How do you handle apportionment where the claimant had a pre-existing depression?

Our adult psychiatrists work through the GP records to establish a baseline, then apportion in percentage terms between the constitutional vulnerability and the index event, with explicit reasoning the court can interrogate.

Can I instruct the same expert for liability (in clinical negligence) and condition & prognosis?

Yes, where they have the relevant clinical experience. For breach-of-duty work in psychiatric negligence we recommend an expert with current NHS clinical practice in that setting.

Do you have adult psychiatrists who specialise in workplace stress claims?

Yes. Several of our adult consultants have substantial Equality Act 2010 disability experience and routinely report on bullying, harassment and workplace stress claims.

Can I have a male or female consultant?

Yes. We can match either, and routinely do for trauma-sensitive cases. Tell us at enquiry stage.

Do you accept urgent immigration / asylum work?

Yes. Several of our adult consultants have Istanbul Protocol experience and can deliver country-of-origin trauma reports in 5–10 working days.

Will the same expert give live evidence at trial?

Yes. The instructed expert is the trial expert, we don't sub-contract once a report is signed.

Cross-cutting

Adult Psychiatry Expert Witnesses

Adult (general) psychiatry is the most commonly instructed medico-legal sub-specialty. We match you to a consultant adult psychiatrist whose court experience and availability fit the case, claimant, defendant or SJE.

Request a adult psychiatry expert How it works

Court-compliant under

CPR Part 35 · FPR Part 25 · CrimPR

Turnaround

Standard 1–2 weeks · Urgent 2–5 working days

Signed by

GMC-registered consultant psychiatrist

Fees

Fixed fee agreed up front · Legal Aid prior authority supported

Use this report when…

The case calls for a adult psychiatry consultant rather than a generalist
Diagnosis, causation, prognosis or capacity is in issue
A court-compliant report is needed for an upcoming hearing or listing

What to send with your enquiry

You don't need the full bundle to get a quote — a short summary and the items below are enough for us to match an expert and confirm the deadline.

A short case summary (case type, jurisdiction, hearing/listing date)
Letter of instruction or draft questions for the expert
GP and psychiatric records (full set where available)
Witness statements and any prior expert reports
Schedule of loss (civil) or court order granting permission (family/CoP)
Any prior s.12 / Approved Clinician requirements

Expert type

· Consultant general adult psychiatrist
· Section 12(2) approved options
· Trauma- and perinatal-experienced consultants

Applicable law

· CPR Part 35
· FPR Part 25 (parental MH)
· Equality Act 2010 (employment)
· Istanbul Protocol (asylum trauma)

When needed

· Psychiatric injury in PI or clinical negligence
· Workplace stress and disability claims
· Parental mental health in family cases
· Adult fitness to plead and sentencing mitigation

What this report is for

Adult psychiatry is the right discipline for working-age claimants and defendants where the issue is mood, anxiety, trauma, psychosis or substance-related. Where head injury, dementia or intellectual disability is in play, a sub-specialist (neuropsychiatry or learning disability) is usually preferable.

What's in the expert's report

Letter of instruction summary and chronology of papers reviewed
Personal, family, social and forensic history
Detailed psychiatric history and treatment to date
Mental state examination at assessment
Diagnosis against ICD-11 / DSM-5-TR with reasoning
Opinion on the legal questions specifically posed
Causation, apportionment and prognosis
Treatment recommendations with indicative cost where requested
Risk and capacity where in issue
Apportionment between pre-existing vulnerability and the index event
Functional impact on work, family and daily living
CPR / FPR / CrimPR declaration and statement of truth

What the expert covers in assessment

Pre-morbid baseline

Reconstruction of the claimant's mental health before the index event, critical to apportionment.

Index-event chronology

Detailed chronology linking onset of symptoms to the index event, supported by contemporaneous records.

Symptom assessment

Structured assessment of current psychiatric symptoms against ICD-11 / DSM-5-TR criteria.

Functional impact

Occupational, social and domestic functioning, with reference to validated measures where appropriate.

Treatment review

What has been tried, what worked, what is recommended next, with indicative private-pay costs.

Prognosis and apportionment

Short, medium and long-term prognosis with and without recommended treatment, plus apportionment between pre-existing vulnerability and the index event.

Conditions that may affect this assessment

Depression (including treatment-resistant) Generalised anxiety Panic disorder OCD PTSD Complex PTSD Bipolar affective disorder Schizophrenia Substance use disorders Adjustment disorders Eating disorders EUPD / borderline traits

How to instruct

Tell us about the case

Brief enquiry: case type, jurisdiction, deadline and any specific requirements (Section 12, female assessor, adult psychiatry expertise).

Same day

Expert shortlist

We propose a matched consultant psychiatrist with confirmed availability, fixed fee and indicative turnaround.

Within 24 hours

Assessment

We coordinate the appointment, papers and any pre-reading. Remote or in-person as the case requires.

1–2 weeks

Report delivered

CPR / FPR / CrimPR-compliant report delivered to your inbox. Addendum work, Part 35 questions and joint statements handled directly with the expert.

Within agreed deadline

Suggested instruction wording

"Please prepare a CPR Part 35 / FPR Part 25 / CrimPR-compliant psychiatric expert witness report addressing diagnosis, causation, prognosis, treatment and the specific questions set out below, on the basis of the enclosed records and a single examination of the assessee."

Drop this into your letter of instruction and we'll come back with a matched expert and fixed quote within one working day.

Turnaround & fees

Tier	Time	Notes
Standard	10–14 days from instruction	Standard timescale once papers and assessment are arranged.
Priority	5–10 working days	For approaching trial windows and tribunal listings.
Urgent	2–5 working days	For Crown Court, MHT and tight deadlines where the expert can be cleared immediately.