David Sanderson

Barrister Profile

David has an established specialist Personal Injury practice, acting for both claimants and defendants in cases involving employers’ liability, RTA, product liability, disease and upper limb disorders. He has a particular interest in brain injury and has wide experience of cases involving whiplash injury, back injury, spinal injury, psychiatric injury, amputation and fatal accidents. 

David is recognised as a “Leading Junior” in Chambers & Partners 2008 (Personal Injury), described as “safe pair of hands who doesn’t miss a trick” and winning praise for his “excellent grasp of personal injury matters” and “command of quantum issues.”

David’s other main area of practice is Clinical Negligence. His cases have included birth injury (in particular Erb’s Palsy), GP negligence, orthopaedic and general surgery, drug trials, dispensing errors, psychiatric unit breach of duty, failure to diagnose/refer cancers and failed dental treatment. 

David is married with one daughter. Away from the bar his principal interests include sea swimming, India, opera and gardens.

Qualifications

University of Sussex (BA)

Professional Membership

Personal Injury Bar Association
Professional Negligence Bar Association
London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association

Interesting Cases

Denton Hall v Fifield [2006] EWCA Civ 169 – WRULD caused to legal secretary by breaches in DSE Regs - use of medical records
Ellis v Royal Surrey County Hospital [2004] EWHC 3510 - birth injury – hospital not liable for Erb’s Palsy
Morris v Richards [2004] PIQR Q3 - Break in the chain of causation, remoteness, and mitigation in the context of resignation from employment that fully mitigated loss
Pearce v Lindfield & others [2003] EWCA Civ 647 - 3 successive whiplash injuries in separate road traffic accidencts leading to chronic pain, loss of earnings and pension - apportionment of loss between defendants
Simonds v Isle of Wight Council (2003) EWHC 2303 - A primary school was not liable in negligence for an injury sustained by a pupil when he jumped from a swing. It was not reasonable to impose on the school any legal duty to immobilise or physically restrict access to the swings
Arneson v Heffey [2002] EWCA Civ 1058 – Court of Appeal reverse decision of trial judge where there was a failure to analyse evidence