Equine Law Blog

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Foster Swift: Equine Law

Other Articles

"Beware of the "Business Pursuits" Exclusion" - The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, March 2013

"What Mare Owners Should Look for in a Typical Horse-Breeding Contracts." - America's Horse Daily, September 14, 2012

Should Exculpatory Agreements Relieve Liabilities Founded on an Equine Activity Liability Act? American Bar Association - TIPS Animal Law Committee Newsletter, Fall 2012

Past Speaking Engagements

"Crop and Livestock Insurance Law from the Ground Up" - January 25, 2012
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Win Equine law Books!

We're always on the lookout for good article and update ideas for the Equine Law Blog. Please share yours! We'll give the sender of best tip of the month a free copy of Julie Fershtman's books, EQUINE LAW & HORSE SENSE and MORE EQUINE LAW & HORSE SENSE. Click here to send your ideas. [For more info on these and other publications written by Julie Fershtman, please visit www.equinelaw.net and www.equinelaw.info or call her directly at (248) 785-4731.]

Large Step Forward for the Horse Industry

We applaud the American Horse Council (www.horsecouncil.org) for its national marketing initiative for the horse industry. The AHC joined together ten national associations and large corporate industry stakeholders to make this happen.  We await its marketing plan, which will propose ways to help people become more interested in horses and equine activities, either as participants or spectators.

THE NATION'S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER EQUINE LAW SPEAKER

Did you know Julie Fershtman has spoken at the American Horse Council Annual Meeting, Equine Affaire, Midwest Horse Fair, Equitana USA, US Dressage Federation Annual Meeting, North American Riding for the Handicapped (now PATH International) Annual Meeting, American Morgan Horse Association Annual Meeting, American Paint Horse Association Annual Meeting, US Pony Clubs, Inc.'s Annual Meeting, All-American Quarter Horse Congress, American Youth Horse Council Annual Meeting, American Riding Instructors Association Annual Meeting, CHA Annual Meeting, and numerous others?  Consider signing her up for your convention.  Contact Julie.

Showing 6 posts in Veterinary Malpractice.

When Veterinary Malpractice Seems So Obvious That No Expert is Needed

In a typical veterinary malpractice case, the plaintiff (the party suing the veterinarian) must retain a qualified expert witness in an attempt to prove that the veterinarian breached an applicable standard of care and that the breach, and not something else, caused the horse to be injured. Finding the right expert takes effort, and paying the right expert for his or her evaluation and time can be expensive.

In some cases, however, the facts are so compelling that courts have found that no expert witness is deemed necessary. Here are some of those cases: Read More ›

Categories: Veterinary Malpractice

It Looks Like Veterinary Malpractice, But it’s Not

Not every claim against a veterinarian is really a claim of veterinary malpractice. A small number of cases involving veterinarians are more appropriately brought as a claim of ordinary negligence on part of the veterinarian or the staff. Read More ›

Categories: Liability, Veterinary Malpractice

How Can a Contract Authorize the Trainer or Boarding Stable Owner to Handle Veterinary Emergencies in the Owner’s Absence?

In January 2013, Julie was the speaker at a national teleconference on Equine Law and also spoke at continuing legal education programs on Equine Law for the Washington State Bar Association and New York State Bar Association. Attendees raised several questions, and some of them are shared on this blog.

Question

Some boarding contracts in the equine industry ask owners to give their consent for veterinary services. What is your opinion of these kinds of clauses? Read More ›

Categories: Boarding, Contracts, Veterinary Malpractice

Stablemen’s Lien Laws – Part 1: What They Are

Almost all states have laws on the books that are specifically designed to give lien rights to horse boarding stables.  Some of these laws also give special lien rights to people who provide services to horses, such as veterinarians or farriers.  These laws are often referred to as “stablemen’s lien laws” or “agisters lien laws.”  They differ widely across the country and usually explain: Read More ›

Categories: Boarding, Regulatory, Sales/Disputes, Veterinary Malpractice

Horse Tip Daily #496 - Veterinary Malpractice 101

This segment addresses the basics of veterinary malpractice - what it is and what it isn't.

Listen to a recording of the radio broadcast

Categories: Liability, Radio Broadcasts, Veterinary Malpractice

Veterinary Malpractice - More Complex Than You Think

Veterinary malpractice cases are filed far less frequently than medical malpractice cases.  Why?  The tremendous expense and effort associated with malpractice cases often prompts people to take no legal action, purely out of economic concerns.  Also, the law looks at animals, and their values, in a different way than animal enthusiasts do; as a result, almost every state will award significantly less if the case involves veterinary malpractice than it would award if the matter involved an injured human. Read More ›

Categories: Liability, Veterinary Malpractice