Year of Call: 1997 / Year of Silk: 2020
Practice Areas
Dominic has been in practice at Temple Garden Chambers since 1997 and has developed a broad regulatory health and safety criminal and civil practice. He specializes in health and safety.
Dominic has a well-established health safety practice which has seen his involvement in some of the most of high profile and significant health & safety cases. He has been shortlisted in the Chambers Bar Awards in the category of Health of Safety Junior of the Year.
Dominic regularly appears in the Court of Appeal and Crown Court representing duty-holders in prosecutions under the HSWA 1974 following both fatal and non-fatal accidents. Dominic was successful in the two most significant Court of Appeal decisions involving the sentencing very large organisations under the Sentencing Guidelines for Health and Safety Offences. In fatal industrial accidents he also acts for duty-holders in related coroner’s inquests. He has experience representing individuals as well as companies of all sizes (including some of the largest operating in the United Kingdom). He has worked on cases across a wide range of industries/sectors including: steel manufacturing, rail, construction, security, waste management, healthcare, residential care, education, sports and leisure. He has particular interest in cases involving explosions and fires.
Dominic also represents duty-holders in other regulatory matters under the HSWA 1974 (e.g. appeals against prohibition and improvement notices) and environmental and food safety prosecutions. He has acted in public inquiries following public disasters (e.g. Southall and Ladbroke Grove rail crashes). He represented the Independent Police Complaints Commission in the Inquest into the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster. He has acted for two of the victims of the Westminster Terrorist attacks. This has involved consideration of the security arrangements at the Palace of Westminster.
Dominic has a niche product liability practice. Typically, though not exclusively, he represents large scale manufacturers, producers and distributors. He has advised companies based in the UK, the EU and beyond. He has considerable experience of civil litigation concerning a wide variety of products including domestic appliances (e.g. televisions, white goods, heating systems), industrial equipment, vehicle/motorcycle/cycle manufacturing and medical components. He has advised on a wide range of issues including duties and liabilities under consumer protection and product safety legislation including product recalls, insurance coverage disputes, inquests related to product safety and regulatory prosecutions.
In the field of personal injury he has experience of catastrophic injury claims (e.g. brain damage, paraplegia and amputee claims) as well as claims arising out of less serious injuries. He has a particular interest in fraudulent or exaggerated claims. Dominic has been involved in a significant number of group litigation cases including cases where a Group Litigation Order (GLO) has been issued (e.g. Scania Series 4, Powertrain) as well as large multi-Claimant non-GLO cases relating to domestic products and foodstuffs.
Winner Health and Safety Junior of the Year 2018 at the Chambers Bar Awards.
Health and Safety
Dominic has been recommended as a Leading Junior for Health & Safety, in Chambers & Partners in every year from 2006 until 2018. The current edition describes him as “very sound, solid junior who is hard-working, good on his feet and excellent with clients.” Earlier editions suggest he is “keen and good with clients” and “easy-going advocate with an attractive style.” Solicitors have noted that he “involves himself closely with cases from an early stage and is very approachable and good with clients.”
He has also been recommended as a Leading Junior for Health & Safety in the Legal 500 every year from 2005 until 2018. The 2018 edition of Legal 500 stated that Dominic is an ‘excellent jury advocate, who goes the extra mile to achieve the right result.’ Earlier editions described him as having “a charismatic aura” and “an excellent health and safety lawyer who possesses a keen understanding of the arguments that are likely to appeal to a particular court.” In one edition he was said to have “a brilliant sense of humour and carries clients through the difficult times“.
Inquests and Inquiries
The 2018 edition of Legal 500 recommends Dominic as a Leading Junior for Inquests and Inquiries. The current edition states that he is ‘client-focused and recommended for heavyweight industrial accidents.’ Earlier editions have suggested that “He is a marvellously safe pair of hands and instils confidence in both lay and professional clients.”
Personal Injury
Dominic is recommended as a Leading Junior for Personal Injury in the 2016 edition of Chambers & Partners. He is described as taking “a very pragmatic approach to litigation and offers sound, sensible advice.” It adds that “He understands the commercial sensitivities for insurers in large loss cases.” In earlier editions he has been described as being “very astute, methodical and organised in his approach, he’s a heavyweight junior who is very capable of taking the lead in cases” and as a “really approachable, nice chap who is very clear in his advice.”
