Toni Ashby

Practice Areas

Toni is a dual qualified lawyer, with 25 years of disease claims experience. She has run several high-profile asbestos trials in Scotland’s high court. Toni has operational responsibility for the firm’s UK disease team, and works predominantly with the teams in Scotland and Newcastle. She works for insurers, re-insurers, TPA’s, corporates and local authorities in defending the whole range of long and short tail disease claims, from volume NIHL to complex stress/harassment claims. Toni sits on the firms Casualty Tech and Innovation Exec and has a particular interest in developing specialist disease claims management products, with a view to enhancing her clients’ claims experience. She also sits on the firm’s Global Environmental Sustainability and Biodiversity Steering Group.

Experience

• Stephen Quinn v. Wright's Insulations Ltd [2020] CSOH 21 – Successful time bar defence of mesothelioma claim

• Robert Prescott v. The University of St Andrews [2016] CSOH 3 – Successful defence of live mesothelioma claim

• Robert Fraser v. Kitson’s Insulation Contractors Lts [2016] CSOH 135 – Scottish courts, when making an award of provisional damages, must specify the disease or type of deterioration in respect of which an application may be made at a future date in the order, per England & Wales.

• L. Dobson v. Alexander Stephen & Son Ltd - Court of Session June 2015 - Quantum of grandchildrens' loss of society claims

• Henderson & Handley v. Charles Gray Builders & Another - Court of Session June 2014 - Unanimous jury verdict against loss of society claims by "step-grandchildren"

• Manages largest specialist defender occupational disease team in Scotland.