EXPERT WITNESS

Accommodation Expert Witness services from Duffy Architects

Expert Witness

Simon Duffy specialises in providing Part 35 compliant accommodation reports for the Courts. He will visit the Claimant in their own home so that he can interview them and their families. This is a very important part of the process of assessing a Claimant because establishing if their current home can be made to be suitable for their disability is the first primary fact that an expert needs to establish. The home visit is a good fact finding exercise which can put the expert at an advantage if their opposite expert has not seen the property first hand.

Over the past 10 years Simon Duffy’s name has become inexplicably linked with the preparation of expert witness reports for the Court in regards to the accommodation needs of people with disabilities.

In his report Simon will assess the evidence and use his experience to recommend the type, size, location and cost of a potentially suitable property which can be adapted or extended to meet a Claimant's disability needs.

Simon will also provide the quantum costs for adaptations and extensions and all associated ancillary costs such as relocation, furnishing, running costs, maintenance costs, equipment replacement costs, the insurance and Council Tax costs associated with the properties he has recommended.

This will include betterment and reinstatement costs and also in cases where the Claimant is below the age of 18, the uninjured costs. These costs are a prediction of the type, size and cost of a property the Claimant may have purchased or rented ‘if but’ for the accident.

Simon acts for Claimant and Defendant and also as single joint expert.

Desktop reports

Simon can also prepare ‘desktop reports’ which are assessments of a Claimant's housing requirements by assessing the evidence and using his experience to make recommendations.