Vacation of trial date and permission to call additional expert evidence refused where claimant turns against his own expert (Sargeant v UK Insurance)

Table of contents

• Practical implications
• Facts
• Claimant's application to vary directions
• Relief from sanctions
• Application for an unless order
• Court details

Article summary

Dispute Resolution analysis: The High Court has refused an application to vacate a trial date and permit the claimant to adduce further expert evidence where it appeared that failures to comply with directions relating to expert evidence were of the claimant’s own doing, the claimant apparently having turned on his own expert witness. While there was no application for relief from sanctions before the court, in view of the claimant being a litigant in person, the court felt it appropriate to consider the ‘Denton’ principles in making its decision.