- Represented main contractor in a case concerning a death on a multi-occupancy construction site with a view to ensuring that subsequent civil liability did not rest with the main contractor.
- Represented family in a case concerning a fall from scaffolding with a view to setting up a civil claim (which was subsequently settled).
- Represented family of a patient who was neglected so as to be able to take her own life when in psychiatric hospital (with a view to setting up a civil claim which was subsequently settled).
- Represented statutory undertaker in claim involving death caused by their plant.
Workplace accidents
A large proportion of Matthew’s practice concerns injuries sustained at work, particularly manual handling claims and cases concerning defective work equipment.
Matthew deals with construction/building disputes (see below) and has an appreciation of the realities of building site work as well as a good knowledge of the Construction Regulations as they apply to personal injury cases.
Occupational Illnesses
Matthew regularly undertakes work across the spectrum of occupational illness litigation, particularly asbestos related conditions, work related upper limb disorders, and noise-induced hearing loss. Recent example cases include:-
- Acoustic shock claims (including a call-centre and military equipment).
- An unusual WRULD claim in which a claimant claimed to have sustained carpal tunnel. syndrome (rather than the usual vibration white finger) through exposure to vibrations.
- Routine claims concerning asbestos related conditions. Liability is typically resolved by agreement, but Matthew advises claimants and defendants on choice of parties to involve in such claims, and routinely deals with value (including the need for apportionment of damages awards for approval in claims involving infant dependents).
Matthew’s practice in employment law in addition to that in personal injury has led to a particular practice in stress at work claims including advice on choice of jurisdiction (particularly for claimants), dealing with the issues such as abuse of process which might arise when a claimant brings a claim in more than one jurisdiction (particularly for defendants), and valuing personal injury and employment claims in the light of the existence of more than one claim.
Trippers/ slippers
Matthew has a specialism in highways, a topic on which he regularly speaks. He is particularly interested in the distinctions between ways which are not highways, highways, and highways maintainable at public expense (and the different legal principles which apply in each instance). For a reported example see Young v. Merthyr Tydfil CBC [2009] PIQR P23.
Matthew regularly represents a number of local authorities and statutory undertakers in claims concerning accidents on the highway.
He also regularly deals with tripping/slipping claims in workplace/ occupiers’ liability situations.
Quantum issues
All issues of valuing claims are regularly dealt with in practice. Matthew has an interest in the issue of interim payments in claims where a periodical payment order is likely and arguments are raised concerning over-capitalisation so as to prevent a PPO being feasible.
Matthew enjoys tricky maths, and regularly deals with awkward calculations in substantial cases.
Miscellaneous
In the early years of practice Matthew dealt with a large volume of credit hire litigation, and he continues to undertake such work, generally in higher value claims.
He is regularly instructed in low velocity impact road traffic claims, and is used to dealing with the expert medical and engineering evidence often obtained in such cases. He also has experience of phantom passenger claims and allegations of exaggeration.
Matthew has experience in costs issues, including costs issues associated with conditional fee claims. In addition to routine summary assessments of costs, he undertakes detailed costs assessments when required.
Matthew has conducted a number of CRU appeals and criminal injury compensation claims and he regularly speaks on current PI topics.
Direct Access
Matthew is qualified to undertake Direct Access work in appropriate cases, for further information, please visit our Direct Access page.
Publications
- Climbing accidents – the duty and standard of care, September 2011
Recommendations
Chambers UK 2012
- Matthew climbs in the rankings, commanding respect for his thoroughness and his clear strategic view of a case. Clients appreciate the “excellent attention to detail” instanced by his written briefs. His diverse practice includes EL/PL, accident and disease claims. Recently he has been defending a client whose employee developed carpal tunnel syndrome whilst undertaking building work.
Chambers UK 2011
- Matthew White wins plaudits for his hard work and “extremely good eye for detail.”
Matthew also practices in Employment Law and Construction Law.
