Richard Henderson

Year of Call 2009

Richard Henderson has a varied civil practice with a focus on personal injury and clinical negligence. He represents a range of clients including individual litigants, insurance companies and public organisations.

He is experienced in a wide range of employers’ liability cases, with a long-standing interest in occupational diseases claims, having represented pursuers and defenders in that area. Other example subject-matters have included defective equipment and historical abuse.

Richard acts mainly for pursuers but has also represented defenders in medical negligence disputes involving healthcare professionals. 

Richard has increasingly been instructed in high value and complex claims. He has experience dealing with catastrophic injury claims.

Richard has an interest in professional discipline and regulatory law. In 2008 he was a Legal Adviser with the Scottish Social Services Council, advising on conduct rules/procedure. In 2017 Richard completed the Regulatory Law and Practice course at Aberdeen University.

Since 2024 Richard has been Legally Qualified Chair with the Scottish Social Services Council. In that role he chairs panels adjudicating on whether workers’ fitness to practice is impaired. 

Richard has taught for several years on personal injury and other matters at Edinburgh University. He has spoken regularly on varied topics at external conferences and seminars.

Representative Cases

Recent Reported Cases

Callum Fraser and Brynhildur Hallgrimsdottir v Evelyn Munro [2024] SC EDIN 36
Represented pursuers in ASSPIC in low velocity road traffic accident cases at proof. Defence on causation and quantum. Evidence from motor vehicle experts. Pursuers successful.

Darren Conquer v Lothian Health Board [2020] CSOH 8 (proof); Darren Conquer v Lothian Health Board [2020] CSIH 74 (reclaiming motion).
Action against Health Board due to failure to diagnose and treat serious arm injury. Represented pursuer for 4 years. Eight-day Court of Session quantum proof; subsequent reclaiming motion.

 

Some Recent Examples - Settled Cases

JL v WRAL (May 2025)
Represented defender in ASSPIC action against vehicle restoration specialists where employee injured when handling parts in acid.  Case defended on merits, contributory negligence and quantum. Advice tendered and settlement agreed at Pre-trial meeting. 

SC v ACCT (April 2025)
Represented pursuer in Court of Session action against residential care provider where employee sustained serious injuries in assault by young person in care. Case defended on merits, causation and quantum. Significant settlement damages secured at Pre-trial meeting.

HH v LHB (October 2024)
Represented defender in ASSPIC action against health board where care support worker injured when providing assistance to patient. Case defended on merits (system of work) and quantum. Following advice, tender lodged and accepted.

BM v CB and RW (January 2024)
Represented pursuer in ASSPIC action against GPs following allegedly negligent prescription of hormone treatment. High value case defended on merits, causation and quantum. Significant settlement damages secured on eve of proof.

Contact Us

  • Compass Chambers
    Parliament House
    Edinburgh
    EH1 1RF