Richard Crabtree

Get to know Richard

I qualified in 1993 and have worked in personal injury since qualification. I have done a lot of catastrophic injury claims, particularly those involving brain and spinal injury injury, recovering in excess of £150million in compensation.

I have previously worked in several city centre practices focusing on acting for individuals who have suffered serious injury. The claims have predominantly been for people who have suffered brain injury, ranging from subtle brain injury to those requiring 24/7 care.

I am currently the Co-ordinator of APIL’s Brain Injury Special Interest Group offering training on issues related to brain injury / serious injury.

Career highlights

I have always been willing to fight hard for clients to get the best result.

Reported cases include:-

• Sedge v Prime (2011) Lawtel 31st January
• Sedge v Prime (IP) (2012)EWHC 3460(QB)
• Knight v White (IP) Westlaw (2019) 4 WLUK 367
• Connor v Castle Cement and Ors (2016) EWHC 300 (QB)
• Armstrong v Richardson (2014)EWHC 3306 (QC)
• McCarthy v Grimes and MIB (2012)EWHC 1847
• McDermott v Petit (2011) EWHC 3074

A notable case I've worked on involved a young man with a brain injury who was in a wheelchair and dysphasic. He had been in a care home for several years with his care fully funded by the statutory services.

Following a trial on liability, we obtained a judgement of 75 per cent in his favour.

We then secured an interim payment to put in place a support worker and therapies that improved his quality of life and showed that he responded well.

A best interest meeting with the staff, case manager, and therapist, concluded that his best interest would be served by living in his own property with support.

We managed to secure substantial funding to allow us to rent and adapt a property and put in place a fully funded care regime on a private basis, having a real and significant impact on his quality of life.

Whereas before he was left for long periods on his own in the care home, with the care package that we initiated we were able to respond to his needs and wishes, taking him out on visits both in the locality and with family.

The extra mile

I have provided education and training in my field both to professionals and case managers. Up until 2022 was co-ordinator of APIL’s Brain Injury Special Interest Group. I was also on the organising committee for APIL’s Brain and Spinal injury Conference.

I work closely with charities, particularly Child Brain Injury Trust, and was secretary at the CBIT group at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for over ten years. I continue to fundraise for the charity and organise an annual curry night that has been going for 20 years.

I am also Chair of charity, Aftermath Support who assist victims of road traffic collisions in Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire.