Environmental Insurance Claims: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

LONDON - June 10, 2013 - PRLog -- How do consultants defend themselves against PI claims, and how do lawyers defend against statutory pollution claims?

What about operational claims under the Environmental Damage Regulations, and what is going on in the world of flooding claims?

What are the trends in terms of actions, prosecutions or civil sanctions? How do you cover against contamination and reputational risks?

Hear the answers from leading environmental lawyers, barristers, insurance experts, flooding specialists and regulators at this conference on 27 June in London.

Valerie Fogleman Stevens & Bolton LLP, conference chair, gives an introduction and background to Environmental Claims. This will include civil claims, claims for remediating contaminated land and claims for environmental damage.

Dan Wiley from the Environment Agency will talk on Environmental Prosecutions. Recent policy changes from the Agency have resulted in changes in outcomes. He will give an update on numbers of prosecutions, trends, civil sanctions and what is happening under the Environmental Damage Regulations.

Contaminated land claims are historically difficult and complex. Caroline May of Norton Rose will throw some much needed light on them, illustrating the area with a case study involving Crest Homes at Sandridge.

Christiaan Zwart of Thirty Nine Essex Street will talk on Transaction Claims including Environmental Damage Regulations, followed by Steward Ower OHES Environmental on Operational Claims.

Is it true that claims against consultants rarely succeed? What are the common policy exclusions? Will the PI cover respond? Clare Deanesly, Partner, Nabarro LLP will attempt to answer these questions in a talk entitled: Consultants, Claims and PI Insurance which will also cover common policy exclusions, project scoping as a limitation on liability and trips and traps arising with consultants’ appointments.

Claims in relation to flooding have risen right up the agenda and flooding expert Jill Boulton of JBA Consulting will look at trends in data collection, flood insurance and predictions of flood events.

Class actions in relation to the environment are increasing too after Corby and news about Motherwell, and Des Collins of Collins Solicitors will take delegates through the history of class actions, trends and case studies.

Some say what happens in the US, also happens in the UK, sometime later. Is this true of climate change claims? Chris Papanicolaou of Jones Day will examine current cases involving climate change litigation in the US and their implications for the UK.

And what is happening in the world of environmental insurance claims? Mathew Hussey of OAMPS will look at the past and present type of claims including operational risks and contaminated land. He will also explore perception change, recent drivers and the future - climate change, diffuse pollution, natural disasters, political change and more.

The conference is co-sponsored by XL Insurance and Landmark, and supported by OHES, BLRS, CIWEM and UKELA.

For more information:

http://www.brownfieldbriefing.com/events/environmental-claims-good-bad-and-ugly

About the Organisers

Newzeye is a specialist business-to-business publisher in the built environment, property, regeneration and sustainability areas and has run over 120 conferences over the last ten years. These events aim to provide cutting edge knowledge and debate on the latest changes, innovations and solutions to everyday challenges with practical advice from key speakers who are experts in their field.

About Brownfield Briefing

Brownfield Briefing provides news, comprehensive coverage, expert analysis and authoritative comment from key figures in the industry, along with the latest developments in contaminated land, waste, water and policy issues. It is the definitive source for professionals involved in previously developed land. For more information, go to www.brownfieldbriefing.com. Brownfield Briefing was twelve years old earlier this year.