Expert Witness Journal Issue 67 June/July 2026 - Flipbook - Page 3
Welcome to the
Expert Witness Journal
Personal injury is a legal term used to describe harm caused to a person’s body, mind, or emotions, as opposed
to damage to property. It encompasses a wide range of injuries, including physical injuries like broken bones or
internal trauma, and non-physical injuries such as emotional distress, psychological trauma, or reputational harm.
In this issue we feature articles covering a range of personal injury areas including: Psychiatric Disorders following
Physical Trauma – A guide for the non-specialist by Dr Stephen Davies.
Personal Injury Guidelines – the recent High Court decision in Higgins v Coleman (2025), Emma Meagher at
Eversheds Sutherland tells us about the current state of the Personal Injuries Guidelines, and how the judgment
re昀氀ects a growing recognition that the guidelines are now of out date and how this may be relevant when assessing
damages in individual cases.
Philippa Luscombe at Penningtons Manches Cooper discusses how local authorities must treat damages held in
personal injury trust when determining eligibility for social care funding.
Why “User Error” is rarely the root cause for workplace injury – Adam King at RIMKUS looks at why courts,
regulators, and insurers increasingly expect an engineering-led analysis of causation, and why reliance on “user
error” alone presents both litigation and indemnity risk.
In part one of this two-part article, Divorce and Family partner Jenny Bowden and Personal Injury associate James
Philpott at Stewarts Law LLP, consider personal injury awards in the context of divorce.
Tom McNeill (BCL Solicitors) and Colin Todd (C.S.Todd & Associates Ltd) have previously written of costs being
awarded against a 昀椀re and rescue authority (FRA) for a prosecution case that “should not have been started”
(February 2025 issue), they now update on costs awarded to the defendant.
We also have great articles from Dr Samah Boulis,
Forensic Access and Expert Evidence.
Our next issue will be published in August 2026, it will
have a non-medical focus, if you have a submission,
please email us.
Mr Richard Pyper
Consultant Gynaecologist
MB, BChir, FRCS(Ed), MRCOG, FRCOG
Nigel Hector
Publisher
nigel@expertwitness.co.uk
Richard Pyper has written over 1250 Expert Reports
on Clinical Negligence in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in
the last 32 years. On Clinical Negligence for claimants and
defendants.
This Journal and any related website and products are sold and distributed on the
terms and condition that: The publisher, contributors, editors and related parties are
not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organisation or
any party on basis of reading information, stories or contributions in this publication,
website or related product. The publisher, contributors and related parties are not
engaged in providing legal, 昀椀nancial or professional advice or services. The publisher,
contributors, editors and consultants disclaim any and all liability and responsibility
to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of this
publication or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or
omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication
and related website and products. No third parties are to be paid for any services
pertaining to be from ‘The Expert Witness Journal’.
All rights reserved, material in this publication may not be reproduced without written
consent. Editorial material and opinions expressed in The Expert Witness Journal are
of the authors and do not necessary re昀氀ect the views of Expert Witness or The Expert
Witness Journal. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertising content.
The information in this magazine does not constitute a legal standpoint.
l
Clinical Negligence in Obstetrics & Gynaecology for 33 years.
l
Over 1250 Expert Medical Reports on a wide variety of subjects.
l
Special interest in Urogynaecology, pelvic floor surgery, urinary
incontinence and hysteroscopic surgery for menstrual problems.
l
14 Fitness to practise reports for the GMC.
l
Single Joint Expert in the Liverpool Urogynaecology litigation and
wrote 90 reports. Currently, many reports concerning vaginal
mesh and mid-urethral tapes (TVT and TOT).
Contact Details:
Medico-legal secretary; Alayne Fawkes
Mobile: 07506 173663
Email: pms@pypermedical.co.uk
Website: www.pypermedical.co.uk
The publisher, editors, contributors and related parties shall have no responsibility for
any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party.
The information in this magazine does not constitute a legal standpoint. Printed in
Great Britain 2024.
Hareswith Cottage, West Chiltington Road, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4BP
Expert Witness International Publishing Limited, Unit 1/06, Ivy Business Centre,
Crown St, Failsworth, Manchester M35 9BG
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
1
JUNE 2026
