Frank Burton QC

Barrister Profile

Recognised in both the Legal 500 and the Chambers Directory as a “leading silk” in Personal Injury and in the Legal 500 as a 'leading silk' in Medical Negligence, Frank has an established practice in the areas of Personal Injury, Professional and Clinical Negligence. 

In Chambers & Partners 2008 Frank is described as “head and shoulders above the rest,”  and “is everything you could possibly want in a QC.” One of the undisputed leaders in the field, he is endorsed as “a polished performer with a formidable intellect.” He has acted in some of the most high-profile litigation in the field such as the pleural plaques test cases, Grieves v F T Everard and Son and Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co.

Frank was appointed as a Recorder in 1999 and was also Chairman of the Law Reform Committee of the Bar Council (2003 - 2005) and the Chairman of PIBA (2004-2006). He is a Bencher of Gray's Inn (2004).

Frank was named 'Personal Injury Silk of the Year' 2005, 2006 and 2008 at the Chambers Bar Awards. Frank was awarded Star Individual status in Personal Injury in Chambers 2009, the first and currently only Barrister to achieve this rating. He was also described a leading Silk in Industrial Disease and Clinical Negligence. Chambers 2009 described him as having ”a rare combination of a brilliant academic mind, excellent preparation skills and a compelling manner with clients”

Qualifications

Kent University (BA First Class Hons); London School of Economics (PhD)

Professional Membership

Personal Injury Bar Association

Publications

Co-author: Medical Negligence: Case Law
Co-author: Personal Injury Limitation Law
Contributor: Medical Accident Handbook (Association for Victims of Medical Accidents)
Contributor: PIBA Manual on Personal Injury
Contributor: Butterworths Professional Negligence Service

Interesting Cases

Johnson v NEI International Combustion ltd: Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co. Ltd & Ors: Topping v Benchtown Ltd (Formerly Jones Bros Preston Ltd): Grieves v FT Everard & Sons Ltd & Ors (2007) [2007] UKHL 39- Pleural plaques test litigation in the House of Lords
Grieves v FT Everard & Sons Ltd  [2005] PIQR 25, Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co. Ltd[2006] 1 All ER 187 - Pleural plaques test litigation 
Clough v First Choice Holidays and Flights [2006] EWCA Civ 15 - Causation: Material contribution to damage test in slipping accident
Bassie v Merseyside & Civil Defence Authority [2005] EWCA Civ 1474 - Construction of 1992 Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 5(1) and 12(3)
Cooke v United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust and others (2004) PIQR Q10. Assessment of damages for the cost of future care - what allowance to be made for cost rising more steeply than RPI
Phillips v Syndicate 992 Gunner and others unreported, 09/05/2003 - Extent of insurers' liability to pay damages awarded to Claimant against employer in mesothelioma case
Young v Western Power Distribution Plc [2003] EWCA Civ 1034 - Application of the Walkley principle
Farmer v Roll-Royce Ltd unreported, 26/02/2003, lawtel document no. AC0105047 - Largest award in a fatal accident case
White v ESAB Group (UK) Ltd [2002] PIQR Q6 - Multipliers
Cape Distribution Ltd v O’Loughlin [2001] EWCA Civ 178 - Calculation of damages in fatal accident cases
Worrall v Powergen Plc [1999] PIQR P103 - The use of the Ogden Tables in fatal accident cases
R v CICB ex p K [1999] 2 WLR 948 - Interpretation of s.4 Fatal Accidents Act 1976
Lattimer v Cumbria CC [1994] PIQR P395 (CA) - Introduction of fresh evidence on appeal
Hockaday v South West Durham Health Authority (1994) PIQR 275 - What defendants have to plead in defence
Morley v United Friendly [1993] 1 WLR 996 - Construction of an exclusion clause in a contract of insurance
Wilson v Best Travel [1993] 1 All ER 353 - Standard of care of travel companies in respect of the structure of buildings abroad