Ruwena Khan

Personal Injury

Practice Summary

Ruwena is a Legal 500 Leading Junior in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence law and has recently been appointed Deputy District Judge (North Eastern Circuit, 2019). Her practice, in all areas of personal injury litigation, involves representation of both Claimants and Defendants in fast track and multi-track cases at all stages of proceedings.  

Ruwena is a thorough and robust advocate with extensive experience 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.

Ruwena is also a highly experienced and skilled credit hire practitioner. She has extensive knowledge and in-depth understanding of credit hire litigation. As a result, Ruwena is regularly instructed to advise law firms and also CHOs as to both procedural and legal strategy at all stages of proceedings, including pre-issue. 

She is accustomed to dealing with a wide variety of contentious legal issues such as enforceability and misrepresentation.  Ruwena frequently delivers seminars to all levels of credit hire practitioners, from paralegals to Partners. She provides updates as to both law and practice, giving insight into potential tactical advantages

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 in multi-track matter in respect of 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 has 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 includes damages for future revisionist surgery.
• Naylor v Monahan [2011] EWHC 1412 (QB) – successfully defended an appeal before the Honourable Mr Justice Coulson in respect of His Honour Judge Moorhouse's summary assessment of costs following a quantum only trial. This matter has been referenced in Halsbury's Laws of England as a noteworthy case detailing the relevant procedure for assessing costs.

Seminars

Ruwena has vast experience in providing Seminars tailored to the needs and requirements of all levels of solicitors, legal executives and case workers. 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 Clinical Negligence in PI Claims
• An Introduction to Cosmetic Surgery 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)

Personal Information

Ruwena’s activities include the following:

• Yoga
• Playing Piano
• Playing Guitar
• Theatre and cinema
• Art