Public Liability

HBA Legal has unparalleled experience right across the casualty arena, in all States and Territories across Australia. Our track record extends to literally hundreds of thousands of public liability matters.

We can assist whether the claims are of a simpler nature involving members of the public on premises, or whether there are third party complex contribution claims being made including breach of contract, or issues relating to indemnity.

Our team is highly skilled at determining when to resolve a claim early, when to make a costs-protective offer, and when to run a matter to trial. While it’s nice to have a liability defence, it is also important to recognise early when the liability arguments are not strong. In these situations, our team is adept at switching gears and tailoring a different litigation strategy to protect our clients’ interests.

A significant proportion of the work we perform for clients is ‘behind the scenes’ and never sees inside a court room. We manage claims in a prompt and timely manner which allows us to recognise liability risks early, and that means we can press for discontinuances and negotiate early settlements where appropriate.

When we feel it’s in our clients’ best interest to run a matter to trial, we know it’s not just about the win (and recovery of costs); it is also about obtaining a precedent in our clients’ favour that can be used to deter and, if necessary, defend future claims.

Over the past decade, our team has successfully run critical liability cases, that have literally changed the face of defending retail public liability claims in Australia. Our history has included record wins that have garnered us (and indeed our clients) a reputation for early resolution, accuracy in reserving and being strong in defence of claims.

Importantly, we know the plaintiff firms in the market across Australia and how to handle them. We also know the best experts to use to get the desired results for clients.

For decades we have acted for hotels, retail chains, shopping centre owners, cleaning contractors, large and small retail shops, pubs, clubs, liquor stores, security companies, sports & leisure businesses, car park operators, transport & logistics companies, home appliance manufacturers, mining companies and more.

Our team is best known for prompt and succinct advice, which results in claims being managed efficiently, without unnecessarily incurring excessive costs.

HBA’s people are experienced in pre-court procedures and litigation across the nation, with early involvement of your legal team, providing cost effective solutions for pre-court procedures and saving you money through reduced damages payments and legal costs overall.