Burden of proof shifts to gas extraction firm in earthquake damage claims

A new legislative amendment will shift the burden of proof on earthquake damage in Groningen from the residents to mining company NAM. This means that Groningen residents whose homes were damaged will soon no longer have to prove that the damage was caused by gas-extraction earthquakes, but NAM will have to prove that this is not the case. Minister Henk Kamp of Economic Affairs announced this in a letter to the Tweede Kamer, lower house of parliament, on Monday. The legislative amendment is expected to be submitted to the Kamer early next year. "Any damage to buildings caused by gas extraction in Groningen will be reimbursed. The handling of such damage should be a simple as possible for the inhabitants of Groningen" Kamp said in his letter. "Together with the National Coordinator of Groningen and NAM we have therefore been working to improve the claims handling." One of the measures implemented to make things easier for the Groningen residents, is the appointment of an independent arbitrator. Groningen residents unhappy with the outcome of their clams can turn to the arbitrator for a final opinion. His ruling is final and binding to NAM.