Sam Cutts, Equine Director at Hook Norton Veterinary Group, provides equine veterinary expert witness services for legal, insurance, and regulatory matters involving horses. Sam offers clear, independent and impartial opinions grounded in extensive clinical experience and accepted professional standards.
The role of an expert witness is not to advocate for either party, but to assist the court or instructing body by explaining complex veterinary matters in a clear, objective and evidence-based way.
Expert witness services are typically instructed by:
> Solicitors and legal professionals
> Insurance companies and loss adjusters
> Regulatory and professional bodies
> Private individuals involved in equine disputes (via legal representation)
Sam undertakes expert witness work across a broad range of equine matters, including:
> Horse sales and pre-purchase examination disputes
Including alleged undisclosed lameness, misrepresentation, or interpretation of clinical findings
> Insurance claims
Mortality, loss of use, permanent incapacity, and related veterinary assessments
> Negligence and professional conduct cases
Review of veterinary care against accepted standards and guidelines
> Injury and accident cases
Assessment of causation, prognosis, and contributory factors
> Equine welfare concerns
Veterinary opinion relating to health, management, and welfare standards
An equine veterinary expert witness is a veterinary surgeon with appropriate experience who provides an independent, impartial opinion in legal or dispute-related cases involving horses. Their duty is to the court or the instructing body, not to either party involved in the case.
Yes. Independence and objectivity are fundamental. The expert’s role is to provide evidence-based opinion, even if that opinion is not favourable to the instructing party.
Expert witness work draws on extensive equine clinical experience, with particular focus on lameness, performance issues, equine health management, and professional standards of care.
For professional enquiries regarding equine expert witness services, please contact expertwitness@hooknortonvets.co.uk. All enquiries are handled confidentially. For all other enquiries please contact our Equine Reception Team.
Expert witness services are provided in accordance with relevant legal and professional guidelines.
If you’re worried about your horse and would like to speak to one of our vets then please call your nearest branch or send an email.
Hook Norton: 01608 730085
equine@hooknortonvets.co.uk
