A new tool is set to help the legal system calculate damages in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
On Thursday, the University of the West Indies launched the Smart Tables Framework, which will now be used to guide damage assessments in these matters.
Head of the Law Association, Lynette Seebaran-Suite, says it took some time for her to wrap her mind around the essence of the initiative.
“At first the concept of the smart tables admittedly did seem a bit difficult to grasp. We lawyers are not necessarily the best with figures. However, when the case study was presented and I saw the significant difference in awards made by the Court of Appeal in comparison to what was being awarded in the courts below, I took notice and knew that this was a tool with which I needed to familiarise myself.”
These tables apply principles to quantify loss of earnings in legal matters, offering greater consistency and predictability in the assessment of awards.
According to Ms. Seebaran-Suite, they have broad and significant applications within the court system.
“This would be a particularly useful tool in determining matters such as the quantum of lump sums representing maintenance and financial settlement on divorce, when frequently we have to make an assessment of life expectancy when calculating lump sums to replace monthly maintenance payments.”
She is encouraging her colleagues to adopt the Smart Tables, which draw on local demographic data such as Trinidad and Tobago’s mortality rates. Incorporating these and other indigenous statistics into the framework enhances the accuracy and certainty of damage assessments.