Lady Simler appointed as President of the Expert Witness Institute Lady Simler appointed as President of the Expert Witness Institute

Lady Simler appointed as President of the Expert Witness Institute

Her appointment was announced at the Sir Michael Davies Lecture on Wednesday 15th October.. 
Kathryn Britten awarded Honorary Fellowship of the EWI Kathryn Britten awarded Honorary Fellowship of the EWI

Kathryn Britten awarded Honorary Fellowship of the EWI

The award was made at the Sir Michael Davies Lecture on the 15th of October.
Impact speed and risk of injury Impact speed and risk of injury

Impact speed and risk of injury

There are some general learning points for all experts but otherwise this is for neurosurgeons. It is another road traffic accident personal injury...
A Day in the Life of a Speech and Language Expert Witness A Day in the Life of a Speech and Language Expert Witness

A Day in the Life of a Speech and Language Expert Witness

Julie Andrews is a consultant Speech and Language Therapist providing assessments for Special Educational Need (SEND) tribunals and writing...
Podcast Episode 17: Wellbeing and Resilience as an Expert Witness Podcast Episode 17: Wellbeing and Resilience as an Expert Witness

Podcast Episode 17: Wellbeing and Resilience as an Expert Witness

October 10th is World Mental Health Day and in this month's episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, we look at the issue of wellbeing and...
Clarifying the role of validity testing in expert evidence Clarifying the role of validity testing in expert evidence

Clarifying the role of validity testing in expert evidence

Following last month’s case update by Professor Keith Rix of Brown v Morgan Sindall, several experts have offered further reflections on the use...
Read between the lines, judge Read between the lines, judge

Read between the lines, judge

Familiar to all experts, this case illustrates how personal injury claimants can attempt to maximise their claim by dishonestly reporting symptoms and...
Scottish Medicolegal Conference 2025 Scottish Medicolegal Conference 2025

Scottish Medicolegal Conference 2025

Resolve and EWI held our annual Scottish Medicolegal Conference at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow on 19 September. The event featured great...
A Day in the Life of a Jewellery and Gemstone Expert Witness A Day in the Life of a Jewellery and Gemstone Expert Witness

A Day in the Life of a Jewellery and Gemstone Expert Witness

Dr Richard Taylor is an Expert in the identification, verification and valuation of diamonds, gemstones, jewellery, watches, silver and antiques. He...
Podcast Episode 16: CV Writing Podcast Episode 16: CV Writing

Podcast Episode 16: CV Writing

In the 16th episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, Simon and Sean, discuss CV Writing. We look at the purpose of expert CVs, the rules and...
Podcast Episode 15: The Power of EWI Membership: Raising Standards in Expert Witness... Podcast Episode 15: The Power of EWI Membership: Raising Standards in Expert Witness...

Podcast Episode 15: The Power of EWI Membership: Raising Standards in Expert Witness...

In the 15th episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, Simon and EWI's Membership Manager, Will Watkis, discuss the power of EWI membership and the...
A day in the life of an Accommodation Expert Witness A day in the life of an Accommodation Expert Witness

A day in the life of an Accommodation Expert Witness

Marisa Shek is a Healthcare Architect and owner of Shek Architects. As an Expert Witness, she specialises in the field of accommodation for disabled...

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Looking for more news relevant to the Expert Witness community? Why not check out our database of cases relevant to Expert Evidence or the latest and previous editions of our member magazine, Expert Matters.

News

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Nothing short of a demolition of the expert's evidence
Case Updates

Nothing short of a demolition of the expert's evidence

The expert paediatrician in this case misidentified and confused twins when reading the primary medical disclose. This fundamental error was of seminal importance in this case because the twins had very different birth and post-birth experiences, with one being much weaker and more vulnerable than the other.  The judge noted that the cross-examination of the expert was nothing short of a demolition of the expert’s evidence.

LB Croydon v D (critical scrutiny of the paedeatric overview)

Is baldness a disease?
Case Updates

Is baldness a disease?

