Simon Ball

Practice Areas

Simon is a leading practitioner in the field of European and cross-border insurance and personal injury law, with particular expertise in French accident law.

He is responsible for the management of defendant insurance litigation in the UK on behalf of 30+ European insurers in France, Spain, Belgium, Greece and Bulgaria.

He has acted for insurers in many of the leading cases on applicable law and the Rome II Regulation including before the European Court in the case which decided the date of application of the Regulation: Homawoo v GMF.

Simon is highly regarded for his sensible and commercial approach to defending claims, while always striving to ensure that claims are settled for a reasonable amount when conceded but equally prepared to fight cases on liability where there is a good defence.

With excellent communication skills (in English and French with a working knowledge of German and Spanish also) and having a detailed understanding of his client’s own systems of law, Simon can explain how a matter will be handled by a UK court by reference to the insurance company’s expectations of the litigation process.

Simon has worked in the field since 1992 when he joined Pierre Thomas Law, and he became a partner in 2000, and has carried out the roles of Practice Director and Managing Partner from 2015 until he joined Weightmans as a Partner in 2023.

Simon is a member of Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) including the European Sector Focus Team

Institute of European Travel Law (IETL) where he is a board member and is active in the organisation of the IETL’s annual conference

Sample cases

• Achieved a settlement by agreement at £14.5 million, on a claim pleaded in excess of £20 million, for the French insurers of a lorry driver, after he collided with Claimant’s vehicle on a French autoroute. Damages fell to be assessed according to French law.

• Successfully defended a ski instructor in a claim brought by a victim with catastrophic injuries; this is the leading case on QOWCS in relation to third party claims decided by the Court of Appeal (Wagenaar v Weekend Travel Ltd Serradj)

• Acted for the French insurers of a driver in a claim where a victim who suffered brain damage received damages of £9.885 million