Richard Stead - Property Damage & Insurance Disputes

Richard has considerable experience in property damage cases arising from fire, flooding, tree root induced subsidence, land slip etc, and in insurance coverage matters.

Throughout Richard’s time at the Bar, he has undertaken civil jury trials and trials before a single judge where fraud is alleged.  Fraudulent claims related particularly to fire, flooding and other forms of property damage, burglary and motor-car theft / damage.

Recent work includes:

• Acting for claimants in a case concerning insurance coverage of a claim for landslip / erosion.
• Acting for the local authority in a claim for tree root damage in TCC – two separate causes of movement found – complex expert engineering evidence – trial of liability and quantum – issues on costs due to alleged failure to engage in ADR.
• Acting for the defendant council in a claim by local residents in respect of flooding and land slip which led to the death of a local resident when a landslip demolished her house.
• A claim by a farmer against the highway authority for flooding and consequential reduced crop yield.
• Acting for the claimant in a subrogated claim against a company which negligently installed catering equipment thereby causing a fire in newly refurbished premises with damage in excess of £500,000.
• Acting for the claimants under a subrogated claim. Fire damage caused by roofing hot works. Value over £1m.

Richard shares his experience and expertise through lectures given to legal professionals and organisations across the country.  He is willing to tailor seminars to suit individual requirements.