The roles of experts and litigation support consultants in medical-legal claims

Abstract

Brain injury claims frequently involve the use of experts to evaluate and document extent of impairment. These experts can cover a wide array of specialities, many of which are delineated in this article. It is pointed out that there are crucial differences between a clinical evaluation and a medical-legal evaluation as the latter is generally more comprehensive and addresses many of the specific issues that arise in a forensic claim. It is suggested that use of a litigation support consultant can provide valuable assistance for the attorney at the outset and over the course of handling a claim such as with selection of experts and preparation for direct and cross examination of experts. Suggestions are also made about criteria for selection of experts such as to ensure that appropriate objectivity, and, consequently, admissibility of conclusions is maintained.