When the legal fraternity need a medical opinion on skin related issues, they may seek an expert dermatologist consultant‘s perspective on a case requiring specific answers regarding a situation. I aim to provide a professional and experienced perspective to often complex medicolegal situations.

When doctors receive a medico -legal request, the specific information required is not always obvious and they may not possess the legal perspective to formulate the required response in a form that is useful to the legal practitioner.

In my medico legal reports, I am acutely aware of the needs of the requesting legal practitioner and strive to produce reports that are concise and relevant in a timely manner.

I strongly believe that all reports should be given on a strictly impartial basis.

EXAMPLES OF SKIN RELATED SITUATIONS FREQUENLY ENCOUNTED

TRAUMA AND SCARRING

• raumatic incidents producing scarring are frequently occur in motor accident and workplace incidents. Scarring produced in these situations needs careful assessment and documentation and particular attention needs to be given to the physical and emotional sequalae and impacts on the activities of daily living. These aspects are often overlooked in the impact assessments of an individual’s disability.
• Chemical irritant and allergic reactions are frequently noted in industrial situations and a similar approach to traumatic injuries needs to be adopted. These injuries often need an in-depth investigation of the causative factors as initially these may not be obvious. These investigations can include a detailed review of all chemical substances in a working and/or other environment and subsequent analysis and testing. Chemical and allergenic investigations may be needed.

MEDICAL AND WRONGS ACT MATTERS

These can often involve a careful analysis of causation and impairment. From a causation perspective, initial impressions can be both complex and deceiving. In both medical situations and work-related areas there are often multiple factors involved in causation which at first sight are both complex and confusing. A thorough investigation of an individual’s medical and environmental history is necessary to piece together a legal relationship. Sometimes such an analysis can provide surprising results.

Impairment assessment in these situations can be easily be misunderstood by the clients of lawyers. An attempt is made to clarify causative factors in reports in plain language.