A medico-legal report is often requested and used as evidence in court cases where they are read by non-medical audiences. This is why a good medico-legal report needs to be in-depth, comprehensive and written in a way that non-medical people can understand.
Using a medico-legal report can help with legal cases and can often be comprehensive enough to prevent a claimant from having to give evidence in court, which can be a very stressful experience.
Medico-legal reports can be drawn up for use by:
- A court
- A patient
- A solicitor
- A statutory authority
- An employer
- An insurer
- The police
Medico-legal reports are prepared with the consent of the patient in question and help to provide factual medical information concerning a patient’s health issue or injury.
A doctor has an ethical obligation to assist their patient by delivering a factual report, but a medico-legal report should only be prepared in response to a written request signed by an appropriate authority or by the patient, and only with the express permission of the patient.
A patient will need to directly confirm that the authority requesting the report is valid and relevant to their case. The patient needs to be aware of what has been requested, know the nature and purpose of the report, and they need to agree to the release of the information contained in the report.
Dr Adam Woo is an experienced Pain Medicolegal Expert. As part of his role as a member of the Court of Examiners of the Faculty of Pain Medicine and Board Member of the Police Medical Appeal Board, UK, he plays an important role in writing medico-legal reports about patients for legal cases.
If you require a medico-legal report, do not hesitate to contact Dr Woo to discuss your needs.