pt_sara, Author at Medico Legal Healthcare

Falls in hospital and care home negligence claims

October 5, 2026

When Falls Lead to Litigation: Specialist Evidence in Hospital and Care Home Negligence Claims

Falls in hospital and care home negligence claims can raise important questions about patient safety, clinical decision-making, supervision and the adequacy of preventative measures. For solicitors investigating an injury sustained in a healthcare or residential care setting, establishing that a fall occurred is only the beginning. The critical question is whether appropriate precautions were taken...

Future care needs in lifelong injury claims

September 30, 2026

When Care Needs Change With Age: Planning for the Future in Lifelong Injury Claims

Future care needs in lifelong injury claims cannot always be understood by looking only at the support a claimant requires today. A person living with the consequences of a serious neurological or physical injury may have needs that evolve considerably over decades as they age, their circumstances change and existing sources of support become less...

developmental counterfactual in paediatric claims

September 29, 2026

What Would This Child Have Achieved? The Challenge of the Developmental Counterfactual

A developmental counterfactual in paediatric claims asks one of the most difficult questions following childhood brain injury: what might this child’s development have looked like if the injury had never occurred? For an adult claimant, there may already be years of education, employment and independent living against which change can be considered. For a young...

September 28, 2026

The Assessment Went Well. Does That Mean the Claimant Is Functioning Well?

A Neuropsychological assessment in complex claims can reveal something that a seemingly successful assessment appointment may not: how well is the claimant actually functioning beyond the consulting room? A claimant may arrive independently, communicate fluently, engage well and perform reasonably on structured cognitive tasks. On paper, the assessment may appear reassuring. But for solicitors handling...

September 24, 2026

Assessing Hidden Support Needs in Complex Claims

Hidden support needs in complex claims can be easily underestimated when a claimant appears independent during a clinical assessment or can technically complete everyday activities. In personal injury and clinical negligence cases, however, apparent independence does not always mean that an individual is functioning without assistance.For solicitors, identifying this difference can be important when establishing...

pharmacist expert witness for mental health claims

September 22, 2026

When Psychiatric Medication Becomes Part of the Claim: The Value of Pharmacist Expert Evidence

Pharmacist expert witness evidence in mental health claims can provide a specialist perspective when psychiatric medication, rather than diagnosis alone, becomes central to allegations of clinical negligence. Questions may arise around prescribing, dosage, interactions, monitoring, adverse effects or changes to medication — areas in which detailed pharmaceutical expertise can be particularly valuable. For solicitors, this...

September 21, 2026

The Value of Specialist Mental Capacity Assessment in Complex Medico Legal Cases

A specialist mental capacity assessment can provide important evidence where illness, brain injury or cognitive impairment raises questions about an individual’s ability to make a particular decision. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, capacity is not a global judgment about whether somebody is generally capable or incapable. It must be considered in relation to the...

Speech and language therapy expert witness

September 16, 2026

Speech and Language Therapists and Dysphagia: Assessing Swallowing Needs in Complex Claims

Speech and Language Therapists and dysphagia can become an important consideration in complex medico-legal claims where neurological injury has affected an individual’s ability to eat and drink safely. For solicitors, an SLT Expert Witness can provide specialist evidence that moves beyond the diagnosis of a swallowing difficulty to establish its practical consequences, associated risks and...

September 14, 2026

Occupational Therapists and Home Adaptations: Assessing What a Claimant Really Needs

Occupational Therapists and home adaptations can become central to medico-legal evidence when injury or disability changes how safely and independently a claimant can live within their existing environment. In serious personal injury and clinical negligence claims, an Occupational Therapy Expert Witness can provide specialist evidence on whether adaptations are required, what those adaptations should achieve,...

September 11, 2026

Testing Loss of Smell in Brain Injury Claims: The Value of Neuropsychological Evidence

Testing loss of smell in brain injury claims can provide valuable objective evidence when a claimant reports anosmia or reduced olfactory function following neurological trauma. Although smell loss may initially appear to be a relatively narrow symptom, olfactory dysfunction can occur following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may form part of a broader pattern of...