The ideal and impartial medical expert: tips and tricks for a safe medicolegal practice

There is no doubt that in recent years our profession has witnessed a steady increase in the number of complaints it receives regarding patient treatment. Patients and families raise such complaints having considered that the treatment offered by clinicians was substandard. Although many of these are resolved with direct correspondence from the hospital and meetings, several others lead to legal proceedings. Legal teams and judges, when cases reach court, rely heavily on medical experts. The wise men, who can offer an advice on the specific case and assist Justice. It is then obvious that the role of clinicians as medical expects becomes vital. In fact, their true role is of paramount importance not so much for the successful outcome of a case but mainly for the provision of justice for both claimants and defendants. The article will try and identify the challenges that medical experts face in the current litigation climate and with the opinion of a thoracic surgery expert, will tease out important elements which are necessary to drive a modern and safe clinical and medico legal practice.