Ranked in The Legal 500 (2022) for Personal Injury.
“Ruwena has attention to detail and compassion for her clients in equal measure – perfect for taking vulnerable clients through complex proceedings. ” – The Legal 500 (2022)
“Experienced in both claimant and defendant work.” – The Legal 500 (2021)
Ruwena is a Legal 500 Leading Junior in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence law, recommended as being “extremely capable”, “highly experienced across a range of personal injury matters” and having “strong legal knowledge”. Ruwena has been recently appointed Deputy District Judge (North Eastern Circuit, 2019).
Ruwena is a thorough and robust advocate with extensive experience acting for both Claimants and Defendants in cases involving difficult and complex issues of fraud and causation, including clinical negligence and industrial disease trials requiring cross-examination of medico-legal and engineering experts on both surgical and technical issues. Alongside her court work she also has a busy paper practice and regularly prepares written advices on liability and quantum and drafts pleadings.
Areas of Expertise
- Clinical Negligence
- Industrial Disease Disputes
- Occupiers’ Liability
- Employers’ Liability
- Public Liability
- Contractual Disputes
- Road Traffic Disputes
- Credit Hire Claims
- Costs Disputes
- CRU Appeals
Notable Cases
- W (By his L/F) v B – The adult Claimant, who had a pre-existing general poor level of neuropsychological functioning, was injured in a road traffic accident when he was knocked down by the Defendant’s motor vehicle whilst cycling. The case involved complex issues in respect of traumatic brain injury, exacerbation of pre-existing vulnerability, future long-term case management/support and legal capacity. Numerous medico-legal experts had been obtained by both parties in respect of the Claimant’s neuropsychological and psychiatric state.
- C v G – a claim for damages arising out of an accident that occurred whilst the Claimant was working in the course of her employment. The Claimant suffered significant complex multiple physical and psychological injuries, including musculo-skeletal damage to the lumbar spine, neuropathic pain, change in bladder function and significant exacerbation of Somatic Symptoms Disorder.
- M v W – Advised a Claimant who suffered from PTSD and sustained multiple physical injuries, including a fracture to her mandible, when the vehicle in which she was travelling as a passenger veered down a 50 foot embankment and landed on its roof on train tracks. The case also involved issues in respect of rupture of PIP breast implants which resulted in the Claimant being left with silicon laden nymph nodes in her system.
- T v A – a claim for damages arising out of a breast reduction and uplift surgery alleged to have been carried out negligently and/or in breach of contract by a Consultant Plastic Surgeon. The Claimant had been left with cosmetically unsatisfactory scars on the breasts; cosmetically unappealing asymmetrical and irregular breasts following surgery; and, an unwanted bra cup size. The Claimant’s claim included damages for future revisionist surgery.
Seminars
Ruwena has vast experience in providing Seminars tailored to the needs and requirements of all levels of legal and medical professionals, from case workers to Partners. In addition to in-House lectures and Chambers Seminars, Ruwena has been invited to speak as a returning guest lecturer for the Liverpool Law Society and at AvMA. Recent Seminars include:
- LVI and Fraudulent Claims
- Costs – Key Issues
- New Rules on Disclosure, Witness Statements, Expert Evidence and Everything Inbetween
- Multiple Injury Claims and Valuation
- An Introduction to Cosmetic Surgery Claims
- Consent in Clinical Negligence Claims
Articles
- Bar National Mock Trial Competition 20th Anniversary (13th March, 2011 for The Times). (Click here to read the full article)
- Keeping Abreast of Implants (January 2012). (Click here to read the full article)
- A Perception on Deception Part I (March 2012). (Click here to read the full article)
- A Perception on Deception Part II (April 2012). Click here to read the full article
- Touching a Nerve – Clinical Negligence, Atkinson v South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2014] (June 2014, PI Brief Update Law Journal). (Click here to read the full article)
- Clinical Negligence: Reducing the Patient’s Life By Four Months (Cutting v Islam) (July/August 2014, Personal Injury Law Journal)
- Doctor! Doctor! Can I Have a Second Opinion? (September 2014, PI Brief Update Law Journal). (Click here to read the full article)
- Extensions of Time to File Notices of Appeal and Relief from Sanctions (January 2015, PI Brief Update Law Journal)
- Litigants in Person and Costs Budgeting (September 2016, Local Government Lawyer) (Click here to read the full article)
- Not Looking So Good: Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedure – Where Are We Now? (May 2018, Personal Injury Law Journal)
- “Clinical Consent – Where Are We Now?” (August 2020, PI Brief Update Law Journal) (Click here to read the full article)
- “Clinical Negligence: Birth Injury Claim” (Summer 2020, Expert Witness Journal) (Click here to read the full article)
- “Is Mandatory Mediation The Future?” (December 2020, Phoenix Dispute Solutions) (Click here to read the full article)
Contact Ruwena’s clerks
Senior Clerk – Andy Reeves on 0113 213 5252
Talia Webster on 0113 202 8609
Mike Alexander on 0113 2135268
Ben Ellison-Tope on 0113 2135207