By definition, verification evaulates whether or not product or system complies with a requirement, specification, or regulation, while validation assures that the product meets the needs of the customer or in other words meets the operational needs of the user. I know within my experience, if a new process is replacing a standard one, a verification would be implemented in order to ensure that the new process will have the same outcome as the standard one. With respect to validation, the users establish a set criteria that the new instrument/equipment must meet, such as testing the extremes and nominal conditions of functionality. It is quite common where these two get confused.

Chris