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Harminder Bains

Harminder Bains

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Leigh Day

Leigh Day

England - London • Insurance

1

Personal injury: claimant

Sally Moore and Daniel Easton co-head Leigh Day’s claimant personal injury team, which continues to handle a wide range of complex catastrophic injury, industrial disease, and fatal accident cases. Moore focuses on brain and spinal cord injuries, amputations, and cycling accidents, while Easton leads the industrial disease practice with a particular focus on asbestos and silicosis litigation. The team has acted in several high-profile fatal accident cases and inquests, and maintains panel positions with major trauma units and national charities. Harminder Bains leads the asbestos and industrial disease group and regularly handles litigation involving disputed liability and public law issues. Rory McCarron and Michelle Victor are noted for their work on high-value injury claims involving vulnerable clients, while Ewan Tant and Ida Aduwa have developed practices spanning traumatic injury and complex liability disputes. Laura Murphy is noted for her work on fatal claims and life-changing brain injuries. Martyn Day and Sapna Malik continue to advise on matters with international and human rights dimensions, as does Richard Meeran, who is recognised for his human rights practice and his work on cross-border group actions against multinationals.
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Phone
020 7650 1200
Email
[email protected]
Profile
leighday.co.uk

Profile

Work Department
Personal injury
Position

Partner

Career

Partner specialising in personal injury, mesothelioma/asbestos, work accidents and road traffic accidents. Harminder has taken numerous cases to trial, the longest one involving a six-week trial relating to a complex multi-party action concerning allegations of fumes and dust exposure in the glass industry. She has a formidable reputation as one of the country’s leading litigators. She has successfully given evidence in court after being cross-examined by the defendant. She has had several cases reported due to being ground-breaking, such as: The Queen (oao Tony Whitston, Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK) v Secretary of State for Justice and Association of British Insurers [2014] EWHC 3044 (Admin); judicial Review regarding LASPO; Coventry and Others (Respondents) v Lawrence and Another (appellant) [2012] EWCA Civ 26 (intervention on behalf of the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK to prevent victims from paying success fees and ATE premiums); Meenakchi Ghoorah (Widow and Administratrix in the Estate of Gooroochandra Ghoorah deceased) v West Essex Clinical Commissing Group & 4 Others [2014] (after a four day trial, recovered the highest amount for damages for a mesothelioma victim in the sum of £87,500 - Harminder beat her own previous records as set in the cases of Najib and Beesley); Zambarda v Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Limited [2013] EWHC 2263 (QB) (significant win after a 3 day trial in the High Court); Baker v Tate & Lyle PLC Sept 2012 Westlaw & Lawtel (Harminder was instructed by a mesothelioma victim who was unable to trace his former employer/their insurers, she instead pursued the owner of the factory where the claimant was sent to work. At a contested show cause hearing before Master Whitaker, she successfully contended that the Asbestos Industry Regulations 1931 and the Factories Act 1961 both imposed specific duties on occupiers and not just employers and that those duties expressly tended to all the persons working at the relevant factory. Baker is understood to be the first judgment on occupiers’ liability in an asbestos disease case); Mohammed Najib v John Laing Plc [2011] EWHC 1016(QB) (two day trial in the High Court. The judge made the highest award for general damages at that time for a mesothelioma victim and uniquely awarded a sum for alternative treatment); Jacqueline Sloan v Halsen Insulation & Engineering Company Ltd (approved QBD) Senior Master 12/11/2009 (this is the first case in which periodical payments have been awarded to the dependant in a fatal case); Jane Beesley (widow and executrix of the estate of John Lambie deceased) v New Century Group Ltd [2008] EWHC 3033(QB) (the highest care award to date and, at that time, the highest award for general damages for the widow of an asbestos victim).

Memberships
APIL, Fellowship status.

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘What sets this firm apart from the rest is their expertise. I am an amputee and I found Leigh Day to be very competent in this area. They have a wealth of experts to work with, giving me confidence that I was receiving the best advice possible.’

    ‘Highly organised, accountable and diligent.’

    ‘They're human, they feel, they understand, and above all, they sympathise with what we are going through.'

    ‘They remain – as they have been for many years – a market heavyweight at the industry cutting edge.'

    ‘Sally Moore combines formidable presence as a litigator with great compassion for her clients.'

    ‘Laura Murphy is a really excellent personal injury solicitor with terrific judgement when it comes to making difficult calls on cases.'

    ‘The team is fantastic, led by smart and committed partners and supported by committed and hard working associates. A cut above.’

    'I mainly worked with Laura Murphy who was outstanding in all aspects. Laura took the time to understand and get to know me. She was always available if I needed to talk. She recognised the emotional aspects that I was going through and was patient with me. All this added to a personal touch.'

    'Extremely professional and supportive. Able to offer a wide range of expertise and their experience with injury claims was of the highest standard.'

    'They have a wealth of experts to work with, giving me confidence that I was receiving the best advice possible.'

Work highlights

Advised a below knee amputee on a complex employer’s liability claim.