What is an expert report?
The expert report is a test in which a medical specialist with specialized knowledge provides the results in a court case. This evidence usually includes a diagnosis of injuries, sequelae and the patient’s state of health.
The objective of this report is, therefore, a thorough review that will be reflected in a written report. This should be written by the medical professional and in a clear and informative language that can be interpreted by the parties involved.
In some occasions, the realization of the expert report is done preventively in case it is impossible to reach an agreement and it is necessary to file a lawsuit.
What does an expert report consist of?
The expert report consists of different parts:
First of all, the expert report includes the purpose of the report, i.e., the reason for the report and who is requesting it.
Next, the patient’s medical history, family history and information provided by the patient is collected. It is then when the diagnosis obtained during the review and visit is developed by the expert report.
In the next point, the sources are collected, that is to say, the medical reports and tests that have been taken into account to prepare the expert report, as well as the examination carried out.
Finally, the detailed diagnosis will be presented, which should differentiate between the clinical diagnosis, i.e. the injuries suffered by the patient, and the diagnosis of sequelae, which refers to the residual or consequential state of the injuries suffered.
The expert report must be carried out by a medical specialist with experience and specific knowledge of medical expertise.
Why is an expert report made?
The expert report is a document with legal validity, which is usually required in lawsuits and legislative processes. The purpose of such a report is a specialist’s confirmation of a subject’s state of health, and may be required by the parties involved in the legal process.
For example, this type of report is usually required in traffic accidents or accidents of any kind, in which the affected party is required to prove that he/she has injuries and/or sequels as a result of the accident in question and requires compensation. Other examples apart from a traffic accident in which there are material damages and/or injuries, a person who must evaluate his psychological capacity in a criminal trial, a construction with defects? The report is prepared by an expert.
Preparation for the expert report
The patient who undergoes the preparation of an expert report should provide all the information available to him/her about his/her state of health, medical examinations performed and family history. This information is important to establish the causality and origin of the injuries in the report, so it is always included in a section of the report.
What do you feel during the examination?
The procedure is similar to that of a medical check-up, in which the different injuries will be assessed and the necessary tests will be performed depending on the case.
Meaning of abnormal results
The results of the expert’s report must be truthful and confirmed by the expertise of the medical specialist or by the complementary tests provided. Thus, the state of health of the patient and the relation of the possible injuries or sequels with the event that originates the expert’s report will be evaluated.
This is where the so-called causal link comes in, where the specialist expresses from his interpretation, if the injuries or the results obtained in the report have a causal relationship with the mishap that causes the need to submit such report.