Verity Boak recently provided expert evidence to the Guernsey Personal Injury Discount Rate (PIDR) Expert Panel, convened by the States of Guernsey Policy & Resources Committee to advise on reform of the PIDR in catastrophic injury claims.

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The panel’s June 2025 report draws directly on Verity’s specialist experience as a care expert and case manager working with individuals who have sustained life-changing injuries. Her evidence informed the panel’s analysis of the real-world costs of complex care, including recruitment pressures, workforce shortages, and the emotional and professional demands placed on carers supporting clients with high-level needs.

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In particular, the panel relied on evidence provided by Verity regarding the difficulty of recruiting and retaining carers for complex care packages, the higher and faster-rising costs associated with specialist care compared to general care provision, and the specific structural challenges faced in smaller jurisdictions, including Guernsey, where care markets are constrained and often reliant on off-island recruitment.

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The report also referenced long-term care cost data supplied by Verity from a complex care package, demonstrating sustained above-inflation growth in care rates over a ten-year period. This evidence contributed to the panel’s conclusion that care costs are likely to rise faster than general earnings or price inflation and supported its recommendation for a distinct discount rate for care-related losses.

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The Expert Panel ultimately recommended a three-rate PIDR model, separating price-related losses, earnings-related losses and care costs, to better reflect the underlying drivers of catastrophic injury claims and to reduce the risk of under-compensation for seriously injured claimants.

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Verity’s involvement reflects her recognised expertise in complex care provision, care cost modelling, and medico-legal advisory work, and her contribution to policy-level discussions on ensuring fair and sustainable compensation for individuals with lifelong care needs.

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