Lorna Webster > Hodge Jones & Allen > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Lorna Webster

033 0828 5949 lwebster@hja.net View profile View profile View profile View profile

Work Department

Industrial Disease

Position

Lorna, a Partner within the Asbestos Team has, for over 20 years, specialised in asbestos disease claims for claimants. As such, she is a recognised and proven expert in this specialist area.

Lorna regularly obtains six figure settlements for her clients. Her settlements include claims for clients who not only have received their main damages but who have also been able to access medical treatment not available on the NHS as part of the settlement agreement.

Lorna is a specialist in all asbestos disease cases including mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening.

In a recent pleural thickening matter, Lorna agreed a settlement of £78,000 for her client. The case was defended throughout and yet Lorna was able to secure a good settlement for the client.

Lorna enjoys a challenging case and was successful in securing a six figure settlement in a mesothelioma case in which she pursued numerous defendants. When Lorna took initial instructions from the mesothelioma victim, it was apparent that he had been exposed to asbestos dust when working for approximately 45 former employers.

Lorna’s methodical and meticulous way of working and her ability to analyse the evidence against each former employer meant that ultimately 17 defendants were pursued, all of which contributed to the settlement sum.

In another of Lorna’s recent cases, she secured a settlement in a fatal mesothelioma matter in which the defendant argued that the mesothelioma diagnosis was incorrect. They were proven wrong and the case was ultimately settled for a six figure amount.

In a living mesothelioma matter the insurers failed to do anything proactively with the claim and so Court proceedings were swiftly issued for Lorna’s client. The six figure settlement, plus a Court Order for future treatment costs, was concluded within nine months from receipt of instruction including Court proceedings.

In a recent fatal meso case, Lorna secured a settlement for a dependant widow as well as a dependant grand-daughter. Again Court proceedings were necessary in order to focus the defendant and their insurers on the case and get across to them that Lorna was serious about pursuing the matter despite their lack of action.

Lorna was also successful in a recent mesothelioma case which settled against four of the Deceased’s former employers for a six figure sum.

Lorna was able to secure admissions from all four defendants, which in turn allowed the case to settle.

Lorna’s wealth of experience covers cases for both living clients and in fatal matters, across all asbestos diseases. She also assists clients in bringing claims in America for mesothelioma caused by contaminated talcum powder.

Lorna works closely with local asbestos support charities, most notably the London Asbestos Support Awareness Group which she was involved in establishing and continues to support and provide legal assistance to. Lorna is a campaigner and will fight for those who are unfairly treated by the law, including the setting up of a petition which attracted television coverage. Lorna has appeared on national live television, has been quoted in The Times newspaper and other national newspapers and has been interviewed on live radio to talk about asbestos disease matters.

Lorna is known to be a calm and proactive case handler and has an enviable skill of being able to find a practical solution in a difficult or unusual situation. Her clients comment that she is down to earth, friendly and explains legal matters in a clear and reassuring way.

Lorna’s expertise is recognised by those she works with and through independent accreditation by The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, of which she is an Asbestos and Occupational Disease specialist.

Career

Lorna trained and worked at Thompsons LLP in London and Dagenham. She has been a Partner at Hodge Jones & Allen in London since January 2020.

Memberships

APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers): Accredited Asbestos and Occupational Disease Specialist.