10.9.3 Preparation or signing of documents and reports, if you have consented, within a reasonable and reasonable time. The correct format allows for completeness, uniformity and consistency in the preparation of expert opinions in medico-legal cases. The correct wording of the opinion describes the various elements that should enable the lawyers and the Tribunal to assess the weight of the opinion, its factual basis and the reasons for the opinions expressed. Because our mission is to lead the way in increasing clinical quality, improving efficiency and leveraging the latest technologies, we offer a cutting-edge approach to clinical governance that positions us at the forefront of the industry. For this reason, we have invested heavily in the creation of our Internal Clinical Advisory Board (IAC). The CAB consists of a panel of well-known and hand-picked clinical experts who are highly experienced both in their respective fields and in the medico-legal world. Our Clinical Advisory Board supports and evaluates our national panel of experts and ensures that our panel consistently delivers the exceptional level of service our clients and clients expect. It is important to know that all opinions expressed in a medico-legal report can be publicly reviewed and challenged in court. The weight given to opinion usually depends on the expertise and experience of the author. As described above, an attending physician should only give an opinion that matches his or her expertise and knowledge. It may happen that an attending physician considers it inappropriate to give an opinion and agrees to provide only factual information. On the basis of the facts presented by the attending physician and/or medical records, an independent medical opinion can then be obtained.
Internationally, a wide range of studies have indicated that a significant proportion of LLCs are traffic accidents.1,2,8,9 However, in this study, traffic accidents accounted for less than 10% of THE MLCs examined in emergency medicine. This may be due to the fact that not all road accidents in Saudi Arabia are reported as MLCs, which does not mean that road accidents in Saudi Arabia are lower. One study from Sri Lanka looked at work-related injuries as MLC for compensation purposes.10 However, this study only looked at cases that occurred in the emergency department, with no further explanation as to whether they were work-related or not. The report should be comprehensive, without being unnecessarily verbose and too inconclusive. Its length should be determined by the complexity of the issue in question. It is important to be clear at the beginning about what is at stake in a particular case. If the report was requested by an external officer, review the request letter from time to time to ensure that the issues raised in writing in the report are addressed and to ensure that they have been clearly addressed. 7. Haridas SV, Pawale DA. A retrospective study of the structure of clinical forensic cases registered in the Kolhapur District Tertiary Health Centre. J Forensic Med Sci Law.
2014;23:1–5. Effective drafting of the MLR will provide a comprehensive understanding of the significance of the breach and its significance, and will assist law enforcement agencies in investigating and making further decisions. Forensic documentation includes the holistic documentation of the clinical aspects of a case and the information required by the courts.5 Documentation of the injury may include the nature, size, location, direction of the injury, age of the injury, as well as recovery time and direction of the injury.5 Therefore, an MLR is crucial because it provides the courts with important written evidence from the medical professional. False or incomplete reports can trigger a pause or delay in the trial, and victims` rights could be violated.2 The most common errors in the MLR are misidentification of external traumatic injuries, inability to document cooperation, and state of consciousness.2 Documenting the nature of the injury and its description helps draw conclusions about the causative weapon or pathogen. For example, abrasions, bruises, and lacerations are caused by blunt forces, while incised wounds are caused by acute forces.6 This study has potential limitations. This is a single-center study that may not be generalized. Further studies are expected to include several centres in the country. In addition, all reports have been translated into Arabic and English. In addition, the review period is only six months, which may not be the full type of medico-legal cases that occur in the next hospital. As explained above, an attending physician is not obliged to give an opinion in a medico-legal opinion.
In fact, some opinions may go beyond the expertise of the attending physician. In those circumstances, it is appropriate to refuse to issue an opinion and to provide only factual information. On the basis of the facts presented by the attending physician and/or medical records, an independent medical opinion can then be obtained. The individuality of expert opinions varies from case to case. Counsel for the plaintiff or defendant may seek the advice of a single physician, or the judge may ask a warden to give his or her opinion. In turn, if the head of a medical institution is asked to give an opinion, he must in turn form a committee of experts, and one of them should be a medical legal expert who can draft and analyze the issue taking into account medical, legal and ethical issues. The medical superintendent or director of the medical institution should chair the committee. Each fact of the case must be analyzed by the experts individually in relation to their area of expertise and finally arrive at an opinion. 5. Kotze JM, Brits H, Botes BA. Medical documentation: South African Police Service forms, Department of Justice forms and patient information. S Afr Fam Pract.
2014;56:16–22. 14. Zaki MK, Bayoumi KA, Rawas MI, et al. Measuring the awareness of emergency physicians for the management of medical-legal cases in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Forensic Med Sci. 2018;1(3):61–67. doi:10.4103/sjfms.sjfms_13_18 It makes sense to include headings and, if the report is long, numbered paragraphs in the report. One proposed format for a forensic report is as follows: MLCs are often encountered by doctors working in hospital emergency medicine.
In an MLC, the hospital`s medical record related to the case and the forensic report (MLR) provided by the physician are crucial. An MLR is a report prepared by a physician for legal proceedings. It is considered written evidence by the doctor who reviewed the case and documented the results. In many countries, such as Saudi Arabia, an MRM is prepared at the request of the authority.3 If certain facts are missing or additional information is required at the time of preparation of the report, and opinion may change if other facts in question are presented, they must be clearly stated in the report. Physicians receive requests to process medical reports from a variety of sources, including patients, their lawyers, insurers, employers, and the police. These are important documents that must be completed carefully. 10.9.1 Be honest and not mislead when writing reports and certificates and only signing documents that you deem correct. 15. Mokhtar M, Azab SMS, Hassan S, Ez-Elarab HS.
Study on the handling of medico-legal cases in Cairo`s public hospitals. J Forensic Leg Med. 2018;60:15–24. doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2018.09.001 10.9.2 Take reasonable steps to review the content before signing a report or certificate and not intentionally omit relevant information.