Guides, templates and tools for medical expert evidence
For solicitors who instruct medical experts and for the clinicians who act as them. Every guide cites the rule or judgment it relies on and is checked against the Civil Procedure Rules in force.
CPR 35.6 deadline
Deemed service depends on the method used (CPR 6.26). For a report sent by first class post the deemed date is the second business day after posting. Questions outside the 28 days need the court's permission or the other party's agreement.
Guidance for the work you do
01I instruct medical experts
Solicitors, paralegals and claims handlers
02I am an expert witness
Clinicians already doing medico-legal work
03I am a clinician considering expert work
Consultants, GPs, nurses and allied professionals
Written questions to experts under CPR 35.6: timing, scope and the 28-day limit
Questions must be proportionate, put once only, within 28 days of service of the report, and for clarification only, unless the court gives permission or the other party agrees. The answers become part of the report.
Read the guide- Count the 28 days from the deemed date of service of the report. The day of service is not counted.
- Send a copy of the questions to the other party at the same time PD 35 para 6.1
- The party who instructed the expert pays the fee for the answers in the first instance PD 35 para 6.2
- If the expert does not answer, the court can stop the instructing party relying on that expert, or stop them recovering the expert's fees CPR 35.6(4)
New and updated this term
Free templates and checklists
Drafted to the current Part 35 and Practice Direction 35. Free. Enter your work email and we will send the file.
Free. Enter your work email and we will send the file.
Quick tools for live cases
CPR 35.6 deadline calculator
Enter the deemed date of service and get the last day to put written questions to the other side's expert or a single joint expert.
Which specialty? Matching clinical issues to expert disciplines
Pick the clinical issue and see which disciplines usually cover breach and causation. For a delayed cancer diagnosis in general practice, that is a GP expert for breach and an oncologist or the relevant specialist for causation. Want named experts? Send us the outline.
Limitation date worksheet (Limitation Act 1980, ss. 11 and 14)
Work through the date of knowledge questions and record the reasoning for the file.
Need a medical expert for a case?
Send the specialty and a short outline of the issues. A coordinator will reply within one working day with available experts, their fees and report turnaround, once a conflict check is done.
- You send the specialty and an outline
- We run a conflict check
- You receive suitable experts with fees and turnaround
- You choose who to instruct
Thank you.
A coordinator will reply by the end of the next working day.
Expert evidence news, every fortnight
One email a fortnight: judgments that turn on expert evidence, rule changes, and one template or checklist. Written for solicitors and expert witnesses.
Thinking about medico-legal work?
A guide for consultants, GPs and nurses: what the work involves, the GMC's guidance on giving expert evidence, training, indemnity, and what happens when the first instruction arrives.
- What a breach, causation or condition and prognosis report asks of you
- How much time a first report takes, and how fees are set
- Training options before your first instruction