Richard Langton

Responsibilities

Richard Langton is the Managing Partner of the Birmingham office of Russell Jones & Walker. With 24 years experience of acting only for claimants he has experience of every type and value of injury claim.

Expertise

Richard's expertise is in fatal accident and maximum severity claims involving head and spinal injuries. He advised UK claimants in the September 11th litigation, played a leading role in Jupiter maritime disaster litigation, and in the Lockerbie aviation litigation against Pan Am and Libya, as well as rail crashes including those at Colwich and Paddington. He acted for Harry Sharma, who in 1997, was awarded record general damages for injuries which left him in a wheelchair, blind and brain damaged following a criminal assault.

He is experienced in United States litigation procedures, and has extensive contacts there.

Experience

He has been involved in various significant cases, including Daniels v Walker, a Court of Appeal decision which defined the instruction of joint expert witnesses and also established the applicabiltiy of the Human Rights Act to personal injury claims.  He participated in the recent Ministry of Justice Claims Process review  as part of the  "high level" group.

Recent lectures to APIL Brain Injury Conference and Headway groups on Mental Capacity Act and decision making for patients, and the role of  the Deputy .
 
Richard is head of Serious Injury Group at Russell Jones & Walker.

Current work 
 
Linkwise GLO. Lead solicitor for 5400 claimants whose injuries include skin burns and respiratory symptoms from exposure to banned toxic fungicides used in manufacturing.  This is believed to be the largest ever UK product liability claim and involves contaminated imported Chinese leather furniture.
 
Recent cases include:

• Ms B incomplete tetraplegic - obtained £5 million damages at trial in 2008. 
• Ms  E obtained record £8.6 million settlement in 2007 for a brain damaged child. 
• Ms  E - tetraplegic ventilator dependent brain damaged infant - care package £700k pa. 

Career overview

He is an Honorary Life Member and past President of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) and is also a Trustee of Headway West Midlands.

Richard joined Russell Jones & Walker in 1984 after being articled with Marcan & Dean. He qualified in 1984 and has been a Partner since 1987. He studied Law at University of Keele, graduating in 1980, and earned an MBA from Birmingham University Business School in 2002.