Bruce Cussen

Bruce specialises in the area of insurance law, litigation and dispute resolution and has done so for over 25 years. He has a Bachelor of Laws and Economics and is an Accredited Specialist in Personal Injury Law.

Bruce practises in and has extensive knowledge of:

  • General insurance, indemnity and policy advice;
  • Public and product liability claims;
  • Catastrophic personal injury claims;
  • Dust diseases;
  • Professional indemnity claims;
  • Personal insurance claims;
  • Business interruption and ISR (Industrial Special Risks) claims;
  • Property damage claims;
  • Aviation and marine claims;
  • Life and disability claims;
  • Insurance claims involving fraud.

Bruce has acted for insurers, insureds, liability self insurers and corporate entities throughout Australia and internationally.

Some examples of matters managed by Bruce include:

  • Acting for a large corporate entity  in a claim arising under an errors and omissions policy concerning the alleged negligent design, installation and maintenance of irrigation pipes leading to pipe failure and significant crop losses in South Australia;
  • Acting for an insurer advising on indemnity, policy coverage under an ISR policy, damage and loss in relation to a claim by a school arising from fire and acts of vandalism in circumstances where the school was no longer operating and the land on which it was situated was being offered for sale;
  • Acting in a $5 million property damage claim against pool manufacturers arising out of the blistering of pools and alleged negligent design;
  • Professional indemnity and error and omission policy claims including architects, builders, engineers, surveyors, mortgage originators/brokers and dental service providers;
  • Acting in a professional indemnity claim for a doctor in relation to alleged negligent cosmetic treatment to a patient;
  • Acting for the owner and licensee of a hotel in a catastrophic public liability claim arising from the serious assault of a patron (who suffered alleged brain damage) by a third party off the hotel premises, in which it was held by the NSW Court of Appeal that no duty of care was owed;
  • Acting for a number of defendants on instructions from an insurer in multi-million dollar proceedings involving 5 plaintiffs and 9 defendants arising from the entrapment and drowning of a child in a spa for claims for nervous shock by the deceased’s family members, a substantial claim for damages in an action per quod servitium amisit for economic loss brought by a family trust company, numerous cross claims and claims for dual insurance;
  • Acting in the High Court of Australia matter Hollis v Vabu Pty Ltd (2001), a leading authority on the indicia for the distinction between employees and independent contractors;
  • Acting in claims concerning catastrophic injuries sustained on construction sites involving multiple contractors and independent contractors;
  • Acting on behalf of an instructor in relation to a personal injury claim arising out of a paragliding accident;
  • Acting for a boat sharing company on instructions from a marine insurer in defending a personal injury claim by a guest on a vessel who had 3 fingers severed when releasing lines from a vessel.