Expertise

Chris represents clients following serious international accidents, usually UK residents injured overseas but also foreign nationals who sustain life-changing injuries in the UK. He often acts in high profile and challenging cases and in claims arising from a wide range of catastrophic and fatal incidents, from road traffic accidents to sporting and leisure activities.

Chris has a specialist interest and expertise in motorsports accidents, having represented the family of F1 driver Jules Bianchi following his fatal accident at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix and F2 driver Juan Manuel Correa following the serious accident at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix.

Fluent in French, his background in international law means he is well placed to advise in relation to claims arising from incidents across the globe. Chris’ experience notably extends to the USA where he has pursued claims in a number of US states.

He has written, presented and advised on the implications of Brexit for international injury claims. Chris is involved in lobbying for the rights of serious injury victims in an international context, regularly engaging with government and public consultations on law reform.

Chris is currently representing a number of seriously injured clients and their families following accidents overseas, including a UK national who suffered serious burns in a dune buggy fire in Dubai and in a claim against Airbnb and others in Florida for a client who suffered an amputation following an incident at a holiday rental.

Experience

Chris represents clients in a range of serious international personal injury cases. Over the past decade, Chris has recovered almost £50m in damages for his clients.

In April 2021 Chris secured High Court approval for a £13.35m settlement in the case of FGH v XS Direct and others, where Chris represented a child who suffered a spinal cord injury and multiple trauma in a road traffic accident in Poland. The settlement includes staged periodical payments for future care and case management.

He represented the claimant in Lackey v (1) Mallorca Mega Resort SL and (2) Generali [2019] EWHC 1028 (QB), successfully establishing jurisdiction against both the hotel and its insurer in the English courts.

In the ongoing case of MXN v Amlin Insurance, Chris has recently obtained judgment from the High Court for a substantial interim payment to fund his client’s accommodation needs in a claim subject to Belgian law.

At the end of 2022, Chris secured nearly £4m in damages for a family involved in a road traffic accident in Spain. In 2020, he concluded a claim under Spanish law for a motorcyclist who required an above knee amputation following a collision in Northern Spain.

In Cummings v Beijing Capital Airlines Co. Ltd (2022) Chris successfully defeated a challenge to jurisdiction by the Chinese based defendant for his client who suffered a career-ending injury whilst working as a pilot in China.

In McBee v Zurich Insurance UK plc. (2021), Chris represented a resident of South Carolina who suffered life-changing injuries in a road traffic accident while visiting England. The case involved arguments on applicable law and jurisdiction.

Shortly before the High Court trial, Chris secured substantial damages in the case of Ford v Royal Crown Insurance Co. Ltd and Others (2020), for a client who suffered a brain injury when riding as a pillion passenger on a scooter in Cyprus.

Recognition

Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 have ranked Chris as a leading individual in international injury and travel law for over a decade.

Feedback includes:

• ‘Chris is at the top in terms of handling complex and sophisticated matters. He has a magnificent knowledge of international legislation and treaties.’
• ‘Chris is an amazing lawyer with unparalleled expertise and dedication.’
• ‘a brilliant lawyer with a meticulous and measured approach to his work. He has an incredible depth of knowledge and experience in personal injury and leaves no stone unturned – from our first meeting he has been incredibly helpful, supportive and made me feel comfortable with all aspects of the case.’
• ‘an outstanding lawyer who combines an encyclopaedic knowledge of cross-border law with a calm pragmatism as a litigator.’
• ‘Chris’s attention to detail, finesse and aptitude for in-depth litigation is eye-opening.’
• ‘went above and beyond in professionalism and kindness…I felt like he truly cared about the outcome of my case.’
• ‘intellectually gifted and amazingly conscientious… a fantastic lawyer, personable and very savvy. Achieves excellent results in all of his cases.’
• ‘Chris Deacon and his team, were exceptional throughout my claim. He was never far away from answering the phone or responding to an email. I never felt like I was being ignored or avoided ever – outstanding professionalism.’
• ‘Chris has an incredibly caring nature and allowed me to give a phenomenal amount of information, some of which is quite technical/specific and he totally made sure he fully understood, which has reassured me. Chris exudes clarity.’
• ‘Chris is very experienced, very clever and very warm with clients. I would trust him with a case of any value and complexity.’

Career

Chris studied European and French law at the University of Warwick and Lille II, France. He trained at Blake Lapthorn, qualifying into travel litigation before moving to Stewarts in 2013.

Accreditations and Memberships

Chris is an APIL accredited international injury specialist and assessor. He also holds the APIL Spinal Cord Injury specialist accreditation. He is a member of the Travel and Tourism Lawyers Association, APIL and PEOPIL, Coordinator of the APIL International Special Interest Group, and a member of the Law Society Private International Law Working Group.

Publications

Chris regularly comments on international injury and travel law issues as well as developments in private international law and the impact of Brexit. He has appeared on the BBC and written for the New Law Journal, the Law Society Gazette, International Travel Insurance Journal and City AM.

Personal

Chris’ interests include theatre and travel. He has sat on the board of a national street theatre company in a voluntary capacity and is usually planning his next adventure abroad. He enjoys spending time with Rupert, his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.