Victoria Webb

Victoria regularly represents bereaved families and other interested persons at inquests, including jury and Article 2 inquests. She has acted in inquests into work-related accidents, industrial disease, road traffic accidents, prison deaths (including suspected suicides), hospital deaths, and suspected suicides in the community.

She is currently instructed as one of the junior counsel for the Home Office on the Undercover Policing Inquiry, providing advice and representation.

Recent Inquest experience includes:

• Representing a cardiothoracic surgeon at an inquest into the death of a patient who died from complications following coronary artery bypass surgery;
• Representing a GP doctor at an inquest into the death of a patient with a complex mental health background who died from suicide at home;
• Representing the Ministry of Defence in a long-running inquest into the suspected suicide of an army veteran. The Coroner conducted a wide-ranging examination of systems and practices for preventing and treating mental health issues arising from combat-related trauma, transition to civilian life and healthcare, aftercare and financial packages for veterans medically discharged from the armed forces, and the availability and quality of NHS mental health care for veterans;
• Representing the family of a university student who committed suicide just prior to undertaking a set of exams. The Coroner examined the actions of the university and NHS mental health teams and the communication between the two and noted missed opportunities to intervene.

Victoria’s busy personal injury practice comprises drafting, advisory and advocacy for claimants and defendants in fast and multi-track trials and other hearings. She has solid experience in employer’s liability, public liability, defective premises and RTA matters, and cases raising issues of exaggeration or fundamental dishonesty. She is experienced in higher value multi-track claims, including those involving chronic pain and fatal accidents, and those involving psychiatric injury. She also has experience of claims concerning non-recent sexual grooming and abuse of minors (acting for both Claimants and Defendants).

Victoria has regularly appeared at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal tribunal, on both eligibility and quantum appeals, and has represented the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) at the Court of Appeal on a case involving analysis of Human Rights Act 1998 damages. She also has solid inquest experience (including jury inquests and Article 2 inquests).

Recent and notable cases include:

• R (on the application of AXO) v First-tier Tribunal [2022] UKUT 265 (AAC) (case pending appeal): represented CICA, the interested party, in relation to whether Human Rights Act damages obtained by AXO are subject to the recoupment provisions in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2008. AXO’s mother had been killed in a criminal attack, following which AXO had been awarded a CICA award and had received damages as a result of the settlement of her claim against various public bodies for breach of her rights under ECHR articles 2 and 3;
• Stephenson v First-tier Tribunal and Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority [2024] UKUT 84 (AAC): represented the CICA, the interested party, in case concerning meaning of the phrase “other resultant losses” within the meaning of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001;
• TH v First-tier Tribunal [2022] UKUT 87 (AAC): represented CICA, the interested party, in relation to whether working tax credit is a social security benefit within the meaning of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2008;
• V v A former employer: Claimant with pre-existing health conditions claimed she was rendered housebound by the lack of a suitable ergonomic chair at work, and claimed a substantial 7-figure sum. Victoria (later led by James Hurd) represented the former employer at interim hearings, and advised and drafted court documents (the case settled);
• A v An insurance company: represented at a 7-day trial a Claimant suffering from a chronic pain condition, namely fibromyalgia, claiming over £200,000 in compensation following a road traffic accident. The central issues at trial were medical causation, and the extent of her disability (surveillance evidence was produced by the Defendant);
• Murray v Devenish [2018] EWHC 1895 QB: nine-day High Court trial of sexual abuse allegations from the 1970s (led by Mary O’Rourke KC), which involved an interlocutory appeal concerning substitution of medical expert (Murray v Devenish [2017] EWCA Civ 1016);
• Stoute v LTA [2015] 1 WLR 79: represented the Claimant at the Court of Appeal, unled, in this appeal concerning the erroneous service of a claim form by the court.

Victoria accepts instructions on a conditional fee basis.

She is a member of the Personal Injuries Bar Association.

Victoria is instructed by Claimants and Defendants in a broad range of medical matters. She has drafted pleadings, advised, and acted in matters relating to dental treatment, delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, infection control, failed surgical procedures and informed consent.

She is a member of the Professional Negligence Bar Association.

• R (on the application of AXO) v First-tier Tribunal and Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority [2024] EWCA Civ 226: represented the CICA, the interested party, in this significant case concerning recoupment of Human Rights Act damages from CICA awards made to family members who had been bereaved as a result of a violent crime. The Court of Appeal set out guidance concerning the nature of damages for breaches of ECHR rights, and how to determine whether there is double recovery between CICA awards and Convention rights;
• Stephenson v First-tier Tribunal and Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority [2024] UKUT 84 (AAC): represented the CICA, the interested party, in case concerning meaning of the phrase “other resultant losses” within the meaning of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001;
• TH v First-tier Tribunal [2022] UKUT 87 (AAC): represented CICA, the interested party, in relation to whether working tax credit is a social security benefit within the meaning of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2008;
• Q v Secretary of State for Justice [2020] All ER (D) 83 (Jan): represented Respondent to an appeal before the Employment Appeal Tribunal which raised Article 8 privacy rights arguments in the context of unfair dismissal;
• Murray v Devenish [2018] EWHC 1895 QB: nine-day High Court trial of sexual abuse allegations from the 1970s (led by Mary O’Rourke KC);
• Murray v Devenish [2017] EWCA Civ 1016: appeal against case management decision to refuse substitution of medical expert;
• British Gas Trading Limited v Lock and another, [2016] 2 ICR 503. Represented Mr Lock as junior counsel in this leading holiday pay case concerning the treatment of “results-based commission” in the calculation of holiday pay;
• Stoute v. LTA Operations Ltd t/a Lawn Tennis Association, [2015] 1 WLR 79. Successfully represented Claimant as sole counsel at Court of Appeal in interlocutory matter concerning whether service of a claim form had been valid in circumstances where the County Court had served a claim form despite a request for solicitor service.

• ARDL Quarterly Bulletin Summer 2024 tribute to Mary O’Rourke KC
• Court of Appeal delivers judgment in significant case concerning recoupment of Human Rights Act damages from awards under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2008
• Victoria Webb and Bruno Gil feature in the AvMA Newsletter – November 2023
• Victoria Webb appointed Assistant Coroner
• Event: Old Square Chambers speaking at “Personal Injury Update 2021- Online Half Day Conference” on behalf of The Legal Training Consultancy