Richard Poole | Personal Injury Solicitor

An approachable and friendly manner…Richard Poole is a safe pair of hands, always willing to ensure everything is done for his clients

About Richard Poole

Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Personal Injury.

Richard Poole is a Legal Director in Thorntons’ Personal Injury team, based in Dundee, and an accredited specialist in personal injury law. As a senior member of the team, he plays a key role in leading complex litigation and advising on high-value and technically challenging claims.

Richard is highly experienced in acting for pursuers in employers’ liability and clinical negligence disputes, with a particular focus on high-value cases involving complex liability, causation and expert medical evidence. His employers’ liability practice includes claims arising from unsafe systems of work, failures in risk assessment and training, and breaches of statutory duties, often involving serious and life-changing injuries such as spinal damage and chronic pain conditions.

He is regularly instructed in claims where liability is contested and detailed evidential analysis is required, and he takes a strategic and meticulous approach to litigation, working closely with counsel and expert witnesses to build robust, evidence-led cases.

Richard was the lead solicitor in the landmark Scottish case of Haesel McDonald v Indigo Sun Retail Ltd, which established that an employer can be held liable for significant personal injury arising from a single, acute exposure to hazardous noise in the workplace. The case concerned a young employee who sustained permanent hearing loss following prolonged exposure to a faulty fire alarm, and resulted in an award of over £240,000 in damages. The decision, upheld on appeal, is now widely regarded as an important authority in workplace injury litigation, demonstrating that even short-term exposure to an unaddressed risk can found substantial liability.

Richard is known for providing clear, pragmatic advice and for his strong client focus, ensuring clients are supported and fully informed throughout what is often a difficult and sensitive process. He is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Personal Injury and is recognised by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) as a Senior Litigator. He is also an active member of the All Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court User Group.

Practice areas

Richard Poole took me through the claims process from start to finish with the highest degree of professionalism. He arranged all my necessary appointments and left no stone unturned. I was seen by the top specialists in the country via Richards instruction. During the process with the injuries I sustained physically and mentally Richard was always there making sure I was getting any treatment that I required, not only was he tenacious in his approach to my case from a legal perspective, but after dealing with him for over 2 years, he is a genuinely nice guy who actually cares about his clients. His advice was frank and honest and he always kept me upto date with proceedings no matter how big or small they were.
I cannot recommend his services highly enough and although he settled my case successfully which I'm grateful for I certainly will miss the conversations we used to have. If I ever require legal advice in the future I will know exactly who to call as Richard and his team really are so good to work with and they have a vast array of legal services. If honesty, dignity and straight talking is what you are looking for in a lawyer look no further than Richard Poole.

An approachable and friendly manner. Experienced litigators willing to fight hard for their clients. Richard Poole is a safe pair of hands, always willing to ensure everything is done for his clients.

I cannot recommend Thorntons Solicitors enough! I have received an incredibly professional, friendly and supportive service over the last few years as well as a settlement figure much larger than I ever expected. Richard Poole has been incredible. Although there were delays and challenges throughout the case out with Thorntons control, Richard helped make things as easy for me to deal with as he could. Everything was always explained clearly and I always felt I could email or pick the phone if I needed to. Cannot thank Richard and the team at Thorntons enough!

I cannot recommend Thorntons Solicitors highly enough. Exceptional platinum service from start to finish. Richard at Thorntons went the extra mile every time I had been in contact with him, he provided regular updates, guidance and support throughout my claim process even through these unprecedented times with Covid. For me this was never about the financial outcome merely to acknowledge what the company we claimed against done wrong, and with them telling lies from day one this made me more determined to peruse this matter further. There are not enough words that can say thank you to Richard and Thorntons as he has been a fantastic gentleman and for me a friend as I have gotten to know him during these difficult times. Richard was so polite, professional and from day one understood what I was going through and what I wanted and needed, his calm collective words and help reassured me and put me at ease.

I found Thorntons Solicitors brilliant to deal with. I was put in contact with Richard Poole from an old colleague of mine who highly recommended him . I was not let down by Richard's great reputation and would say he exceeded it . Always made everything crystal clear for me to understand and was very approachable when it came to questions and information . Can't recommend Richard enough !

I used Thorntons for my injury claim and had a one to one dealing with solicitor Richard Poole. He was very professional and very understanding, and kept me updated all the way along the process. I must say he was very easy to talk to and always gave great advise.

It has been a great experience dealing with Richard Poole and Thorntons. I would highly recommend them.

Your professionalism combined with your honesty, integrity and especially your friendliness coupled with your guidance made the whole journey from beginning to end all the more bearable.

From the Telephone conversation, I've had first class and in depth discussions with Richard Poole. He has kept me updated on everything and offered assurances and support whenever I've had questions or worries. He has kept in touch with me on almost a weekly basis and I've been up to date on every bit of correspondence necessary. I've got nothing but praise for the way my claim has been handled and thabnk everyone for it.

Any problems or issues I have had, Richard has helped me resolve them. . The advice and support from Richard can only be described as being excellent. His knowledge of the law pertaining to my case has been of the highest standard.