expert witness

Experience as an expert witness extends over the past 25 years and includes the assessment of the technical strength of a case; preparation of witness statements and proofs of evidence; liaison with lawyers; presentation of evidence in court and public inquiries. Experience includes assisting lawyers in negotiations and providing support during cross-examination. Rick Brassington has been trained in the responsibilities of the Single Joint Expert.

Cases include boreholes that failed to produce usable water or had a poor yield, flooded basements and an inadequate public water supply. Planning appeals include applications for opencast coal mining, on a waste local plan and refusals of abstraction licence applications.

Expert opinion on a water well constructed at Barnard Castle, County Durham
A new borehole had been constructed to supply water for a remote house near Barnard Castle. The borehole system could not be used and the householder was frustrated in attempts to have the drilling contractor complete the work. A second contractor was called in who constructed a successful second well and the householder sued the first contractor to recover her additional costs. Rick Brassington acted for the plaintiff assessing the reasons for the failure of the first borehole, preparing a proof of evidence and giving evidence in the high court. Judgement was given against the driller for the full claim and costs.

Expert opinion on public water supply to private household in Leeds
The mains water supply to a flat in south Leeds suffered from poor pressure for a period of three years with a consequential inadequate water flow. The tenant was taken to court for non-payment of his water charges and required expert evidence to support his defence. Rick Brassington acted for the defendant, assessing the local public water supply distribution system, the variation in water flow to the property and prepared a proof of evidence. The matter was settled out of court with the defendant obtaining full redress and costs.

Expert opinion on failures in the construction of a water well in East Anglia
A lettuce grower in East Anglia required a water well to be constructed as a water supply for an irrigation scheme. Three boreholes were drilled in to the Norwich Crag formation, with the first two having failed to produce a satisfactory yield. The grower decided to sue the drilling contractor to recover the losses that resulted from these failures. Rick Brassington acted for the grower and assessed the hydrogeology of the area and prepared a proof of evidence describing the drilling conditions in the Norwich Crag and providing an opinion on the sequence of events. This case was settled out of court.

Basement flooding in Liverpool
The cellar of a house in south Liverpool has been flooded for a period of more than five years. The most likely source of the water is a leaking water main but the local water company denied all responsibility suggesting that high groundwater levels had caused the problem. Rick Brassington acted for the owner and provided evidence and expert opinion to show that the water table is too deep to cause the flooding and that the water in the cellar has clear chemical signs of being treated mains water. The case was eventually settled out of court with the house owner being awarded full damages and costs.