10 tips for writing a medicolegal report

Diagnosing and treating patients may be your primary role, but the provision of accurate and timely medicolegal reports is also a necessary (and sometimes unwelcome) part of a doctor’s job.

Knowing how to write a structured and comprehensive report may minimise the chances of having to give evidence in court, medicolegal experts say.

Here are 10 tips and traps when writing a medicolegal report:

1. Ensure that you have the patient’s permission to provide a report — the most common cause of