Donna specialises in casualty risks, acting on behalf of a number of self-insureds and major insurance companies.
She has over 19 years’ litigation experience and specialises in claims arising in the passenger transport industry. She is responsible for an extensive caseload, dealing with a wide range of issues such as employer's liability, public liability and road traffic accident claims. She also has experience in dealing with disability discrimination claims.
Donna deals with a wide range of personal injury claims for the bus and coach industry, as well as for tram and light rail operators and private hire companies. Her work ranges from catastrophic injury cases and complex large loss claims to defending fraudulent cases and acting on behalf of transport providers in relation to credit hire claims and disability discrimination claims. She also regularly advises on the complexities arising from multi-party actions, passenger claims, fatalities, causation and policy indemnity issues. In addition, Donna has a wealth of experience in defending claims arising from workplace accidents and complex occupational disease claims.
She has attended numerous site investigations and regularly advises clients of the prospects of successfully defending matters to trial whilst always being mindful of the economics of doing so. Donna also conducts her own advocacy whenever possible and frequently advises clients in relation to costs at the conclusion of main actions.
Donna also regularly contributes to external seminars, providing lectures and training on personal injury law, including tactical awareness, case-law updates, credit hire and disability discrimination claims in the transport sector.
Experience
Examples of experience include:
- Negotiating settlement of an infant claim involving complex physical and psychological injuries which had a potential value of £500,000 - £750,000 and was expected to have been ongoing for 10 years+ for £50,000
- Dealing with a bereavement claim on behalf of a mother whose daughter was killed in a road traffic accident. The Defendant was prosecuted and imprisoned for death by dangerous driving however there were issues of contributory negligence. The case attracted media attention and a settlement was eventually reached which included a bereavement award and a claim for funeral expenses
- Maintaining a robust denial of liability on a multi-track RTA claim which, if lost at trial, would have repercussions for the bus and coach industry as a whole. The claim was pleaded at circa £300,000 and the Claimant was ultimately persuaded to discontinue the claim shortly before trial
- Advising in relation to a disability discrimination claim pleaded at £10million, maintaining a robust stance and successfully negotiating settlement of damages at £500
- Advising in cost negotiations, achieving up to 55% reduction on a claim for costs
- Defending a credit hire claim pleased at over £29,000, successfully arguing for the matter to be allocated to the fast track notwithstanding the claim value and negotiating settlement at £23,550, representing a saving of over £25,000 or 88% of the total amount originally claimed.
