WHAT IS MEDICO LEGAL REPORT?

A medico legal report on a medical malpractice case is a written report sought by a defendant in a medical negligence case in order to obtain expert testimony as to the nature, extent and cause of the harm that was caused to a patient. The most common form of Medico Legal Report in medical negligence cases is a Medical Record of the case and the medico legal witness is the certified medical specialist who are called as the "certified medical examiner

Medical records are often requested from both a patient and an attending physician on the basis of claims of medical negligence. The medico legal specialist is hired by either the patient or the physician, or by both. The medico legal witness is used to testify on behalf of either party in an attempt to prove that the patient's injuries were caused as a result of negligence by the physician or the hospital/clinics. These witnesses are experts in their field and have many years of medical experience.

Few things that a medico legal witness will do for client case

There are a few things that a Medico Legal Witness will do for his/her client's case. First, he/she will prepare a document that contains all of the facts related to the case in a clear and concise manner. Second, the medical witness will review the medical records and will perform a thorough examination on the patient and/or the alleged victim. Third, he/she will then prepare a written Medico Legal Report to submit to the court. This written report will provide the Medico Legal Witness with a written copy of the medical evidence and any other supporting documentation that the Medico Legal Witness believes is relevant.

Medical records are always retained by medical offices to make sure that the proper steps of treatment have been taken when treating patients who may have suffered from serious and possibly life-threatening medical conditions. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with a heart condition, a Medico Legal Witness will write a Medico Legal Report to prove that the patient did receive appropriate care. In addition to the reports that the doctor files for a particular patient, it is also possible to hire an outside legal expert to review the patient's records and produce a Medico Legal Report if needed. This independent legal professional is not related to the patient and is called the "independent medical expert".

Why Medico Legal witness and independent medical experts work together?

Medico Legal Witnesses and independent medical experts work together to prove that the medical records that have been maintained by the physician are appropriate. They will review all of the records and make an accurate and detailed review of each one of them, and determine whether the documentation is accurate and complete. If not, they will provide a Medico Legal Report to help the medical offices or physicians to show the documentation to the jury in their favor. If the testimony of the medical witness and/or the independent expert proves that the documentation was not adequate, the court will rule in the patient's favor and the plaintiff's attorney will be compensated. This type of case is referred to as "adversely litigated" and is often settled out of court.

In order to become a Medico Legal Witness or an independent medical expert, you must have at least a Bachelor's degree and an appropriate amount of legal experience. Most Medico Legal Witnesses and independent medical experts are under the supervision of a licensed physician, a member of a state bar association and/or a member of the (ACMS). Before you apply to any of these bodies, you should carefully review their requirements and qualifications. You will also need to have completed a certain number of hours of supervised practice as an independent medical expert, such as a year of CME within a specialty, before you are considered an eligible candidate.

Conclusion

The requirements are usually waived for candidates who have worked for a certain amount of time as a practicing law in your state or have a license as a physician or have a law background.