Dominic currently recommend as a Leading Junior for Personal Injury in Legal 500. In the field of personal injury in the 2018 edition he is described as “extremely thorough and has an excellent legal mind. Earlier editions have stated that he “always goes the extra mile for clients.”
Product Liability
Dominic has been recommended as a Leading Junior for Product Liability. He is described as “client focused and highly recommended.”
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
PIBA
HSLA
Dominic Adamson is acting for the widows of two of the victims of the attack, namely the widow of Kurt Cochran who died on the Westminster Bridge and the widow of PC Keith Palmer who died within the grounds of the Palace of Westminster.
Read moreDominic Adamson acted for Southern Co-Operative Limited in a successful appeal against sentence to the Lewes Crown Court. The case arose out of an incident which resulted in an employee suffering a serious leg fracture. At first instance the Defendant was fined £334,000. This was reduced on appeal to £20,000 (i.e. a 94% reduction in the penalty. The Defendant company had a turnover in the region of £400m.
Read moreDominic Adamson acted for Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited in the Court of Appeal in a successful appeal against sentence. Lord Chief Justice Burnett delivered the judgment of the Court on 20 December 2017. The fine was reduced from £700,000 to £300,000. The case concerned a breach of section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Read moreIn what is believed to be the first successful appeal against sentence for a very large organisation sentenced for health and safety offences under the Definitive Guidelines, Keith Morton QC and Dominic Adamson secured a substantial reduction in a fine imposed on Tata Steel UK following its guilty plea to two health and safety offences.
Read moreInquest into the death of a person who accessed railway infrastructure operated by TfL. The issues in the case included consideration of the response of line controllers to the knowledge that a person had accessed the infrastructure.
Dominic Adamson acted for the 3 Defendants who faced a claim for £5.7 million following 3 road traffic accidents. The Claimant alleged that as a result of accident related symptoms he had failed to conclude a contract for the sale of wine to the USA. The Claimant recovered nothing in relation to the wine contract. The total award to the Claimant in respect of the 3 accidents was less than £40,000.
Prosecution concerning an explosion at a steel works when water was being used to cool a spillage of molten material. The case considered the engineering issues which gave rise to the spillage and operational issues which resulted in the explosion. Fine of £180,000 imposed.
Inquest into the death of a trekker in the Himalayas who died as a result of altitude sickness.
Prosecution arising out of a death during a steel-making vessel relining operation. Court accepted the defendant’s argument that death was not caused by admitted breach. Fine of £120,000 imposed. Also appeared at the earlier inquest into the death.
Appeals against prohibition notices issued in relation to the use of certain plant whilst working under live electrical Overhead Line Equipment.
Read moreInquest into the deaths of 96 football supports at the Hillsborough Football Stadium in 1989. Acted for the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Case involved a fatality when an employee of the Defendant was killed when a ship thruster on which he was working on toppled on him.
Commercial litigation following an explosion in a piece of industrial equipment. The amount in dispute was £10 million. Case was concluded with a favourable settlement .
Acted on behalf of Securitas Security Services Limited who provide a replacement fire rescue service. The deceased died in a residential fire whilst the London Fire Brigade were taking industrial action.
Case involved a fatal accident where an employee of the RP fell through a perspex roof light which formed part of a corrugated asbestos roof. RP was fined £26,667. AD fined £276,000. Issues in the case involved safe working procedures and lack of work equipment.
Acted for Defendant in trial arising out of a series of incidents where employees suffered injuries whilst operating the press which was used to bend rails. Numerous risks assessments performed in relation to the operation. After the final incident the process eliminated the risk. Argument over whether Defendant had done all that was reasonably practicable.
Personal injury case arising out of road traffic accident. Acted for the Claimant. The Claimant had sustained a brain injury. Claim settled for a sum in excess of £1million.
Employees of Powertrain at the Longbridge claimed damages in relation to respiratory illness arising out of exposure to contaminated metal working fluid. They commenced group litigation. There were related Third Party proceedings.
10th July 2020
Members of the Health & Safety and PI teams at Temple Garden Chambers have recorded their second podcast in our Covid – 19 series.
The podcast is essential listening on the implications for employers and employees in relation to the return to the workplace in the shadow of Covid 19.
Please join ranked leaders in the field Keith Morton QC and Dominic Adamson QC along with Lionel Stride, David R White and James Yapp via the below link.
The date of knowledge information as mentioned within the podcast can be obtained here.
