Experience

Lauren has been involved in numerous significant Court Hearings and settlements, including:

• a successful Court of Appeal decision for a woman physically assaulted on a University Campus as she walked along a darkened pathway to her car.  The Court of Appeal found that requiring the use of the darkened pathway led to a foreseeable risk of injury to the woman and had a duty of care to protect her from that risk.  The case created an exception to a longstanding High Court principle that occupiers of premises have no duty to prevent harm to people on their property from the criminal behaviour of a third party
• a significant settlement at mediation for a teacher who suffered a severe psychiatric injury as a result of being subjected to repeated physical and verbal assaults by a student
• a number of common law settlements for tram drivers with injuries sustained as a result of a negligent system of work that they were required to perform for many years
• a public liability settlement for pain and suffering damages and recuperation of out of pocket expenses for a young man who sustained a severe crush injury to his foot when a raised dance platform in a nightclub malfunctioned.  The settlement was achieved without the need to commence Court proceedings, which significantly reduced the legal costs and delay in receiving compensation for the client.