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Medical expert witnesses for personal injury claims.

Condition and prognosis reports, and opinions on causation and future needs, from the appropriate specialty for each injury. Tell us the injuries and your deadline. The search is free. If limitation is close, put the date in the enquiry.

0121 752 6061 info@medicalexpertsforlawyers.co.uk

I need for case.

What you get for an injury claim.

One enquiry for all the injuries in the claim.

Every injury covered

Tell us every injury, and we will suggest the specialties the claim needs, with each expert’s CV, fee and availability.

For either side

We find experts for claimants and defendants, and we check experts for registration and insurance.

Through to the report

A named case manager arranges the appointment and manages the instruction through to delivery of the report. Reports usually take 1 to 2 weeks, or 2 to 3 days when urgent. Timescales are estimates and depend on expert availability, the appointment and receipt of the relevant records.

Which expert for which injury.

Many claims need more than one expert, so list every injury in the enquiry.

InjuryUsually reported bySee
Fractures, joint, spinal and soft tissue injuriesAn orthopaedic surgeonOrthopaedic expert witnesses
Head injury, nerve injury and epilepsyA neurologist, often with a neuropsychologistNeurological evidence
Psychiatric injury, such as PTSD or depressionA psychiatrist or psychologistPsychiatric expert evidence
Minor or multiple injuries, and the pre-accident medical historyA GP expertGP expert witnesses

For another specialty, such as plastic surgery, radiology or nursing care, tell us in the enquiry and we will find an expert in it. A claim about medical treatment itself belongs under clinical negligence; for abuse claims, see historical abuse and discrimination.

Naming experts before proceedings.

Under the Pre-Action Protocol for Personal Injury Claims, you give the other side a list of experts before you instruct one, so the names you choose matter.

  1. Give the other party a list of suitable experts before instructing (para 7.3); they have 14 days to object (para 7.6)
  2. If the defendant does not object, it is not normally entitled to its own expert in that field (para 7.8)

If the defendant does not object, the expert you name may be the only one in that field (para 7.8), so it pays to compare CVs before you send the list; ours come with each expert’s fee and availability.

Once proceedings are issued.

You do not need permission to obtain CVs and fees; these provide the expert’s name and estimated cost required for the application under CPR 35.4(2).

Where two or more parties want evidence on the same issue, the court may direct a single joint expert (CPR 35.7).

Road traffic soft tissue claims in England and Wales.

In a whiplash claim through the Official Injury Claim portal, the first medical report comes through MedCo. We find experts for everything outside that: serious and multi-track injury claims, and further and specialist reports, including psychiatric and psychological evidence.

RuleWhat it saysSource
Small claims trackThe normal track where the claim is worth no more than £10,000 and the injury damages no more than £5,000 in a road traffic claim, or £1,500 in any other personal injury claim. The road traffic limit is £1,000 in the cases listed in CPR 26.10, such as accidents before 31 May 2021 and claims by cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestriansCPR 26.9 and 26.10
Whiplash injuryAn injury of soft tissue in the neck, back or shoulder; damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity are set by regulationsCivil Liability Act 2018, ss1 and 3
No settlement without evidenceA regulated person must not settle without first seeing appropriate evidence of the whiplash injuryCivil Liability Act 2018, s6
The first reportA fixed cost medical report from a medical expert accredited by MedCoWhiplash Injury Regulations 2021, reg 4; RTA Small Claims Protocol, para 7.4(1)

In any claim that includes whiplash, the first report on the whiplash is a fixed cost report through MedCo, unless a report by a doctor on the GMC Specialist Register on a more serious injury covers it (CPR 35.4(3C) and (3E)). More on orthopaedic reports in road traffic claims.

If limitation is close.

An early medical opinion often fixes the date of knowledge (Limitation Act 1980, s14(3)), so if limitation may be close, put the date in the enquiry.

Across the UK.

We find experts for injury claims in Scotland and Northern Ireland too. Tell us the court.

England and Wales

  • Pre-Action Protocol for Personal Injury Claims and CPR Part 35
  • Whiplash tariff and MedCo for low-value road traffic claims

Scotland

  • A compulsory sheriff court pre-action protocol for claims valued up to £25,000 where the accident happened on or after 28 November 2016, excluding clinical negligence, professional negligence and disease claims
  • Medical reports are instructed no later than 5 weeks after liability is admitted in whole or in part, and disclosed within 5 weeks of receipt
  • The Sheriff Personal Injury Court in Edinburgh has jurisdiction throughout Scotland. The expert gives evidence as a skilled witness

Northern Ireland

  • General damages are assessed with the Green Book, sixth edition (Judiciary NI, April 2024)
  • The expert reports to the rules of the Northern Ireland court hearing the claim

Questions about personal injury evidence.

For anything else about your case, call us.

Call 0121 752 6061
What is a condition and prognosis report?

The report on the injuries, the recovery so far and the outlook, on which general and special damages rest. List every injury in the enquiry, and we will suggest the specialties the claim needs.

How long does a personal injury medical report take?

Reports usually take 1 to 2 weeks, or 2 to 3 days when urgent. Timescales are estimates and depend on expert availability, the appointment and receipt of the relevant records.

Do I need more than one expert?

Often, where the claim has physical and psychiatric injuries, or injuries in different parts of the body. Each expert reports on the injuries in their field.

What will the expert need from us?

Once you have chosen: the letter of instruction, the GP and hospital records, and any earlier medical reports. Leave out the claimant’s name until then.

Send the case. We find the experts.

  • The type of caseFamily, personal injury, criminal, immigration, employment…
  • The specialty, or the issuesIf you are not sure who you need, describe the medical questions
  • The court or tribunalAnd any directions already made about expert evidence
  • Your deadlineHearing, filing or limitation date
  • How the case is fundedLegal aid, private, CFA or insurer
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Urgent case?0121 752 6061info@medicalexpertsforlawyers.co.uk

Tell us your deadline.

We send you the CVs, fees and availability of experts who can meet it.