Rebecca Richardson

Introduction & Contact details

Since moving to Hardwicke in February 2008, Rebecca has built on her existing personal injury practice and has developed a busy practice in both Claimant and Defendant work in all types of claims.

The high quality of her advocacy skills is regularly commented upon by those instructing her.  This reflects her extensive experience of trials and interim hearings in injury cases as well as the invaluable early experience of honing her advocacy in the Magistrates and Crown Courts prior to joining Hardwicke Building.  She has recently built upon this by successfully completing the renowned South Eastern Circuit/FBA Advanced Civil Advocacy Course.

Prior to starting pupilage Rebecca spent 15 months working in the Research & Development Directorate at University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  This gave her the opportunity to explore her interest in healthcare issues by becoming involved in research surrounding the Human Tissue Act 2004 and its implications for health professionals and clinical researchers as well as research governance issues in general.  This included delivering seminars to consultants and clinicians explaining the implications of the Act for their work.  Rebecca then spent six months working in the litigation department of a leading law firm in Toronto, WeirFoulds LLP, where she was involved in a range of cases including complex high-value commercial litigation.

Other Interests

Rebecca is an active member of Middle Temple; she is Secretary to the Hall Committee and sits on the Social Committee.  She has been the Director of the Middle Temple Revels for a number of years, for which she also enjoys performing and writing. 

When time permits Rebecca enjoys travel - she has a particular love of Canada since spending six months working in the litigation department of a major law firm in downtown Toronto in 2005.

Qualifications

• Bar Vocational Course – Inns of Court School of Law
• LLM (Lond)
• LLB (hons) (Lond)
• Dip RSA
• South East Circuit/Florida Bar Advanced Advocacy Scholarship (2008)
• Harold G Fox Scholar (Middle Temple, 2004)
• Rosamund Smith Mooting Prize (Middle Temple, 2003)
• Harmsworth Scholar (Middle Temple, 2002)
• Lincoln’s Inn Shield Mooting Prize (London Colleges) (2002)

Professional Associations

• London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association
• Personal Injury Bar Association
• Professional Negligence Bar Association
• South East Circuit
• The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple

T: 020 7242 2523
E: rebecca.richardson@hardwicke.co.uk

Personal Injury

Rebecca’s broad personal injury practice includes road traffic claims, highways claims, occupiers’ liability, employer’s liability, nuisance, defective premises, travel claims and negligence claims.  Rebecca is also experienced in handling claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Claims involving children

Rebecca has experience in claims both brought by and against children, particularly within the field of injuries arising within the school environment.  Rebecca is well versed in the evidential issues concerning claims by minors, in particular regarding the need to consider the potential future effects of injuries (particularly scarring) and how this might impact upon settlement and court approval.

Recent work

• Representing child defendant in relation to an alleged assault during a lesson leading to serious eye injury.
• Successfully represented child claimant who suffered serious back injury and psychological reaction following assault by fellow pupil.  Issues of horseplay, consent and contributory negligence raised.
• Successfully represented child claimant who suffered facial injury and scarring when falling over on the playground onto a fence post with a nail sticking out which had been left by workmen.
• Successfully represented child claimant who suffered a head injury when he fell over on a playing field and struck his head on a heavy metal roller which had not been put away.

Employers' Liability

Rebecca has experience of a wide range of claims arising out of accidents in the workplace.  She is well versed in the relevant statutory provisions and has dealt with claims arising out of manual handling, work at height, defective work equipment and dangerous work premises.  Rebecca also has experience of claims involving vicarious liability of other employees.

Recent work

• Council employee using a ride-on lawnmower when a colleague drove a ride-on lawnmower into the back of him.
• Injury to supermarket worker who slipped on a grape and fell, consequently developing complex regional pain syndrome.
• Roofer who fell from height as a result of using wrong type of ladder, sustaining serious leg injuries.
• Delivery driver injured pulling defective curtain on lorry, causing acceleration of pre-existing back condition.
• Office worker who fell over crates left blocking corridor.
• Forklift truck operator who fell from back of lorry, sustaining multiple injuries.
• Mobile tyre fitter injured when breaker bar snapped as he was trying to change a tyre.
• Factory worker who suffered thumb amputation when hand became caught in machinery.
• Factory worker who slipped on shards of laminate discarded from machine straight onto factory floor; as he tried to stop himself falling his hand was sucked into the machine which did not have a safety guard, causing serious degloving injury.

Occupiers' Liability

Rebecca regularly represents Claimants and Defendants in claims arising out of occupiers’ liability.

