Environmental Litigation Support
Over recent years there has been an increasing trend in science based civil litigation. Typical cases are multi-party or class actions in which plaintiffs are seeking redress for alleged damage to health or loss of amenity as a result of the activities of companies, Government departments or similar large organisations. Westlakes Scientific Consulting is uniquely placed to bring a range of scientific disciplines to bear on supporting the conduct of this type of litigation. WSC has extensive experience in litigation support work and understand the particular demands involved, whether acting as scientific advisers or providing expert evidence.
Customer Services:
- Assistance in developing an overall scientific strategy and planning of each case.
- Critical review of existing scientific information relevant to the case. Formulation and execution of measurement and research programmes.
- Provision of expert witnesses.
- Provision of scientific support to expert witnesses in the preparation of evidence.
- Court appearances by expert witnesses and expert adviser assistance.
- Critical analysis of expert evidence and scientific briefing for cross-examination.
- Provision of foresight in anticipation of future litigation, based on our awareness of, and experience in, environmental health liability issues.
Areas of Expertise:
- Evaluation of historical exposures using occupational hygiene or monitoring data.
- Monitoring of workplace (radioactivity, toxic dusts and electromagnetic fields).
- Biokinetic modelling of human uptake.
- Analysis and interpretation of individual work histories and exposures.
- Calculation of exposure-risk relationships associated with industrial contaminants.
- Presentation of risk assessments in an epidemiological context.
- Scientific assessment of individual claims.
- The legality of Government decisions on the granting of discharge licences.
- Loss of amenity due to concern about environmental contamination.
- Diminution in the value of property due to environmental contamination.
Publications
Binks K, Doll R, Gillies M, Holroyd C, Jones SR, McGeoghegan D, Scott L, Wakeford R, Walker P. (2005). Mortality experience of male workers at a UK tin smelter. Occup Med (Lond), 55(3): 215-26.
Contact
For more information about litigation services or to discuss how we could provide you with the litigation assessment services you need, please contact env.assessments@westlakes.ac.uk
Alternatively, please contact the Environmental Science Administration Office: esadm@westlakes.ac.uk (Tel: 01946 514094).
