Personal Injuries: 3 Strategies to Maximise Damages
There is so much to know about maximizing damages in personal injury cases and this webinar provides you with 3 presentations on key issues lawyers grapple with on a day-to-day basis. On this occasion, you will hear about the value of respecting your opponent's case to minimize risk, joint expert conclaves in personal injury claims and ensuring you are able to assess damages for economic loss in financial dependency claims. A not to miss opportunity for your damages claim. WEB233N68Z
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD units in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Chair: Samuel Pearce, Principal Lawyer, Maurice Blackburn
Professional Skills
2.00pm to 3.00pm Respecting Your Opponent to Minimize Risks
You cannot afford to take the Opponent’s case for granted. Managing risk is a key consideration in preparing your client’s claim. This is important when considering:
- The adequacy of your Statement of Claim, Statement of Particulars and Defence
- Replying to Requests for Particulars
- What Subpoenas have been filed
- Social media and investigation reports
- Approach to mediation
Presented by Michael Barnes, Partner, Carroll & O'Dea Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in both Personal Injury and Employment Law
Professional Skills
3.00pm to 4.00pm Avoiding Wasted Opportunities: Joint Expert Conclaves in Personal Injury Claims
- The value of efficiently and thoroughly organizing joint expert conclaves
- Missed opportunities: what some lawyers get wrong
- What to ask the experts to prepare for the lawyers and for joint expert evidence
- Additional expert witness considerations
Presented by Kerry Hogan-Ross, Consultant, Kerry Hogan-Ross Mediations
4.00pm to 4.15pm Break
Professional Skills
4.15pm to 5.15pm Assessment of Damages in Death Claims
- Issues that need to be considered in financial dependency
- Personal Consumption percentages set out in the 5th edition of Luntz
- Method of assessment of financial dependency
Presented by Michael Lee, Director – Forensic Services, Vincents
Presenters
Samuel Pearce
Samuel Pearce is a Principal Lawyer of Maurice Blackburn’s medical negligence department in Victoria. He is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law and has been listed in the Doyle’s Guide as a Rising Star in Personal Injury Law. Samuel joined the firm in 2008 and has practised exclusively in medical negligence litigation since 2012. Samuel has achieved significant results for individuals who has suffered injuries as a result of poor health care, treatment and/or advice. He has also represented the families of patients who have died following poor medical treatment in coronial investigations and Inquest hearings. Samuel sees clients in the Melbourne, Reservoir, Greensborough and Craigieburn offices. Samuel has also assisted clients in a cases pursued through Maurice Blackburn’s social justice department, including an action brought by Traditional Owners of land in the Northern Territory in relation to a proposal to build a national radioactive waste facility on land known as Muckaty Station. Outside of Maurice Blackburn, Samuel is the President of the charity, BottledSnail Productions Inc: a volunteer-run, not-for-profit company which supports creative arts projects for Victoria’s legal community with the aim of promoting a healthy work-life balance.
Tom Ballantyne
Tom Ballantyne is a Principal Lawyer and head of Maurice Blackburn's medical negligence department in Victoria. He is a Law Institute of Victoria Personal Injury Accredited Specialist and currently sits on the Specialist Accreditation committee. He is listed in the prestigious Doyles guide and is currently serving as the Australian Lawyers Alliance Victorian President. Tom sees clients in Melbourne, Dandenong and Frankston. Tom joined the firm as a trainee lawyer in 2006, and has practiced exclusively in medical negligence claims since 2007. He also spent two years working in the United Kingdom. Tom's skills include running complicated litigation across all areas of health care - obstetrics, delay in diagnosis, orthopaedics and emergency departments. He has achieved significant results for clients including settling cases involving catastrophic injuries and lifetime care needs, and is one of three Maurice Blackburn lawyers listed by the prestigious Doyles Guide as a leading lawyer in his field. Tom also represents families at Coronial Inquests, acting on behalf of the families of people who have died following poor medical treatment. In addition to his medical negligence practice, he is also active in legal policy issues, particularly around the National Disability Insurance Scheme and My Health Record. He has presented on the NDIS to numerous legal, disability and community groups.
Michael Barnes
Michael’s depth of experience, ability to get to the heart of an issue and communication skills put him at the top of employment & industrial law and personal injury. Michael is recognized in the profession as a leading practitioner in these practice areas and is accredited by the NSW Law Society in employment & industrial law and personal injury. He has served on a variety of committees of the Law Society, including as part of the peer review process by which solicitors become accredited specialists in employment and industrial Law. He has been a partner at Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers since 2013 where he has a busy practice handling matters from a diversity of clients from all areas of New South Wales. Key Professional Achievements: Michael completed a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws in 1975 and 1977 (respectively) from the University of Sydney. He completed a Masters of Laws at Sydney University while working in legal practice.
Michael Lee
Michael J Lee has over 20 years' experience as a forensic accountant. His primary area of expertise is the calculation of economic loss resulting from personal injury and death. He is often asked by organizations to present to lawyers on issues to be considered when assessing damages and has prepared expert reports for the following jurisdictions: District / County and Supreme Courts of QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, WA and ACT; Federal Court of Australia; Industrial Court (NSW); Dust Diseases Tribunal; Compensation Courts of France, the United Kingdom and the United States. He has a particular interest in matters relating to dependency claims and is the co-, author of the following papers: "Personal Consumptions Percentages in Australia Current Tables for 2015". January 2015; "Dependency Percentages in Australia Revisited - Estimating Personal Consumption using Statistical Data". January 2012. He also has an interest in matters involving overseas clients and has prepared assessments for persons who are residents of: Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, China, 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.