Recent work

• Serious dental injuries as a result of walking into inadequately marked plate glass door.
• Child injured on broken tiling in swimming pool changing room.
• Hospital visitor slipped on large puddle in corridor.
• Disabled man injured in a restaurant when the seat of a disabled toilet gave way.
• Woman injured when grating covering the cellar to a public house gave way

Public Liability

Rebecca’s personal injury experience also covers numerous areas involving public liability, examples of which include accidents on the highway, claims arising out of the Animals Act 1971 and accidents on holiday.

Recent work

• Claimant who had part of her toe amputated after a marble sink fell on her foot whilst she was on holiday in Lanzarote.
• Claimant who suffered a severed finger when a deckchair collapsed at a spa hotel.
• Representing a two-year-old girl and her father who were attacked by an Alsatian in their front garden.

Road Traffic & Fraudulent Claims

Rebecca has extensive experience of road traffic claims at all levels for both Claimants and Defendants.  Rebecca regularly deals with credit hire cases and is also familiar with dealing with claims involving the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.

Rebecca is experienced in dealing with claims where fraud is suspected or alleged, for both Claimants and Defendants.  Rebecca is often instructed to advise on the evidence and tactics where fraud or dishonesty is suspected, as well as to draft the appropriate pleadings.  Rebecca is adept at dealing with these issues at trial, and has successfully defeated claims by undermining the credibility of witnesses on cross examination.

Recent work

• Successfully defending a claim where the court had refused to allow evidence supporting allegations of fraud to be admitted.  In the face of no evidence of fraud Rebecca extensively cross examined both claimants, successfully undermining their credibility and persuading the court that their evidence was so unreliable that they could not satisfy the burden of proof.
• Acting for a woman who suffered three breaks to her neck and psychiatric problems in a car accident.  The Motor Insurers’ Bureau were brought into proceedings due to the driver having been uninsured (and intoxicated) at the time of the accident.  The Claim was further complicated due to the claimant’s previous medical history.
• At a quantum trial for a Claimant who sustained a number of separate injuries in a car accident, Rebecca successfully argued that where figures had been agreed in relation to four of the five injuries, the court should consider the fifth area of injury independently and make no deduction for overlap, given that the other items of damage had been agreed not subject to any deduction for overlap.  Despite vigorous opposition the Judge accepted Rebecca’s arguments and did not make any deductions.
• Acting for a claimant who had sustained whiplash injuries in two successive accidents a year apart.  In a quantum trial relating to the second accident Rebecca successfully persuaded the Judge that, where the Claimant had not recovered in line with medical evidence, the claimant’s evidence should be accepted to show that, 15 months after the Claimant was expected to recover, on-going symptoms were attributable to the second accident and an award should not be restricted to the period of recovery estimated by the medical expert.  The Judge duly made an award based on on-going symptoms, subject to an agreed reduction to apportion the effects between the two accidents.
• Representing a schoolgirl who suffered neck and back injuries, and developed a severe psychological reaction, following the school bus in which she was travelling being involved in a collision and coming off the road.

Clinical Negligence

Rebecca’s personal injury practice covers cases arising out of clinical negligence, as well as claims arising out of negligent beauty treatments and alternative therapies, including issues of failure to obtain inform consent and failure to provide adequate information to enable informed consent to be obtained.

Recent work

• Negligent laser hair removal causing burns and permanent scarring to the face.
• Burns and permanent scarring from negligent massage treatment.
• Negligent wart removal leading to multiple areas of noticeable scarring.
• Extensive burns following sunbed use.
• Failure to obtain informed consent prior to laser hair removal.
• Severe reaction to skin products used in spa treatment.
• Negligent dental treatment in infant, leading to unnecessary additional operation.

Professional Indemnity

Rebecca has an interest in professional indemnity claims arising out of the negligent handling of personal injury litigation.

Recent work

• Acting for claimant whose former solicitors negligently failed to withdraw a Part 36 offer on receipt of further medical evidence, leading to the claim being under-settled.
• Acting for claimant whose former solicitor failed to ensure that an offer to admit liability was approved by the court before the defendant turned 18.

Inquests

Rebecca represents both families of the deceased and interested parties, and is able to manage difficult situations with sensitivity, whilst remaining aware of the potential for civil (and sometimes criminal) proceedings to follow.

Recent work

• Representing the family of a man who died after complications following surgery.
• Inquest into the death a young woman who skidded on ice on a country lane, which had formed as a result of a leaking manhole cover, spinning into the path of an oncoming vehicle, causing serious injuries to the driver. 
• Jury inquest into the death of a scaffolder who died after falling down a 50ft void on a building site (representing deceased’s fiancée). 
• Representing the driver of a breakdown vehicle who knocked down a young man who had stumbled through a hedge into a country lane, directly into the path of the vehicle.