Darren Hughes

Get to know Darren

Since qualifying as a solicitor in 2005 I have practiced solely within the field of personal injury litigation. I now specialise in high-value claims and I act for clients who have sustained serious injuries such spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations and complex orthopaedic injuries. These injuries can be life-changing not only for my clients but also for their immediate families who are often the unseen victims.

I am passionate about ensuring that my clients get the compensation awards and rehabilitation that they need and deserve, including interim payments whenever possible.

During my career I have recovered tens of millions of pounds of compensation for my clients to help pay for their care packages, adapted accommodation and disabled equipment as they move forward with their lives.

Career highlights

Some of my most recent settlements include:

• An 18 year old lady travelling as the front seat passenger in a car which came off the road and collided with a tree rendering my client tetraplegic. Interim payments were secured in order to provide my client with suitably adapted housing, equipment and a care package whilst the claim was ongoing, together with support from a case manager. The claim was settled by negotiation in the sum of £13.25 million.
• A 47-year-old cyclist who was in collision with a car which emerged without warning from a side junction, rendering my client tetraplegic. Liability was disputed by the Defendant and the claim was listed for a split trial on liability only, but on the steps of the court the Defendant accepted primary liability. An interim payment was secured for my client to pay for housing adaptions whilst settlement negotiations were underway. The claim was settled in the sum of £12.8 million.
• A 55-year lady struck who was struck by a falling tree whilst jogging along a country lane which rendered her paraplegic. Liability was strongly disputed by the Defendant, but I obtained strong expert evidence from an arboriculturist to support my client’s claim. Liability was eventually conceded by the Defendant and the claim was settled by negotiation in the sum of £3.8 million.
• A 22-year-old lady rendered paraplegic after the car in which she was travelling as a front seat passenger came off the road on a bend and overturned into a river. Primary liability was accepted by the Defendant but with allegations of contributory negligence made against my client. The claim was settled by negotiation in the sum of £2.2 million.
• A 55-year-old man who sustained a traumatic amputation of a foot after being struck by a forklift truck at work. Liability was conceded by the Defendant and the claim was settled in the sum of £1.4 million.

Recognition

I have been recognised by the Legal 500 independent legal guide as a 'Recommended Lawyer'.

The extra mile

I am a Special Adviser and former Vice-Chair of the Spinal Injuries Association and I am a Trustee and former Chair of the Ethos Group housing charity for people with spinal injuries.

I am also a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).