A plastic surgery expert witness is a highly qualified medical professional who offers expert opinion in medico-legal cases involving plastic surgery. They are often instructed to provide medical examinations in cases of injury, clinical negligence, or when there is a dispute regarding the standard of care received.
An expert witness specialising in plastic surgery may be requested to perform an assessment on scarring, burns, hand injuries or trauma following an accident. Duties of a plastic surgery expert witness include supplying medical evidence to the legal team and court, providing prognosis of the injuries and an opinion as to whether the claimant will recover, which may affect daily life and work. They also offer their knowledge in expertise being plastic surgery.
The instructing party for a medico-legal claim can be a solicitor, medico-legal agency or Insurer. They are required to provide a formal instruction to the medical expert witness, with supporting documentation which may include medical records, images and details of the specific injuries sustained. This provides the background details of an accident and provides the medical expert with information on the alleged injuries, assisting them to build an overview of the case.
As part of the process of a medico-legal claim, the claimant may be requested to attend a plastic surgery medico-legal examination, which is a meeting with a medico-legal expert to document the effects of an accident or injury on a claimant. The plastic surgery expert witness is required to ask questions concerning the circumstances of the injury, the treatment sought, and the impact on the claimant’s life. The medico-legal examination is usually provided in a clinical setting, such as a private clinic, surgery or hospital. The duration of the appointment may vary, depending on the complexity of the case or the number of injury sites.
A plastic surgery and burns medico-legal report will be completed by a plastic surgery expert who specialises in this field. They will include specific detailed information regarding the extent of the injuries sustained. It is important that the opinion provided by the medical expert witness supports the claim for the outcome of the case.
Plastic surgery healthcare professionals acting as expert witnesses should undertake specific training, for being an expert witness. The expectations and responsibilities of this role require medical experts to keep training up to date with appropriate refresher courses or other activities. This is also recommended guidance from the Academy of Royal Colleges and professionals regulatory bodies.
Miss Charlotte Defty completed her Bond Solon training in 2023 and is a medico-legal expert witness, providing reports in Personal Injury cases. She provides examinations in Liverpool and St Helens, Merseyside.
Clinical Experience
Miss Defty completed her medical qualification at the University of Liverpool School of Medicine in 2004. She became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh in 2007 and by 2015, acquired her Plastic Surgeon Qualification FRCS Ed (Plast). Miss Defty became the Laser Lead at Whiston and Consultant at STHK NHS Trust from 2017. Her current NHS post at St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, with subspecialty areas including Mohs surgery, skin cancer, laser surgery, rejuvenation surgery and treatments. Miss Defty has been the Regional Training Program Director (Mersey) and MOHS Lead within her post, since 2021.
Expertise
The expertise for Miss Defty includes general plastic surgery, burns, scarring, laser scar therapy, skin cancer, Mohs micrographic surgery, skin conditions.
Medico-legal clinic locations:
- Aset Hospital – Liverpool
- St Helens Hospital – St Helens
Request a copy of the CV for the skin camouflage Expert Witness Liverpool, or for additional information please email: info@themedicalexpertwitness.co.uk
Liverpool | St Helens | Merseyside
For further information: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plastic-surgery/