Special Counsel
Deirdre Pennock
Deirdre is considered one of Perth’s best in the aftermath of motor vehicle accidents involving personal injury and/ or Fatal Accidents Act claims.
She is also highly experienced in advising major insurers and their clients on a range of commercial insurance matters including public liability, property claims and recoveries. Her experience extends from small claims of less than $50k to large scale multi-million dollar matters, with numerous parties.
Deirdre provides timely, commercial advice on the assessment of liability, contribution, quantum and recovery. She advises on the management of litigated and non-litigated claims, with a focus on successful strategies for resolution. She is expert at managing catastrophic injury claims, including acquired brain and spinal injuries, as well claims involving infants.
She regularly assists clients in matters where liability is in issue, including circumstances where negligence is denied, there is contributory negligence on the part of the claimant, where the tortfeasor is unknown or where there are multiple alleged tortfeasors. She has a proven track record of prompt resolutions and negotiated outcomes. It is not uncommon for Deirdre to implement strategies which result in claims being discontinued, where liability has been denied. Importantly, Deirdre understands there may be benefits to the settlement of a claim which could otherwise be litigated.
Deirdre is well versed at guiding clients in the need for additional evidence concerning liability, whether that is s via Police, insurers, witnesses or engaging expert witnesses. She regularly attends the District Court, and is extremely experienced in conducting settlement conferences to reach negotiated outcomes. Deirdre is highly skilled at advocating for clients in chambers.
Deirdre approaches every matter with pragmatism. She thoroughly analyses evidence and provides advice with an aim of reaching a mediated outcome as quickly as possible. She finds that picking up the phone and speaking to clients directly and regularly saves time (therefore lowering fees) and has the value add of sharing invaluable knowledge.
She has excellent professional relationships with opposing solicitors and counsel and, within HBA, Deirdre is known for her superb mentoring of our junior lawyers.
Prior to HBA, Deirdre spent 10 years with Sparke Helmore. She continues to be a member of the Australian Insurance Law Association and Piddington Society. Deirdre holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia and a Bachelor of Social Science (Politics and History) from Curtin University and was admitted as a solicitor in early 2010.
Personal Awards/ Accreditations
Examples of Deirdre’s experience includes:
- Acted for the Insurance Commission after the plaintiff was allegedly catastrophically injured as a result of a motor vehicle crash. The defendant’s negligence was denied on the basis of CCTV footage and the defendant’s evidence that the plaintiff was the author of his own misfortune in causing the accident (as a pedestrian jumping in front of a vehicle). In this matter Deirdre considered the CCTV footage obtained via subpoena and provided this footage to the plaintiff’s solicitors, inviting them to discontinue the claim. The trial resulted in the plaintiff’s claim being dismissed: Withnell v Tran [2023] 100.
- Acting for the insurer of the employer (a Western Australian boat builder), in a common law claim made by an employee. The employee was working overseas and was injured when travelling on a tender from harbour to the yacht where he was working. The claim was successfully defended at trial: Taylor v Hanseatic Marine Engineering Pty Ltd [2012] WADC 136.
- Advising on a claim regarding considerable damages for past and future care and home modifications for a claimant with significant pre-existing medical conditions. Deirdre obtained opinions from medical specialists concerning the cause of the need for care which ultimately reduced the claim for care by approximately 80%.
- Successfully negotiating the settlement of a claim by a man who alleged a loss of earnings (in excess of $600k) on the basis that his injuries (allegedly) caused him to retire early. Detailed analyses included his pre-accident and post-accident earnings, medical history, pharmaceutical history and social media activity. The matter settled following a settlement offer made after the first pre-trial conference for $50k.
- Providing advice in relation to a claim where a European insurer sought to recover payments made pursuant to a travel insurance policy to an insured person who was injured in a motor vehicle crash in Western Australia.
- Acting in property damage and recovery matters for commercial insurers and self-insureds. Claims have varied from minor general liability claims involving less than $10k, through to multi-million dollar claims involving numerous parties.
Why clients like her
Deirdre’s areas of expertise
Catastrophic Injury Claims
Catastrophic injury claims involve the severely injured, such as quadriplegics, paraplegics and those with severe brain injuries. These types of claims require…
Compulsory Third Party
HBA provides CTP legal defence to licensed insurers and scheme agents in Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales. We combine…
General Liability
While public liability, product liability, and property damage represent major segments of the general liability landscape, many other claims fall into specialised,…
Motor Vehicle
We act for various insurers in the defence and management of motor vehicle claims across Australia, including personal injury (CTP) and property…
Professional Indemnity
When it comes to professional indemnity matters, our team has complete appreciation that these claims are almost always complex and sensitive. HBA…
Property Damage Liability
HBA’s experience includes both large loss and small property damage claims. Insurers, self-insureds and corporations have come to rely on HBA for…