17th June 2020
Dominic Adamson QC and David White consider how retail operators can reduce the risk of criminal sanctions and protect their businesses from the risk of civil litigation in this month’s issue of Retail Risk. Please see link below to article.
26th May 2020
Members of the Health & Safety team at Temple Garden Chambers intend to inform and assist in a topical podcast on the implications to employers on workers returning to the workplace in the shadow of Covid 19.
Please join ranked leaders in the field Keith Morton QC, Dominic Adamson QC along with Lionel Stride, David White and James Yapp via the link below.
More information on the speakers and the areas in which TGC can assist can be found at:
Or by contacting the clerks:
0207 583 1315 or clerks@tgchambers.com
30th April 2007
Co-author of book written with the intention of highlighting the various areas of law associated with prosecuting and defending health and safety cases
10th July 2020
Members of the Health & Safety and PI teams at Temple Garden Chambers have recorded their second podcast in our Covid – 19 series.
Read more17th June 2020
Dominic Adamson QC and David White consider how retail operators can reduce the risk of criminal sanctions and protect their businesses from the risk of civil litigation in this month’s issue of Retail Risk. Please see link below to article.
26th May 2020
Members of the Health & Safety team at Temple Garden Chambers intend to inform and assist in a topical podcast on the implications to employers on workers returning to the workplace in the shadow of Covid 19.
Read more16th January 2020
Temple Garden Chambers celebrates the elevation to Queen’s Counsel of Dominic Adamson
Read more8th May 2019
The inquests arising from the deaths in the London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack on 3 June 2017 started yesterday in front of the Chief Coroner, His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft QC in Court 1 at the Central Criminal Court.
Dominic Adamson, David White, Piers Taylor and Ellen Robertson are instructed by Patrick Maguire of Slater and Gordon on behalf of the family of Xavier Thomas.
Read more11th January 2019
The third Pre-Inquest Hearing took place today in the Inquests arising from the deaths in the London Bridge/Borough Market terror attack of 3 June 2017. Dominic Adamson (instructed by Patrick Maguire of Slater and Gordon) appeared on behalf of the family of Xavier Thomas. Fiona Canby (instructed by TfL Legal) appeared on behalf of Transport for London.
Read more26th October 2018
Congratulations to Dominic Adamson who was announced Health & Safety Junior of the Year at the Chambers Bar Awards held last night at The London Hilton on Park Lane.
Read more4th October 2018
Dominic Adamson acted for the widows of Kurt Cochran and PC Keith Palmer in the Inquests into the Westminster Terrorist attack on 22 March 2017. The hearing concluded on 3 October 2018 having lasted for 3 ½ weeks. Kurt Cochran was an American tourist who, along with his wife, was struck on the bridge by the vehicle driven by the Khalid Masood. PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death by Khalid Masood after he had managed to gain access into New Palace Yard through the Carriage Gates at the Palace of Westminster. His Honour Judge Lucraft QC, the Chief Coroner, made clear in his summary of the evidence that both Kurt Cochran, who had pushed his wife away from the vehicle which had mounted the kerb, and PC Keith Palmer, who had confronted the attacker, had behaved
with courage and bravery. Both were unlawfully killed.
Read more10th September 2018
Three members of TGC are in court today for the inquest into the deaths of the five people killed in the Westminster terror attack.
Read more6th September 2018
TGC are delighted to announce that Dominic Adamson has been shortlisted for the Health & Safety Junior of the Year award. The 2018 Chambers Bar Awards will be held at The London Hilton on Park Lane on Thursday, 25th October 2018.
2nd July 2018
The third Pre-Inquest Review Hearing took place today in the Inquests arising from the deaths in the Westminster Terror Attack of 22 March 2017. Matthew Waszak (instructed by Patrick Maguire of Slater and Gordon) appeared on behalf of Melissa Cochran and Michelle Palmer (who will be represented by Dominic Adamson at the Inquests).
Read more20th December 2017
Lord Chief Justice Burnett delivered the judgment of the Court 20 December 2017. The fine was reduced from £700,000 to £300,000. The case concerned a breach of section 3(1) of the Health and Safety Work Act
Read more9th June 2017
Keith Morton QC and Dominic Adamson secure a half million pound reduction in fine for Tata Steel UK.
Read more25th April 2017
We are delighted to announce our second major seminar of 2017.
Read more27th April 2016
The jury decided that the 96 deceased had been unlawfully killed. The inquests were the longest in British legal history.
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