Barrister, Deka Chambers, London and APIL EC Member
Stephen has an extensive asbestos practice. He is known nationally as an industrial disease specialist, having co-written and edited the publication Asbestos Claims, Law, Practice and Procedure (now in its fourth edition) to which Master Eastman contributes. He is the author of the asbestos disease chapter and the co-author of the occupational Diseases chapter in Kemp & Kemp. Stephen has huge experience in all matters personal injury drawn from over 30 years' practice in the field, including RTA, EL, PL and clinical negligence and catastrophic injury. He has particular experience in subtle brain injury cases.
Asbestos and disease
The directories say:
- "He is the go-to man on any asbestos and industrial disease cases. You would be silly not to go with him."
- "He has a huge amount of experience in asbestos claims and is very approachable and detailed in his advice."
- "He is an effective advocate experienced at handling fast-track mesothelioma cases."
- "He is very approachable and provides very detailed and throughout advice on complex liability, quantum and causation issues."
- "Very knowledgeable on disease case, always willing to assist by phone and email."
- He is ranked as a leading individual in this field by Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
Notable Cases:
- Carey v. Vauxhall Motors [2019] EWHC 238: First case brought in this jurisdiction in relation to secondary exposure after 1965 suffered by wife of an apprentice electrician employed at Vauxhall in Luton.
- Lawrence v. Bexley LB [2018] EWHC 4010: Stephen acted for the husband of a deceased wife who died of asbestos to which she was exposed when she supervised building work at the college where she worked as a lecturer.
- Mayne v Atlas Stone [2016] EWHC 1030 QB, Cox J - Upheld Stephen's submissions that in a divisible injury case the defendant's liability is to be assessed as the proportion of its exposure to the whole.
- Woodward v Sec of State for Energy & Clim. Change [2015] EWHC 3604 QB - Mesothelioma - low exposure - overalls contamination suffered by colliery canteen worker.
- Yates v HMRC [2014] EWHC 2311 QB - Stephen's submissions were adopted by the court to provide a workable solution to the then problem of HMRC deceased work histories.
- Drake v Foster Wheeler [2011] 1 ALL ER – The court accepted Stephen’s submissions that the value of hospice care is recoverable in principle and came within the principles of Hunt v. Severs.
Until 2017 he served as a member of APIL’s executive committee and was a member of APIL's working party on the government’s proposed discount rate change. Stephen was elected back onto the APIL executive commitee in May 2022.
Brain/catastrophic injury
In clinical negligence he is particularly experienced in birth accidents, cauda equina and delayed cancer diagnosis cases. He is the series editor of Clinical Negligence, law, practice and procedure, now in its fourth edition published by chambers.
Abuse claims
Stephen has a niche practice in historic sex abuse claims against local authority and various religious bodies. He is able to draw on his earlier experience at the bar in family and public law proceedings and criminal proceedings. He mainly acts for claimants.
Outside interests
He reports his interests as "motorbikes (wife permitting), his wife and children, food (mostly eating it) and American crime novels (but not necessarily in that order)"