Michael Lee 

Expertise

Michael’s primary area of expertise is the calculation of economic loss resulting from personal injury and property disputes. He is also an expert in matter relating to:

• Dependency / Compensation to relatives claims
• Income Protection and Superannuation Claims
• Damages assessment
• Cost of modified motor vehicles

He is the co-author of the paper and percentages incorporated at Table 10.1 of the 5th edition of Luntz’s Assessment of Damages for Personal Injury and Death.

Michael has provided expert opinion in the following jurisdictions for plaintiffs and defendants:

• Supreme Courts of QLD, NSW, VIC and WA
• District Courts of QLD, NSW, VIC and WA
• Federal Court of Australia
• Industrial Court of NSW
• Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW
• Retail Shop Leases Tribunal of QLD
• Compensation Courts of the United Kingdom
• Compensation Courts of France
• Compensation Courts of the United States

Michael has prepared expert reports relating to notable matters including:

• The Sydney Harbour ferry disaster
• Lockhart River air tragedy
• Air Moorea air tragedy
• MH370 air tragedy
• French v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited [2011] QSC 15
• Yamaguchi v Phipps & Anor [2016] QSC 151
• Amy Savage v The Nominal Defendant [2016] NSWDC 33
• Panagoulias v The East Metropolitan Health Service (No 4) [2017] WADC 118
• Bow v Axon & Anor [2018] QDC – Unreported
• Niebour-Pott & Anor v Pott [2020] QSC 7
• Waks v Cyprys & Ors [2020] VSC 44
• Plaintiff A and B v Bird; Plaintiff C v Bird; Plaintiff D v Bird [2020] NSWSC 1379
• Arndell BHT Arndell v Old Bar Beach Festival Incorporated; Cox v Mid-Coast Council [2020] NSWSC 1710
• Tour Squad Pty Ltd v Fifth Amendment Entertainment Inc (No 2) [2021] FCA 546
• Brockhurst v Rawlings [2021] QSC 217
• Gardiner v Doerr [2022] QSC 188 and Doerr v Gardiner [2023] QCA 160

Additionally, Michael has prepared Overseas Assessments for residents of Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Mauritius, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and the United States of America.

Background

Michael joined Vincents as an Associate in 2005 and has over 20 years of experience as a Forensic Accountant. Prior to pursuing his interest in Litigation Support, Michael worked as a tutor in Accounting, Mathematics and Statistics.  

He has also worked as a researcher and advisor in both the Commonwealth and State parliamentary systems. 

Publications

Publications relating to Dependency / Compensation to Relatives / Lord Campbell’s Claims

Michael co-authors the following papers:

1. “Personal Consumption Percentages in Australia – Current Tables for 2018”
2. “Agreed statistical tables for loss of financial dependency in Australia”
3. “Personal Consumption Percentages in Australia – Current Tables for 2015”.
4. “Dependency Percentages in Australia Revisited – Estimating Personal Consumption using Statistical Data”.

Michael is also the author of ‘Damages in Dependency’, Precedent, Issue 151, March / April 2019.

Publications relating to Loss of Superannuation

1. Impact of Super Changes – 2024 Update
2. Impact of Super Changes – 2023 Update 
3. Impact of Super Changes – 2022 Update
4. Impact of Super Changes– 2021 Update
5. Impact of Super Changes– 2020 Update
6. Impact of Super Changes– 2019 Update
7. Impact of Super Changes– 2018 Update
8. Impact of Super Changes– 2017 Update
9. Impact of Super Changes – 2016 Update
10. Impact of Super Changes– 2015 Update
11. Impact of Super Changes– 2014 Update

Impact of Super Changes – NSW – 2012 Update
Impact of Super Changes – QLD – 2012 Update

Publications for Assessment of Damages in Specific Areas

1. Assessment of Damages for Survivors of Institutional Abuse
2. Assessment of Damages for Overseas Claimants
3. The Impact of Redundancy of PI matters
4. The Injured Farmer

Michael is also the author of ‘A matter of time – Assessing damages for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse”, Precedent, Issue 176, May / June 2023.