Hill Dickinson’s public liability team provides tailored solutions for a variety of clients to include insurers, brokers and insureds across the full range of business. The team has particular expertise in the manufacturing, retail, travel, leisure and public sectors. Our approach is to combine recognised legal expertise and commercial know-how. This is true whether we’re handling routine claims or high-value and complex cases.
Reducing claims frequency and costs for our clients is of the utmost importance. We achieve this through early determination of liability and where appropriate to settle the claim at the optimum point. At the same time, we will maintain a robust defence where possible. This helps to protect our client’s business and safeguards their reputation.
The team is at the forefront of developments in all areas of public liability, having been involved in numerous House of Lords and Court of Appeal decisions. Notable
cases have included Laverton vs Kiapashi and Tedstone vs Warner Holidays. These are regularly quoted by defendants and their insurers in dealing with systems of inspection and spillages.
The team provides both pre and post-litigation services covering all elements of the claims and litigation process. This allows us to provide our clients with the best possible advice and service. Our core services include:
- Introduction to public liability claims
- Pre and post-investigation training
- Understanding of the civil procedure rules
- Witness training
- Mock trial scenarios
- Investigation training
Avoiding claims all together is, of course, as important as managing claims. We provide clients with regular news alerts, workshops and training on developing areas of law affecting their organisations.
In addition, as a leading UK law firm, we can access additional
legal support from the other practice groups within Hill Dickinson
as and when required.
Recent case studies
Case study 1
In a recent case we
successfully appealed to the Court of Appeal against the initial
decision. The court found that our client hotel was not liable
under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 for injuries caused to a
guest who slipped on a pool of water as no reasonable system would
have dealt with the unusual occurrence in the time available.
Case study 2
We successfully defended the
social services provider in a claim relating to the duties of car
owed by doctors and social workers to parents. This case now
proceeds to the European Court of Human Rights.
“Clients praise the team’s ‘superb knowledge of public
liability claims’…The team has supervised several highly publicised
catastrophic injury claims on behalf of the supplier. These cases
have demonstrated its proficiency in crisis management…”
