Charlie Sparling

Charlie is regularly instructed to conduct High Court budgeting hearings, attend detailed assessments at the SCCO, and advise on costs recovery issues on behalf of both Claimants and Defendants.

Charlie recently appeared in the matter of Hassan v Rygor [2019] QB (Master Brown), in which he successfully resisted an application for a substantial interim payment on account of costs where liability was admitted.

Charlie is recognised as a leading junior in both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. He appears for Claimants and Defendants, regularly advising on liability in serious or fatal EL/PL and RTA matters. His work includes accidents resulting in brain injury, amputation and reduced life expectancy.

Charlie has a particular specialism acting in cases involving pain conditions, including Chronic Pain and associated disorders such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.

Examples of recent work include:

• L (a minor) v ST [2020](QB) Charlie acts for the Defendant insurer in this RTA matter concerning a minor who sustained life-changing brain injury, partial loss of vision and multiple skull fractures in 2015. The matter is pleaded at £1.5 million and will be listed for trial in 2021.
• Eccleshall v Haworth [2020] (QB) Charlie acts for the Defendant in this High Court RTA claim matter pleaded in excess of £2.5 million.
• Ramirez v First Eastern Counties (QB) (Liability judgement, David Pittaway QC LTL 31/10/2017), Charlie acted for the Claimant in this complex brain-injury matter, in which liability was established in a split trial in 2017. Claim involved 12 medical experts, with evidence touching on brain injury classification, validity/effort testing and audio-vestibular sequelae.
• Tims v Developing London [2019] (CC) Acting for the Defendant, Charlie appeared for the Defendant in this liability and quantum claim in which fundamental dishonesty was advanced in relation to both accident mechanism and the Claimant’s presentation to the medical experts.
• Mulroue v Fermor and Others [2018], London CC (HHJ Freeland QC). Charlie successfully acted for the Claimant in this multi-party “road rage” matter, in which the Defendant driver alleged that his negligent actions had been incited by the Second Defendant.

Charlie has specialised in multi-track County and High Court personal injury and clinical negligence actions for the past several years. He has particular interest in matters involving complex causation and quantum issues, particularly somatoform and chronic pain conditions.

Charlie has represented families and other properly interested persons at inquests, including those relating directly to standards of medical and supervisory care provided to elderly patients.

His general experience in clinical negligence matters includes pleading, advising on quantum and/or merits on paper, and dealing with the general interlocutory stages at court, including costs and case management hearings. That experience includes matters involving birth injuries, surgical problems and errors in diagnosis.

Charlie also undertakes inquest work on behalf of both claimants and defendants.

• Leadbetter v Sheffield CC and Amey HallamEWHC QB [2017]
• Keeble (deceased) v. East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust EWHC QB [2017]
• Anderson v Kent CC and OrsHC EWHC QB [2016] (led by Jane McNeill QC)
• Douglas v UK Athletics (1) Coni Sevizi SpA (2)[2016] (led by Ben Collins QC)
• Martin v British PetroleumEWHC QB [2015] (led by Nigel Cooksley QC)
• Bear v Fulton and Baxter[2015] 1 C.M.L.R. 40 (acting at EAT level in conjunction with Michael Ford QC)
• Abecrombie and Ors v Rangemaster [2013] EWCA CIV 1148 (led by Oliver Segal QC)
• Vignakumar v Churchill Group LtdUKEAT/0222/12/LA, 2013, WL 3450754
• Douglas v O’Neill [2011] EWHC 601 (QB) (at Court of Protection stage in conjunction with Ben Collins QC)
• Vignakumar v. Churchill Group LtdUKEAT/0222/12/LA
• Martin v. British Petroleum PlcEWHC QB [2013]
• Sobhi v. Commissioner of the Police of the MetropolisUKEAT/0518/12/BA (as remitted)
• Hickling v. Skanska Group Plc (led by Jane McNeill QC)