Heather Petrie

Heather is a solicitor and senior associate with a specialist focus on catastrophic, life-changing injuries. She is widely recognised for her passionate, tenacious and empathetic approach, consistently praised by clients, colleagues, barristers and medical professionals alike.

Heather takes the time to truly understand each client’s unique circumstances, tailoring her approach to meet individual needs. She communicates complex legal matters in clear, straightforward language and is known for her exceptional client care and unwavering commitment to securing the best possible outcomes. Her down-to-Earth demeanour puts clients at ease and assists in reducing the stress of litigation. She endeavours to work collaboratively with insurers, to ensure the needs of her clients are put first.

Her particular expertise lies in road traffic collision claims (including fatalities), though her practice also spans injuries and fatalities from public and workplace incidents.

Heather has a strong specialism in traumatic brain injury cases. Prior to joining HCC, she spent six and a half years exclusively representing survivors of brain injuries. Today, she advocates for clients with a wide range of serious injuries, including brain and spinal cord injuries, polytrauma, amputations and psychological or psychiatric trauma.

Heather has dedicated over a decade to representing claimants who have suffered catastrophic injuries. She began her career in personal injury law in 2013, immediately after earning a Distinction in her Legal Practice Course and has been a fierce advocate for injured individuals and families ever since.

Heather is an accredited Litigator and a proud member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

Outside of work, Heather is an avid motorcyclist and currently rides a Suzuki GSR600. She is also rarely seen without her beloved French Bulldog, Mötley.

Heather has had many work highlights throughout her career. However, in the last year, there are five highlights that stand out:

- Representing a client who was involved in a road traffic collision, receiving significant and serious lower limb injuries, including hip and ankle fractures and a degloving injury requiring skin-graft procedures. Although elderly, the client was previously living independently which was no longer possible after the collision. Heather engaged the Rehab Code to bring on a case manager and set up a private treatment package. Heather acted swiftly, particularly due to the clients age and a successful settlement was reached before court proceedings were required.

- Representing a family who lost a loved one who was a passenger in a car involved in a road traffic collision. Heather moved swiftly and gathered dependency evidence early on and settled the case before the need for court proceedings and before the criminal case had concluded.

- Representing a family who lost their 22-year-old loved one in a fatal motorcycle collision. As the deceased did not have children, and therefore no dependency claim, most firms would have chosen to turn this case down. However, Heather wanted to do her best for the family, despite the risks involved, so took this case on. She successfully settled the case just before the limitation period expired. In addition, Heather recognised the deceased's father was linked as a secondary victim, given he witnessed the immediate aftermath of the tragic incident. She is now pursuing this litigated claim on his behalf.

- Representing a client who was involved in a road traffic collision and suffered a serious traumatic brain injury. The case was personally referred to Heather, given her specialism in this field, as the client was frustrated with the previous solicitor and the case not progressing as it should. Heather has been instrumental in turning the case around, implementing a clear pathway to settlement and working with the Defendant’s insurer and solicitor to ensure specialist treatment is in place via the Rehab Code, supported with numerous voluntary interim payments given the client’s severely reduced work capabilities.

- Representing a family who lost a child when hit by a driver. The death was witnessed by the child’s parents, younger brother and grandfather, causing them all significant trauma. Heather is working collaboratively with the Defendant’s insurer to establish a pathway to settlement, obtaining voluntary interim payments and obtaining specialist MDT treatment for all secondary victims, with the assistance of a single case manager, via the Rehab Code; to ensure they all make the best possible recovery after witnessing such a horrific, devastating and life-changing event.