Medicine
Respiratory medicine expert witnesses
Listed respiratory medicine expert witnesses address lung disease, its investigation and the attribution of respiratory impairment. Occupational and asbestos-related disease is a substantial part of the medico-legal work.
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The evidence
What a respiratory medicine expert witness is asked to determine
Respiratory evidence combines imaging, lung function and exposure history. Where occupational disease is alleged, the report should set out the exposure relied on and state what the radiology and physiology support independently of it. Smoking history and other exposures may account for part of the impairment, and apportionment should be addressed rather than left implicit.
- Whether the presenting symptoms warranted imaging or lung function testing at the time.
- Whether the radiological appearances support the diagnosis advanced.
- Whether lung function results are consistent with the impairment claimed.
- Whether an occupational exposure is capable of accounting for the disease identified.
- Whether treatment, including oxygen and inhaled therapy, met the expected standard.
Practitioners are listed across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Location can be narrowed in the register’s location listings before an instruction is made.
Claim contexts
Claims that instruct this discipline
These links describe the question respiratory medicine evidence can answer. They do not prescribe the scope of an individual instruction.
Asbestos and industrial disease claims
Occupational lung disease and its attribution to exposure.
View claim type → 02Clinical negligence claims
Investigation, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease.
View claim type → 03Inquests
Respiratory evidence where a death is being investigated.
View claim type →Search the register by the discipline used in the instruction.
See respiratory medicine listingsReport routes
Reports prepared
Imaging, lung function and exposure records support a records review report. A breach and causation report addresses attribution and consequence separately.
A condition and prognosis report deals with respiratory impairment and its future course. The report pages set out the content required for each route.
Respiratory medicine expert witness evidence
A respiratory physician expert witness reads the imaging and physiology together, and states what each supports about diagnosis and impairment.
Listings can be narrowed by discipline and location before an enquiry is made. See guidance from British Thoracic Society alongside the case material.
Directory search
Respiratory Medicine listings
Respiratory Medicine Expert Witness Cases & Claims
Related expert witness specialties
Questions answered
Frequently asked questions
Will a Respiratory Medicine expert witness respond to Part 35 questions?
Yes - CPR 35.6 entitles the parties to put written questions on a report, and answering them is part of the expert's duty to the court. A Respiratory Medicine report prepared for proceedings in England and Wales carries the Part 35 statement of truth, with equivalent duties applying in the other UK jurisdictions.
Can a Respiratory Medicine expert act as a single joint expert?
Where the court directs a single joint expert under CPR 35.7, the instruction is agreed between the parties and put jointly - a routine basis of instruction in this field. Whether a particular practitioner accepts SJE appointments is confirmed with the practitioner at the enquiry stage.
Will the expert attend joint discussions or give evidence at trial?
Where the court directs discussions between experts under CPR 35.12, they meet and produce a joint statement of what is agreed and what is disputed; attendance at trial - in person or by video link - is likewise a matter of court direction. These commitments are confirmed with the practitioner at instruction.
Can I choose a Respiratory Medicine expert of a specific gender, or one who assesses remotely?
Yes on both counts. Every listing displays the practitioner's gender, consulting locations and assessment types - face to face, remote or both - so sensitive-instruction preferences can be applied at the shortlisting stage, before any contact is made.