On 17 July 2025, INNEG and St John’s Chambers co-hosted a live medico-legal podcast-style event at Bristol’s Square Club - delivering practical, high-impact insight for solicitors handling complex brain injury claims.

St John's Chambers Barristers, Expert Legal Advice & Representation

Designed to blend legal strategy with real-world clinical expertise, the session explored the evidential challenges of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and gave attendees actionable tools to build stronger cases.

What made the evening even more meaningful? Thanks to attendee contributions, we raised £552.14 in support of the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT), helping fund specialist services for children and families affected by acquired brain injury across the UK.

View the full webinar here >

Expert-Led Discussion: When Law Meets Neurology

The session featured a live, podcast-style discussion between:

• Dr Francesco Manfredonia, Consultant Neurologist and leading expert witness in contested brain injury
• Ben Handy, Personal Injury Barrister at St John’s Chambers, with deep experience in mTBI litigation and causation

Together, they tackled the clinical grey areas and evidential pitfalls that make or break subtle brain injury cases. Moderated in front of a live legal audience, the event struck a careful balance between practical guidance and thought-provoking insight.

What We Covered

• Spotting mTBI when CT scans appear normal
  Many subtle brain injuries elude standard imaging. Dr Manfredonia discussed why normal CT results don’t rule out damage - and what secondary signs solicitors and clinicians should watch for.

• Why ‘mild’ brain injuries are often anything but
  The term "mild" can obscure the true impact. Both speakers challenged its utility in litigation and explained how misclassification can affect recovery, diagnosis, and legal outcomes.

• How to interpret persistent post-concussion symptoms
  From behavioural changes to chronic fatigue, the speakers explored how these symptoms can reflect deeper neurological harm - even without visible trauma.

• Legal hurdles in establishing causation without imaging
  Ben Handy unpacked the difficulties of proving causation in the absence of clear-cut scans, and how to build robust cases around subjective symptoms and evolving diagnostic models.

• The NIH’s multi-pillar model and its potential for UK medico-legal adoption
  The session closed with a discussion on new classification frameworks emerging from the US. Dr Manfredonia explained how these could enhance case stratification by incorporating blood biomarkers, pupil response, repeat GCS scoring, and imaging timelines.

Reflecting on the session, Leo Lachs, Director of INNEG, shared:

“It was brilliant to see so many solicitors join us live for this session. What stood out to me during the discussion was how much value practitioners place on practical, real-world insights from experts - not just legal theory. Our goal with these sessions is simple: to give solicitors the knowledge and confidence they need to better progress their cases for the benefit of their clients.”

Sarah Sands, Head of Marketing from St John’s Chambers echoed this sentiment:

“This session was incredibly valuable for solicitors navigating complex brain injury cases. Dr Manfredonia’s clarity in breaking down clinical nuances made the discussion both practical and eye-opening.”

Supporting the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT)

Every ticket sold helped raise funds for CBIT, a national charity supporting young people with acquired brain injuries and their families. From rehabilitation advice to advocacy, their work changes lives - and we were proud to play a small part in supporting it.

Total Raised:

£552.14

Looking Ahead

As mTBI continues to present diagnostic and evidential challenges in clinical negligence and personal injury cases, events like this are vital in bridging the knowledge gap between law and medicine. By combining lived clinical experience with practical legal commentary, the session empowered solicitors with clearer strategies for navigating complexity and progressing their cases more confidently.

We’re grateful to everyone who attended and contributed, especially our speakers and our partners at St John’s Chambers. And above all, thank you to those who donated to support the Child Brain Injury Trust - your contributions will make a tangible difference to the lives of children and families facing the long road of brain injury recovery.

View the full webinar here >