Vicki Hilton

Vicki specialises in providing advice on claims involving injuries of the most catastrophic nature, and her particular specialisms include brain injury, multiple orthopaedic injury, brachial plexus, chronic pain, spinal and amputation cases. Vicki also has a specialism in accidents involving animals, and her experience includes canine, bovine and equine cases. She dealt with the leading animals authority of McKenny v Foster where she was successful in the Court of Appeal.

She has over 24 years’ experience advising clients across a range of sectors including motor; both personal lines and fleet; construction; agricultural; retail; and in the private and public sector.

Vicki regularly provides day one advice on strategy following serious accidents, investigates liability and quantum, and provides ongoing support and advice to insureds and clients throughout the life of a claim, whether to settlement, or trial, where appropriate. She also provides bespoke training to clients on various complex injury topics, including the Animals Act 1971.

Relevant experience includes advising:

• Employer's liability claim arose out of an accident where the claimant was manoeuvring a 22 gallon beer barrel which rolled back onto his feet. The claimant sustained crushing injuries, which lead to subsequent infection and necrosis, resulting in amputations to several toes on both feet. Vicki engaged in intensive multi-disciplinary rehabilitation and supported case management for 11 months, she worked closely with the claimant's solicitors on a collaborative basis, engageing in quantum negotiations to explore a low commercial settlement of £150,000, securing savings of over £750,000 for our client. A prompt low costs settlement was also secured, all pre litigation.
• Vicki dealt with a case involving a claimant who was a young female passenger who was injured in a road traffic accident. Causation was complex as the claimant had previously sustained a severe traumatic brain injury when she was a teenager, but it was alleged that she had recovered from this by the time of the accident and only had mild residual issues with memory and some mild hemiplegia. Post - accident, the claimant was left with a traumatic brain injury and a significant left brachial plexus injury, multiple fractures and impaired balance and migraines, along with psychological sequelae. A significant claim was advanced and the case had to be carefully managed, with consideration of appropriate experts to deal with the claimant’s complex medical presentation. Vicki was instrumental in successfully negotiating a settlement at JSM of £3.1 million, saving the client a significant amount in relation to damages and costs as the schedule was in the region of £9 million.
• Two claims for a mother and daughter arising from a road traffic collision with an escaped horse. There were arguments in relation to the Animals Act 1971 and also in relation to common law negligence. Both claimants had claims for mild - moderate traumatic brain injury and the second claimant also claimed spinal injuries. We obtained our own medical evidence in relation to the mother’s claim, successfully arguing that she her injuries were not going to prevent her continuing to work until retirement age; and settled the claim at £100,000 gross, saving our client a significant amount.In relation to the daughter’s claim, Vicki successfully negotiated a contribution from the mother’s insurers of 25% and, following rehabilitation, which was successful, negotiated a settlement of £91,000 gross. The savings on both claims were over £700,000.

Vicki is recognised in the Legal 500 2020 “The Leeds office is home to market leading offerings .. for defendant PI.. on the personal injury front, key figures include Vicki Hilton..”