Where a plaintiff has a sufficient explanation for delayed commencement of proceedings (such as late discovery of the cause of action), the court should not treat the pre-commencement period as part of the 'inordinate delay' assessment. The critical question is whether the plaintiff pursued the action with sufficient vigour after commencement. Inferences of prejudice from fading witness recollection require evidentiary support and cannot be drawn merely from the passage of time, particularly where expert evidence is based on records rather than personal recollection. The collapse of a defendant's insurer does not constitute relevant prejudice unless it can be shown that earlier prosecution would have preserved the insurance cover.
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