Medico-legal reports for
every stage of an abuse claim.
Seven CPR Part 35 compliant report formats — from pre-action screening opinions to Single Joint Expert reports and Court of Protection capacity assessments. Prepared by specialist expert witnesses for civil abuse litigation, CICA claims, redress scheme applications and Court of Protection proceedings across the UK.
The right report at
the right stage of the case.
Abuse claims often require more than a single report. A typical instruction may begin with a screening opinion at the pre-action stage, lead to a full Condition & Prognosis report at allocation, and conclude with a quantum report on care needs and future treatment.
Our panel offers the full range of medico-legal report formats used in civil abuse litigation, CICA applications, redress scheme referrals and Court of Protection proceedings. Every instruction is matched to a consultant whose expertise — and whose practice profile — fits the procedural stage and evidential question in front of the court.
Every report we prepare,
in detail.
Each format below is described as it actually appears in instructions — what the report addresses, when it is typically commissioned, and what the deliverable looks like in practice.
Condition & Prognosis Report
The standard psychiatric report for abuse claims. Sets out the diagnosis under ICD-11 or DSM-5-TR, the contribution of the abuse to the claimant’s current psychiatric condition, treatment received to date, and the expected prognosis with and without further intervention. Commissioned at allocation or pre-trial, the Condition & Prognosis report is the core evidential anchor for general damages.
- Structured clinical interview
- Records & history review
- Standardised instruments where indicated
- Treatment recommendations & costing
Liability & Causation Report
Focused causation evidence for contested abuse claims. Addresses the psychiatric contribution of the abuse against other adverse life experiences, sets out apportionment reasoning where the evidence permits, and engages directly with the opposing expert’s analysis. Commonly instructed where vicarious liability is admitted but causation and quantum remain in dispute.
- Detailed causation analysis
- Apportionment between stressors
- Literature-anchored reasoning
- Engagement with defendant’s expert
Quantum & Care Needs Report
Quantum-focused expert witness evidence on the cost and duration of future treatment, care and case management — and, where indicated, the psychiatric contribution to loss of earnings capacity and lost educational trajectory. Designed to inform the Schedule of Loss and to support negotiation in higher-value civil abuse claims and group litigation.
- Future treatment costings
- Care & case management input
- Earnings & occupational impact
- Coordinated specialist input
Psychiatric Assessments
Comprehensive psychiatric assessments by consultants who hold MRCPsych and are on the GMC Specialist Register. Covers diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment history, prognosis, and — where in issue — fitness to litigate, mental capacity and risk. Suitable for civil abuse claims, CICA mental injury claims, and family proceedings where a consultant-grade psychiatric opinion is required.
- Consultant-level psychiatric opinion
- Differential diagnostic reasoning
- Capacity & fitness where in issue
- Risk assessment where indicated
Psychological Assessments for Court
A psychological report for court combining standardised psychometric testing with clinical interview, prepared by HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologists holding BPS Chartered status. Especially valuable in non-recent child sexual abuse, complex trauma and developmental presentations, where psychometric data strengthens diagnostic reasoning and the report’s resilience under cross-examination.
- Standardised psychometric testing
- Trauma-focused assessment instruments
- Cognitive & neuropsychological screening
- Symptom validity testing where indicated
Single Joint Expert Report
Single Joint Expert reports under CPR 35.7, instructed jointly by claimant and defendant solicitors in abuse claims. Prepared with rigorous impartiality and the express duty under CPR 35.3 to place the duty to the court above the interests of either instructing party. Includes responses to Part 35 questions raised by both sides.
- CPR 35.7 compliant
- Joint instruction handling
- Balanced reasoning throughout
- Part 35 questions from both sides
Court of Protection Report
Mental capacity assessments and best-interests opinions for vulnerable claimants in abuse cases — prepared in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Court of Protection Rules 2017. Includes COP3 form completion, litigation capacity opinions, and decision-specific capacity assessments where the abuse claim itself raises capacity in issue.
- MCA 2005 compliant assessments
- COP3 form completion
- Litigation capacity opinions
- Best-interests reasoning
Every report carries the same
evidential framework.
Duty to the court
Every report opens with the express acknowledgment that the expert’s overriding duty is to the court — not to the instructing party.
Practice Direction structure
Reports follow the structural requirements of Practice Direction 35: qualifications, instructions, methodology, opinion and statement of truth.
Civil Justice Council Guidance
Prepared in line with the Civil Justice Council Guidance for the Instruction of Experts in Civil Claims (August 2014, amended December 2014).
Professional body stadards
Every expert complies with Royal College of Psychiatrists and British Psychological Society guidance on expert evidence to courts and tribunals.
What every report
contains as standard.
Our structure is consistent across every format — the depth and emphasis varies with the question the court is being asked to decide, but the evidential architecture stays the same.
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01
Expert qualifications & experience
GMC or HCPC registration, Specialist Register entry, MRCPsych or BPS Chartered status, and the expert’s medico-legal report writing experience in abuse claims.
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02
Letter of instruction & scope
The instructing party, the questions posed, the documents reviewed, and the agreed scope of the assessment as confirmed at intake.
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03
Methodology
Interview format, records reviewed, standardised instruments administered, and any limitations on the assessment expressly identified.
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04
History & clinical findings
Personal, social, educational and psychiatric history; the claimant’s account of the abuse; current mental state and clinical observations.
-
05
Opinion: diagnosis, causation & prognosis
The expert’s reasoned opinion on the questions posed — set out with reasoning transparent enough to withstand Part 35 questions and cross-examination.
-
06
Declaration & statement of truth
The CPR Part 35 declaration of compliance with the expert’s duties, signed statement of truth, and confirmation of independence.
Questions from
solicitors we work with.
How quickly can a report be prepared?
Most instructions are allocated to an expert within 48 hours, and the assessment is offered within four to six weeks of full records being received. The report itself is typically delivered within four weeks of the assessment. Where a court deadline is in play, the case is prioritised and an expedited timetable is agreed at intake.
Are reports suitable for both claimant and defendant instructions?
Yes. We act on both sides. The independence of the expert and the duty under CPR 35.3 are identical regardless of who instructs — and we accept defendant instructions and Single Joint Expert appointments on the same terms as claimant work.
Do you prepare reports for CICA and redress scheme applications?
Yes. We prepare expert reports compliant with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme — structured around the mental injury tariff and the disabling mental illness criteria — and for the principal live institutional redress schemes, including the Lambeth Children’s Homes Redress Scheme, the Church of England redress arrangements and comparable schemes.
Can multiple report types be combined in a single instruction?
Often, yes. A Condition & Prognosis report can incorporate Quantum & Care Needs analysis where the same expert is appropriately qualified. Where two distinct disciplines are required — psychiatric opinion alongside educational psychology, for example — we coordinate the instructions but issue separate reports.
How are fees structured?
Fees are quoted at intake on either a fixed-fee or hourly basis, depending on the report format and the complexity of the case. Fixed fees are available for the majority of standard Condition & Prognosis and CICA reports. We accept Legal Aid Agency prior-authority instructions and our quotations are structured to fit LAA costs limits where applicable.
Will the expert attend a joint discussion or court?
Yes. Attendance at joint expert discussions, the preparation of joint statements narrowing the issues in dispute, and oral evidence at trial — in person or by secure video link — fall within the standard scope of the instruction. Trial dates are confirmed at intake and we hold the expert’s diary against the listing.
Searching for the right report format for your case?
Send a brief case summary — the procedural stage, the question the court is being asked, and any time-critical deadlines — and our panel will confirm the appropriate format and timescale within one working day.