Attorney Resources

Preparing a focused, well-organized expert assignment.

These preparation notes help counsel frame an initial inquiry and organize material for a medical-legal review. The appropriate scope and record requirements are confirmed for each matter.

Before requesting an expert

Identify the question you need answered. Examples include the care provided during a particular encounter, the clinical significance of an exposure, or the relationship between a medical event and an outcome. Distinguish an initial screening request from a full report or a testimony assignment.

In the first inquiry, include the jurisdiction, the desired physician if known, requested services, and important dates. Use a short nonconfidential description; arrange the appropriate channel for party names and conflict-check information before sending medical records or sensitive details.

Preparing the record set after engagement

• Provide an inventory. List the files supplied, their sources, date ranges, and any known missing material.
• Preserve source information. Keep original records available and retain page numbering or Bates identifiers. Clearly label any counsel-prepared chronology as a summary rather than a source record.
• Include the relevant context. Ask the expert which preceding, concurrent, and subsequent records are needed rather than limiting the packet to isolated excerpts.
• Identify supplemental records. Label later productions so the expert can distinguish new material from duplicates.
• Agree on the review cutoff. Confirm which materials are included in a particular deliverable and how subsequent records will be handled.

For an emergency medicine assignment

Depending on the question, the requested material may include emergency medical services documentation; physician and nursing records; triage, reassessment, and monitoring notes; medication administration records; laboratory and imaging reports; consultation and transfer documentation; and relevant subsequent care.

Explore emergency medicine review.

For a medical toxicology assignment

Ask the expert which exposure, medication, laboratory, and clinical records are needed. Where testing is part of the assignment, provide the original available laboratory reports and their specimen and collection information rather than only a transcribed result in a summary. Other materials are requested according to the specific question.

Explore medical toxicology review.

Agree on the deliverable and the deadline

Specify whether the requested work is a screening conference, written report, supplemental review, deposition, or trial testimony. Provide the external due date and any requested internal target, including local time and time zone when relevant. Acceptance and timing require express confirmation; sending records alone does not establish a delivery commitment.

Questions about the process?

Read engagement FAQs or start a case inquiry. CVs and fee schedules are available on request.

Historical articles and announcements

The existing blog archive remains available. Review each article’s original date and context; archival posts are not current guidance for a specific case.