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Join us for the Animals and Agricultural Forum, a webinar series exploring key legal and insurance considerations in the farming, equine, and agricultural sectors. Our expert speakers will discuss liability issues, evolving risks, and recent case developments affecting professionals, businesses, and insurers operating in these industries.
Each session in this series will delve into critical legal topics, offering insights into liability, risk mitigation, and claims trends. Whether you work in agricultural insurance, equine law, or farm-related industries, this forum provides valuable expertise and guidance.
This series is designed for insurers, legal professionals, agricultural businesses, and those involved in the equine industry. Gain practical insights and expert analysis to stay ahead in this evolving legal landscape.
When animals act up
Key insights into property damage claims involving animals. Stay tuned for our 2025 programme, which will be announced soon.
Fourth series
Previous series
Fight or flight: Reconstructing the cause of equine behaviour
The webinar chaired by Kennedys' Partner Huw Edwards, will hear from Senior Associate Georgina Cox and Senior Consultant and expert witness Victoria Eyers from TRL as they discuss:
- Considerations of Schoultz v Ball & others [2022] EWHC 2452 (KB), with insight from Victoria Eyers looking at how the accident was reconstructed and reflections on equine collisions.
- Legal update on the chain of causation and recent dog v horse antics.
Across the borders: A review of Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland animals and agricultural claims
During this webinar, chaired by Huw Edwards we will hear from Aoife Conway, Clare Crawford and Ian Martindale as they provide a cross jurisdictional review of animals and agricultural claims within Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In particular:
- Common law liability in Tort.
- Statutory liability.
- Pre-action process.
Disease claims in the agricultural sector
The webinar, chaired by Huw Edwards will hear from a panel of our occupational disease team as they discuss:
Standard claims but from unusual places:
- Noise induced loss - agricultural machinery and animals.
- HAVS - farm equipment and machinery.
- RSI - in the manual workforce and supply chain.
- Asthma/lung fibrosis - birds and agricultural chemicals.
- Asbestos in farm buildings.
When things go wrong…highway hazards
The webinar, chaired by Kennedys' Partner Huw Edwards will hear from Kennedys' Partner Naomi North and 23 Essex Street Barrister Kevin Saunders as they consider some of the potential offences arising from mud and debris being left on the road and the obligations on land owners/farmers required to comply with the law. They will also consider cases of livestock straying onto the highway and potential sentences that can be imposed by a court.
Dissecting dog aggression - genetics and learning
The webinar, chaired by Kennedys' Partner Carol Dalton, will hear from Associate Catherine Canham and leading UK dog behaviour expert witness and consultant Helen Howell to discuss:
- The dog bite problem – the current state of play.
- The factors which can turn man’s best friend into a hound from hell.
- Animals Act and negligence
- What to look for in an expert witness.
Hunting for clarity – An overview of claims arising from fox, trail and drag hunting
Kennedys' Christopher Hale will be joined by Mark Pilkington, Director at Equus Claims Management, to discuss:
- Common claims that can arise in connection with fox, trail and drag hunting.
- Legal framework for those claims and statutory defences.
- Practical steps for insurers defending hunt claims.
Dog strikes: man's best friend or liability burden?
This webinar will consider the complex area of law involving liability for an injury caused by an animal knocking over a claimant. This usually involves dogs, and less rarely cattle.
Cattle - keeping a-herd of the dangers
Kennedys' Emma Cahill and Huw Edwards will be joined by guest speaker Alan Bloor, Reading Agricultural Consultants to discuss the dangers to the public involving farmers cattle in the countryside including:
- Public footpaths and livestock – the risks.
- Legal duties – civil and regulatory.
- How to minimise the risk in exposure to claims.
The Animals Act: Facing the hurdle of Section 2
In this session our speakers discuss:
- The Animals Act, a detailed look into defending Section 2(2)(a).
- Likelihood and severity of injury from an expert’s perspective.
- Trends in recent case law and the approach taken in Dennis v Voute Sales Ltd [2022].
United Kingdom