不管调查员代表谁, the objective of a joint inspection (JI) is for involved parties to come together to establish facts and attempt to ascertain the cause of the incident, such as a sequence of events or a fault mechanism that caused a fire or escape of water.
JIs可能只需要几个小时到几天的时间, 取决于在场调查人员的人数, 案件或证据的复杂性, 以及所需的拆卸和测试的程度. 此外, joint inspections involve a range of investigative activities and require clients to formally instruct a forensic expert to attend.
指示调查员出席联合检查
Jensen Hughes investigators are often instructed to attend a joint inspection in two situations. 第一个, they are typically asked to attend a JI following a fire or escape of water investigation if an investigator has made recommendations in their report for one or more parties to be put on notice. 一个典型的建议可能是:
“在我看来，A公司有复苏的前景. I therefore recommend that Company A is put on notice and invited to have representation at a joint inspection of Item X”.
Following the issuing of the report, the client would then consider whether to proceed with the JI. The responsibility for putting the third party on notice normally falls to the insurer client or the legal firm representing them. A formal letter is typically sent informing the third party of the incident and inviting them to respond, 表明他们是否希望派代表出席选举委员会.
Correspondence between the two parties can take months or even years, in some instances. 在最终做出决定之后, the client would inform the Jensen Hughes investigator so they can make arrangements with a forensic expert or other representatives regarding a date, JI发生的时间和地点.
偶尔, clients are under the mistaken impression that it is Jensen Hughes’ responsibility to formally put the third party on notice. The client will sometimes contact us after the issuing of the report to enquire whether we have put the third party on notice and whether a JI has been arranged. It is important to understand that this must be done via insurers or solicitors so as not to delay the proceedings.
The second situation in which Jensen Hughes may be instructed to attend a JI is when our client is representing a third party who may be considered liable by insurers or solicitors acting on behalf of the affected property owner. The third party could be the manufacturer of an appliance, vehicle or piece of equipment. They could also be a contractor, district network operator or retailer, among others.
在皇家88账户注册个例子中, the client will explain the incident to the investigator and provide relevant documents and images. They’ll also ask the investigator to make arrangements to attend the JI and provide a report outlining their findings. 在某些情况下, the investigator will liaise with a product expert or another individual acting for the same client, 谁也被指示参加司法会议.
联合视察活动
尽管没有两个案例是相同的, investigative activities carried out in most joint inspections include:
- 在允许的情况下分享相关的背景信息.
- 记录在场人员及其指导方.
- 讨论建议的检查方法.
- Recording investigation findings via hand-written notes, photographs and video recordings.
- 详细检查证据.
Depending on the nature of the evidence and incident, other activities may include:
- Inspecting components or other evidence in detail using a microscope.
- 将证据与范例项目(e)进行比较.g., an undamaged appliance or vehicle of the same make and model).
- Reconstructing evidence into its approximate position at the time of the incident. 皇家88账户注册与电子证据尤其相关, 如供应商保护装置的残余物(切断), 电表, 电缆或用户单元.
- 检验证据(e.g., voltage, resistance, and conductivity readings or pressure testing of pipes and fittings).
结束联合视察
在联合视察结束时, the Jensen Hughes investigator will promptly provide a comprehensive report to the client, 除非客户另有指定. The contents of this report will detail the nature of the joint inspection and the investigation findings, 附有相关照片.
The report’s conclusions will provide the client with clear and unambiguous opinions and recommendations regarding whether the cause of the incident was conclusively determined. It will also identify potential recovery prospects and if there is evidence to support any defence against liability claims.
Jensen Hughes investigators have extensive forensic investigation experience, with comprehensive knowledge of our clients’ requirements when representing them at joint inspections. To instruct us, contact us directly at +44 (0)141 639 6611 or +353 (0)1 686 9318.
