EWJ 60 April 2025 web - Journal - Page 65
reflected in the higher proportion of older people receiving care at home or in a care home compared to
the rest of the UK.
Costs of Care: In the UK, there are best practice
guidelines for the costs of care in personal injury
claims, which include evidence from medical experts,
local authorities, and care experts.
The social care system in Northern Ireland tends to be
more integrated with local communities, and there is
a greater focus on providing personalized care that
meets the specific needs of individuals within their
local context.
These guidelines may differ slightly in Northern
Ireland, where the focus is on ensuring that the
litigation is dealt with expeditiously and fairly.
The cost of care and availability of services can vary
significantly between regions. Experts need to be
aware of local guidelines and best practices for calculating care costs in personal injury claims
Understanding these cultural nuances is crucial for
experts to provide accurate and relevant information
in their reports, ensuring that the care and support
recommended are tailored to the specific needs and
context of the client in Northern Ireland.
This ensures that the compensation sought is accurate
and reflective of the local context.
Why do experts need to be aware of the differences
when working in one country or culture to another?
Whilst Northern Ireland and England are both parts
of the UK, they have distinct cultural identities shaped
by their unique histories, social dynamics and geographical contexts. Understanding the cultural differences between the two can be helpful in navigating
social, professional and personal interactions.
Knowledge of experts and their client's location
with resources available is crucial for several
reasons:
Frameworks governing personal injury claims in
Northern Ireland is influenced by the Rules of the
Supreme Court (Northern Ireland) 1980, which aim
to allocate court resources appropriately and ensure
fair treatment of parties.
Having grown up and lived in North Wales for 27,
and now living in England for the past 10 years, I am
well versed in cultural differences and how to navigate
these respectfully and successfully. As an OT, I am a
holistic practitioner and my core OT values and skills
are unchanged regardless of the country or area I am
working in. I ensure my approach is tailored to
client’s needs to foster a positive rapport and working
relationship, ensuring the best possible outcome for
my client, ensuring all prejudice and bias is put to one
side.
Different regions have distinct legal frameworks and
regulations. For example, Northern Ireland has its
own Pre-Action Protocol for personal injury litigation,
which differs from the rest of the UK
Knowing these differences ensures that experts can
navigate the legal system effectively and comply with
local requirements.
Local Expertise: Familiarity with local laws, court
procedures, and community dynamics provides
strategic advantages. Ensure if you are working in an
area that you get to know the locality and its specific
rules, filing deadlines, and procedural nuances that
can impact the outcome of a case.
Redz experience as an Expert Witness
My journey as an Occupational Therapist began 11
years ago when I started studying Occupational Therapy at Wrexham Glyndwr University, qualifying in
2017. Since 2017 I have worked in various settings including a specialist autism school, mainstream schools,
private practice and in the NHS as part of a community adult learning disability team, both as an OT and
a team manager.
Suppliers and Services: Listing suppliers for
disability equipment and services is essential for providing accurate and relevant recommendations.
Knowing local suppliers ensures that clients receive
the necessary support and equipment tailored to their
needs.
For the past 3 years I have been working for Dragon
Occupational Therapy, a business and service I
founded in 2022. This is where my expert witness
journey began, allowing me to apply my OT skills and
drawing on my personal experiences and battles with
mental health to ensure I assessed my clients with respect and dignity, whilst being able to empathise and
identify the best possible outcome for their needs.
Community Dynamics: Understanding the attitudes
and expectations of local juries and courts can influence the presentation of a case and ensure a positive
outcome.
By being well-versed in these location-specific
nuances, experts can provide more accurate, relevant,
and effective support for their clients, ultimately leading to better outcomes in personal injury litigation.
Being an Expert Witness is a crucial yet complex role.
It utilizes all of my OT and people skills which is why
I thrive in the role, whilst it has allowed me to develop
my report writing skills to provide highly detailed
reports of an individual’s needs and the best possible
solutions.
One significant cultural difference between working
in the UK and Northern Ireland in the field of personal injury litigation, particularly when providing information on care or disability needs in an expert
report, is the approach to social care and community
support.
I have been instructed in cases for personal injury
claims, medical and clinical negligence, and more recently, immigration and extradition cases. The role of
In Northern Ireland, there is a stronger emphasis on
community-based care and support services. This is
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