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, hospital deaths, and suspected suicides.

Recent cases include:

• Represented 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;

• Represented 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;

• Represented the Ministry of Justice at a jury inquest into the suspected suicide of a prisoner. The Coroner conducted a detailed examination of the policies, procedures and actions of healthcare, custodial and probation staff at the prison, and the extent of communication between the various staff of raised markers for suicide and self-harm;

• Represented the bereaved family at inquest concerning a multi-vehicle road traffic accident.

She is currently instructed as one of the junior counsel for the Home Office on the Undercover Policing Inquiry, reviewing and advising on disclosure and evidence, and attending evidential hearings.

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. Cases include:

• Advice to a Claimant arising out of mismanagement of a stoma site requiring surgical intervention and causing significant pain, trauma and distress;

• A high-value brain injury claim arising out of alleged negligent handling of Claimant’s birth (junior to Ben Collins KC);

• A multi-track matter relating to alleged failure to diagnose soldier’s PTSD following tour of duty;

• A multiple-claimant High Court claim against a dentist, a dental nurse and the dental practice, arising out of alleged failures to follow infection control procedures;

• A high-value military claim arising from the long-term management of compartment syndrome raising allegations of negligence in both primary and secondary healthcare (junior to Ben Collins KC).

She is a member of the Professional Negligence Bar Association.

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 is also experienced in relation to claims concerning non-recent sexual grooming and abuse of minors in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s by employees or volunteers in school and club settings (acting for both Claimants and Defendants). She was junior counsel for the Claimant, led by Mary O’Rourke KC, in a nine-day High Court trial of historical sexual abuse claims in a Catholic seminary school in the 1970s; and has represented Defendant organisations in high value matters.

Victoria has regularly appeared at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal tribunal, on both eligibility and quantum appeals, most recently representing the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) at both First-tier and Upper Tribunal hearings. 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;

• 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);

• Represented an injured construction worker Claimant in a multi-track trial where the Defendant “reserved the right” to make a submission of fundamental dishonesty in relation to elements of the claim (no such finding was made);

• 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;

• 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 experienced in professional regulatory work, having represented practitioners at tribunals for all the main healthcare regulators as well as at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. She has advised and defended Registrants at interim and final hearings facing a range of allegations, including perjury, dishonesty, sexual and other types of misconduct towards colleagues, lack of competence, and various health-related concerns. She has also acted at review hearings.

She has experience of judicial review proceedings to challenge non-appealable sanctions. She has acted as junior in a high-value professional negligence claim focusing on legal advice that had been given on prospects of appeal following the dentist client’s erasure.

Victoria’s practice previously had a focus on employment law for several years which experience complements her regulatory law practice.

Recent cases include:

• Health and Care Professions Council: Represented Search and Rescue paramedic facing allegations of misconduct, including dishonesty, and poor performance, at both a preliminary and the final fitness to practise hearing. Succeeded in an application for the allegations of dishonesty to be dismissed after the close of the HCPC’s case, and the panel made a finding of no current impairment overall;

• General Medical Council: Represented consultant anaesthetist before a Medical Practitioners Tribunal, who was facing potentially career-ending allegations of dishonesty including perjury. Succeeded in application for proceedings to be dismissed after close of the GMC’s case;

• General Dental Council: Represented dentist at interim order hearing, obtained removal of interim conditions;

• General Medical Council: Represented a GP facing potential interim suspension pending investigation into a number of allegations of misconduct (including in relation to two child patients, and the signing of a death certificate with allegedly insufficient information). Panel made an order for interim conditions order rather than for suspension which had been sought. Subsequently represented the GP at an NHS Performers’ List Decision making Panel;

• Represented medical doctor before the Administrative Court seeking reconsideration of refusal of permission to challenge a warning imposed for misconduct by way of judicial review;

• Represented medical doctor at Interim Orders Tribunal in relation to conduct and health concerns arising out of an addiction to opioid medication;

• Represented physiotherapist at fitness to practice hearing before health committee in connection with mental-health condition. Panel concluded fitness to practise was not impaired;

• Represented a biomedical scientist accused of rushing sample analyses and not following infection control procedures. Panel concluded fitness to practise was not impaired;

• Represented physiotherapist who had retrospectively amended a patient record. Charge of dishonesty was not proved and panel, while making a finding of impairment, imposed no sanction.

She is a member of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers

• 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;

• 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 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 unled 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