Two of the most heavily regulated fields in the United States are the legal arena, where justice is the guiding principle, and the medical field, where human life and limb are at stake. The term medicolegal refers to the unique way in which these two fields converge and form the medicolegal industry. From there, medicolegal can be further broken down into two areas: medical law and medical jurisprudence. Medical law focuses on the legal implications of practicing medicine while medical jurisprudence focuses on the application of medical science to legal problems.
Medical Jurisprudence
Cases in this area of medicolegal practice are usually proven with the help of independent medical evaluations and expert witness testimony. Independent, unbiased doctors are asked to examine a patient and evaluate their claims, injuries, and medical records. That doctor then provides a fact-based report on the patient’s injuries, including what caused them, how bad they are, and what kind of short-term and long-term effects can be expected. The doctor will also address any specific questions the requesting party has about the case.
Types of Medicolegal Cases
A medical expert witness may be requested at any time for any legal case that requires one; however, the most common types of cases, include:
Workers’ Compensation
Insurance (involving automobile accidents)
Personal injury