James Pickering secured a £1,600,000 settlement on behalf of a former Royal Navy Diver at a settlement meeting with the Ministry of Defence on 28 April 2026. He was instructed by Matthew Tomlinson of Slater & Gordon.
The Claimant had been medically discharged after suffering cold injuries in diving training during the ‘Beast from the East’. In a devastating blow, he lost his intended career as a military and commercial diver. After a years-long legal battle, the claim was compromised shortly before the listed High Court trial.
The settlement is understood to be the highest ever reported for this kind of injury.
James is a specialist in claims for group litigation and personal injuries arising out of military service. He was instructed as Junior Counsel for the successful Claimants in the Military Deafness Litigation, one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025.
