Overview

This webinar examines the legal and practical issues arising in accommodation and aids and appliances claims in personal injury litigation, with particular focus on the impact of Swift v Carpenter. The decision represents a significant development in how courts assess damages for the additional capital cost of suitable accommodation, replacing the traditional approach with a new methodology that has important consequences for claim valuation.

The session explores the reasoning in Swift v Carpenter, including the illustrative examples provided by the court, and considers how the decision has subsequently been applied in practice. It also addresses more complex and nuanced scenarios, such as cases where a claimant would not have purchased property but instead lived in rented accommodation.

In addition, the webinar provides a practical overview of claims for aids and appliances, including the legal principles governing recoverability and the evidential requirements needed to support such claims.

Overall, the session is designed to give practitioners a working understanding of how to approach, quantify, and present accommodation and equipment claims in light of recent developments.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understand the legal principles underpinning accommodation claims in personal injury cases
• Analyse the decision in Swift v Carpenter and its significance for calculating damages
• Apply the methodology and examples provided in Swift v Carpenter to real cases
• Evaluate how courts have interpreted and applied Swift v Carpenter in subsequent decisions
• Assess claims where the claimant would have lived in rented rather than owned accommodation
• Understand the legal framework governing claims for aids and appliances
• Identify the evidential requirements needed to support such claims
• Apply practical strategies to quantify and present accommodation and equipment claims effectively