Lea is a Partner, a former president of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers and an experienced solicitor and mediator bringing nearly three decades of experience in defending catastrophic injury and complex injury claims and has a wealth of litigation and case management experience to help defendants and insurers find an effective way forward. She leads the complex and catastrophic injury team in Winchester.

As a mediator experienced in attending to the needs of the parties, combined with an in depth understanding of the issues involved in defending personal injury claims her inclusive style really gets results.

Relevant experience includes:

• A catastrophic injury claim involving a young Swedish claimant who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, leaving her in an emerging minimally conscious state. Liability for the accident was disputed. The claimant’s life expectancy was 25 years. Our approach included commencing an early dialogue with the claimant’s solicitor to assist with case planning and reserving, particularly as the claimant was receiving £330,000 per year state funded care in Sweden. Settled at JSM for £1.6 million, plus £295,000 costs, settlement approved by Master Kay QC.
• A 72 year old claimant sustained a whiplash injury and attended A&E. He collapsed at home two days later and sustained severe brain injury. The claimant had numerous comorbidities, including vascular related dementia and was taking anticoagulants. The claimant’s wife’s DWP records were requested and disclosed by agreement and these revealed that for the 18 month period prior to the accident the claimant’s wife was receiving attendance allowance, providing the claimant with approximately four hours of care and support each day. The claimant served a schedule of £4.5m for the purposes of a joint settlement meeting, settlement was achieved subject to approval of the court in the sum of £1.5 million, plus annual payments of £142,500 to age 80 and £250,000pa thereafter. Following the joint settlement meeting the claimant’s solicitor passed on the following... “has asked me to convey to you both her thanks for the manner in which you dealt with the claim, from the beginning to settlement agreement it was much appreciated by her”.
• A 61 year old care assistant sustained C4 ASIA D paraplegia following a fall at work in a partially constructed car park and brought a claim for £9.1m. Primary liability was admitted but contribution proceedings were brought against the building contractor. The claimant’s claim was settled at JSM for £5m. The building contractor denied liability and £2m was recovered four months later following a part heard trial in the High Court.

Lea leads the Large Loss Team in Winchester which is ranked 1 for personal injury Defendant work, Legal 500 UK and ranked as part of the UK band 1 for personal injury “mainly Defendant” Chambers UK.