Psychiatric Causation
Expert Witness Reports
The expert witness causation report that isolates the contribution of abuse to the claimant’s psychiatric injury, compliant with CPR Part 35, Practice Direction 35, and the Civil Justice Council 2014 Guidance.
The medico legal causation report
for abuse injury claims.
Our chambers prepares psychiatric causation reports that isolate the contribution of the index abuse to the claimant’s current psychiatric injury, addressing material contribution, apportionment, and the limits of the evidence under CPR Part 35.
Members of our chambers hold GMC Specialist Register or HCPC Chartered status and provide reasoned opinions on whether the abuse caused, materially contributed to, or exacerbated the claimant’s recognised psychiatric condition under ICD-11 or DSM-5-TR.
Three stages where
causation is contested.
Pre-action protocol
Our chambers accepts instructions to prepare a psychiatric causation report for the Letter of Claim, establishing the causal link between the abuse and the claimant’s psychiatric injury before proceedings are issued.
Allocation questionnaire
The expert witness causation report is exchanged under the directions order and forms the basis for any application for permission under CPR 35.4, particularly where the defendant disputes causation.
Joint expert discussion
The medico legal causation report is the reference document for the joint expert discussion under CPR 35.12, where the experts address material contribution, apportionment, and the limits of the evidence.
What the psychiatric causation report
contains, section by section.
Expert qualifications
GMC Specialist Register entry, MRCPsych or HCPC Chartered status, and the expert’s experience in abuse-related psychiatric injury claims under CPR Part 35.
Index abuse account
The claimant’s account of the abuse, recorded in their words, with clinical observations on consistency and disclosure patterns relevant to causation.
Pre-morbid baseline
Personal, social, and psychiatric history before the abuse, establishing the claimant’s pre-morbid functioning for comparison with current presentation.
Psychiatric diagnosis
Diagnostic findings under ICD-11 or DSM-5-TR, with reasoning for the primary diagnosis and any differential diagnoses relevant to causation.
Causation opinion
The expert’s reasoned opinion on whether the abuse caused, materially contributed to, or exacerbated the claimant’s psychiatric injury, addressing other stressors and apportionment.
Limitations of evidence
Clear identification of any gaps in records, inconsistencies in disclosure, or other factors that limit the certainty of the causation opinion.
CPR Part 35 declaration
The signed declaration of compliance with the expert’s duties to the court under CPR 35.3, including independence and the overriding duty to the court.
How the assessment
is conducted.
Our experts document each step of the assessment process transparently, ensuring the reasoning from instruction to opinion is traceable and compliant with CPR Part 35 and Practice Direction 35.
-
01
Records review
Full review of GP, hospital, mental health, and social services records to identify material entries relevant to the claimant’s psychiatric history and the index abuse.
-
02
Clinical interview
Trauma-informed interview, typically 2–3 hours, structured around the claimant’s disclosure of the abuse and its impact on their mental health.
-
03
Standardised measures
Where clinically indicated, instruments such as the IES-R or PCL-5 are administered to quantify trauma symptoms, with rationale documented in the report.
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04
Formulation
Clinical formulation linking the abuse, the claimant’s pre-morbid baseline, and current presentation, leading to the reasoned causation opinion.
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05
Peer review
Internal peer review of the draft report to ensure compliance with CPR Part 35, Practice Direction 35, and the Civil Justice Council 2014 Guidance.
Every abuse claim where
causation is in issue.
Our chambers prepares psychiatric causation reports for civil claims, CICA applications, institutional redress schemes, and Group Litigation Orders where the defendant disputes the link between abuse and psychiatric injury.
Questions from
solicitors we work with.
Can your experts address material contribution in a psychiatric causation report?
Yes. Our experts provide reasoned opinions on whether the index abuse materially contributed to the claimant’s psychiatric injury, addressing other stressors and apportionment where the evidence permits.
Are your psychiatric causation reports compliant with CPR Part 35?
Yes. Every medico legal causation report prepared by our chambers includes the CPR Part 35 declaration, statement of truth, and compliance with the expert’s overriding duty to the court under CPR 35.3.
Can the expert respond to Part 35 questions on causation?
Yes. Our experts respond to Part 35 questions under CPR 35.6 for clarification of the report, provided the questions are within the scope of the original instruction and comply with the rule’s purpose.
Do your experts consider historic abuse cases under s.33 Limitation Act 1980?
Yes. Members of our chambers assess historic abuse cases and provide opinions on the psychiatric injury’s causation, even where the claimant relies on s.33 Limitation Act 1980 to extend the limitation period.
Can the same expert prepare a psychiatric injury causation report and a condition report?
Yes. Where the same expert holds the appropriate qualifications, we prepare a combined report addressing both causation and condition, provided the scope is agreed at instruction.
Are remote assessments acceptable for a causation expert witness report?
Yes. Secure video assessment is accepted by the courts where clinically appropriate, though in-person assessment is recommended for complex trauma presentations or where capacity is in issue.
Need an expert for your
psychiatric causation case?
Send a brief case summary — claimant, alleged abuse, procedural stage, and any time-critical deadlines — and our chambers will confirm availability and scope within one working day.