Construction site accidents: expert witnesses

Falls from height, struck-by injuries and machinery accidents produce some of the most serious workplace claims. Severity, permanence and future working capacity are the recurring questions.

Construction accident expert witness — Workers in high-visibility clothing on an active construction site

Jurisdiction

The context behind the instruction

Statutory duties on construction sites apply across the UK. The civil claim, however, runs under the rules of its forum, and the requirements for expert evidence differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

For nation-specific context, see expert evidence across the UK. The register does not determine legal issues or provide legal advice.

Report routes

Reports commonly considered

In serious injury claims, condition and prognosis reports and care needs assessment reports address separate questions. Their scope should follow the issues, the available records and the questions put to the expert.

Directory search

Construction site accidents listings

Questions answered

Frequently asked questions

Which disciplines are instructed in construction accident cases?

The discipline follows the question in issue - breach, causation, condition or future needs - and construction accident cases often need more than one to tell the whole story. This page maps the specialties most commonly instructed, each opening the register already filtered, so a shortlist is one click away.

Can one expert deal with both breach and causation in a construction accident case?

Sometimes, where both questions sit within a single specialty - but courts expect an expert to stay within their own expertise, so the two are often split across disciplines. The disciplines mapped above reflect the usual division of labour for this claim type.

What must a construction accident expert report comply with?

In England and Wales, CPR Part 35 and its Practice Direction: the expert's qualifications, the material relied on, the basis of each opinion, the range of reasonable opinion where it exists, and the statement of truth. The other UK jurisdictions impose equivalent requirements, and the report follows the forum it is written for - a CICA application, a redress scheme or the Court of Protection each expect their own format.

Can an addendum or supplementary report be requested as the case develops?

Yes - new records, Part 35 questions or a changed prognosis are routinely dealt with by addendum rather than a fresh instruction, and continuity with the original expert is usually the efficient route. The register's report-type pages cover the formats, from screening and records review through to joint statements and addendum reports.