Expert Witness Features – page 9

10 reasons to arbitrate

ARBITRATION has been developed in England and Wales specifically for use in settling commercial disputes. The process of the arbitration is governed by the Arbitration Act 1996, which lays claim to being legislation drafted for a commercial application and which tries to avoid unnecessary legal terminology.

Its first clause clearly sets out its intention: “The object of arbitration is to obtain the fair resolution of disputes without unnecessary delay or expense.” It can be used in connection with any dispute where there exists a written agreement to take any matters not resolved to arbitration.

Dairy veterinary expert: a rare breed

OF THE 15,000 practising veterinary surgeons in the UK, fewer than 150 work exclusively with dairy cattle and of those, fewer than a handful carry out regular expert witness work.

I am one of those 150 dairy practitioners and in the past year my expert witness workload has included personal injury cases, professional negligence claims against other veterinary surgeons, preliminary reports to decide whether litigation is appropriate or advisable, civil cases relating to poor installation of milking parlours and use of defective products leading to damage to stock, and one criminal case. Expert witness work certainly allows for a balanced workload.

Experts needed in the gardener’s world

THE horticultural industry is very diverse in that it includes the commercial production of fruit and vegetables crops, cut flowers and ornamental plants such as bedding and house plants. It embraces all aspects of landscaping for private gardens, public parks and commercial developments such as industrial estates. It offers careers in many disciplines, from garden centre retailing to greenkeeping on golf courses.

It has developed into a very important industry as it has captured the imagination of some 20 million gardeners in the UK. Garden centres often provide a ‘day out’ for a wide audience and there are many gardens to visit courtesy of the National Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Playing golf can be a dangerous game

IN SPITE OF a growing number of court cases upholding claims of negligence against golfers who cause injury while playing or practising, 90% of UK golfers still play without adequate insurance protection. Statistics compiled by the UK’s largest specialist golf insurance provider, Golfplan, confirm that on average over 12,400 golfers are injured annually, 30% of which are head injuries. And a recent court ruling has determined that shouting “Fore!” does not remove liability.

Food safety: honesty is the best policy

CASES involving food poisoning often make headlines, particularly if there are a lot of victims.

The latest clutch to feature in the news have involved holidaymakers in Spain – particularly the resort of Benidorm.