Mr Simon Britten, immediate past chair of the British Orthopaedic Association Medico-legal Committee, in his foreword to the forthcoming Expert Musculoskeletal and Orthopaedic Evidence, refers to how giving evidence one Monday in a case of tibial fracture, missed compartment syndrome and subsequent amputation, he was asked when he had last fixed a tibial fracture. Understandably, he said that the judge’s reaction to his answer ‘last Friday’ appeared to be a promising start. However, it is not a hard and fast rule that the healthcare expert should have experience, or recent experience, of performing the procedure or operation in issue. This case illustrates it.

Advanced Hair Technology Ltd v Revenue and Customs (VAT - whether hair transplants to treat androgenetic alopecia are exempt supplies of medical care) [2025] UKFTT 241 (TC) 

Navigating the excessive difference in valuations from  two Expert Quantity Surveyors
Case Updates

Navigating the excessive difference in valuations from two Expert Quantity Surveyors

The complexities of this case required both parties to engage expert quantity surveyors.  Both sides approached their instructions to their expert from different angles which caused difficulties at trial.  This explained why the valuations were worlds apart (or as the judge commented they had a “manifestly excessive difference”) and needed some careful scrutiny and assessment by the judge. Whilst the approach of examining both valuations is very case specific, there are some fundamental tests which can be taken away.  An objective test was used several times as a benchmark looking at the scope of works that a ‘reasonable owner’ or ‘purchaser’ would require.  The key legal issue of “proportionality” was also visited frequently throughout the assessment of valuations. 

Iya Patarkatsishvili & Anor v William Woodward-Fisher [2025] EWHC 265 (Ch)

Expert evidence in judicial review proceedings
Case Updates

Expert evidence in judicial review proceedings

The parties sought permission to rely on expert evidence from three experts in respect of the claimant’s tazkira, an official identity document issued by the former Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The judge found the first proposed expert’s evidence to be hearsay, and (if the proceeding continued) directed the parties to re-serve the second expert’s report with evidence for which permission had not been given excised, and to re-serve the third expert’s report with a compliant declaration.  

MS, R (on the application of) v Kent County Council [2024] EWHC 2661 (Admin)

Postponement of the Extended Fixed Recoverable Costs Stocktake and Uprating of Fixed Cost Medical Reports
News

Postponement of the Extended Fixed Recoverable Costs Stocktake and Uprating of Fixed Cost Medical Reports

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (‘Committee) decided, provisionally, to postpone the extended Fixed Recoverable Cost (‘FRC’) stocktake, which was initially planned for February 2025, until October 2025, while the the cost which may be recovered to obtain medical reports in low value road traffic accident related soft tissue and whiplash injury claims is being uprated by 25.4%.

Family Procedure Rules Consultation concerning the instruction of unregulated experts in family law children proceedings
News

Family Procedure Rules Consultation concerning the instruction of unregulated experts in family law children proceedings

In recent years a range of stakeholders have raised concerns regarding unregulated experts providing evidence in family law court cases and the standard of the evidence they provide. The Family Procedure Rule Committee is consulting on new FPR 25.5A with the aim of requiring any expert instructed in family law children proceedings to be regulated. A key purpose of the changes is to ensure that any expert instructed in family law children proceedings has the appropriate skills and qualifications on which to base their expert evidence. 

EWI guidance for experts approached by unscrupulous expert witness agencies
News

EWI guidance for experts approached by unscrupulous expert witness agencies

While there are many respectable and legitimate expert witness agencies who provide brilliant support to the expert witnesses who work with them, the EWI has had continuing reports of the activities of some unethical agencies who prey upon experts who do not have a good understanding of expert witness work or who may be vulnerable to such approaches for other reasons. We do not want any expert to fall victim to an unscrupulous agency, so we have prepared a short guide setting out the red flags to watch out for in the approach of an unethical agency and, conversely, the sorts of positive signs to expect from a respectable and legitimate agency, including a quick checklist to complete. 

Lost in translation
Case Updates

Lost in translation

In this patent case, the judge noted that neither expert was a native English speaker and both had difficulties with questions put to them during cross-examination. The misstep of one expert over the word “buckling”, which he had used in his report, and his use of a translator during cross-examination for reference, led the judge to approach his written evidence with a degree of caution.

Salts Healthcare Limited v Pelican Healthcare Limited [2025] EWHC 497 (Pat)

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