Expert medico-legal assessment & reporting
What you'll find on this page
We have extensive experience of assessment and reporting in cases of personal injury and clinical negligence. We also provide tailored management programmes.
The personal injury expertise at Mills & McKinney Practice Ltd is provided by Catherene McKinney, who is recognised by many large Solicitor practices as a valuable specialist resource.
Qualified to help
Catherene McKinney has been a qualified Audiological Scientist since 1989. Her qualifications include the BSc Degree in Logopaedics (Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology), and she is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Clinical Scientist in the field of Audiology, and as a Hearing Aid Dispenser.
She has over 20 years of specialist knowledge, research, and experience in the fields of Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Sound Sensitivity and their rehabilitation, including the field of Bone Anchored Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants. She has undertaken medico-legal work as an independent expert in these areas since 2003. The majority of her work is for the Plaintiff.
Catherene can provide reports regarding negligence, causation, condition and prognosis, management and quantum for both adults and children.
Causation and liability
We identify poor audiological management, and the resulting complaint, disability and impact on daily living for adults and children. Failure to identify a hearing loss in a timely manner, poor testing techniques, inappropriate or poorly executed management, lack of follow up – all these affect life chances and life quality. The impact of poor audiological management in childhood is enormous and has far reaching consequences throughout life.
Condition and prognosis
We provide detailed reports on condition and prognosis and can include management recommendations and costs if required.
Audiological management and quantum
We have extensive experience in examining and reporting on auditory rehabilitation for the purposes of quantum, as well offering treatment to those suffering the consequences of hearing loss, tinnitus or other auditory symptoms as a result of personal injury. We understand that even a relatively 'minor' impairment can be seriously debilitating and have far reaching lifestyle implications. Our expertise means that we are able to provide for you/your solicitor a high quality and timely response to instructions, when presenting information for the Court.
Noise-induced hearing loss and occupational deafness
Noise induced hearing loss, or trauma or blast injury may result in occupational deafness and tinnitus. These are areas that we have a specialist interest in which we have a specialist interest in. We have dealt with many cases involving hearing loss and tinnitus. Our experience and expertise includes acting for people from a wide range of jobs, industries and activities that could give rise to noise induced hearing loss resulting in deafness, partial deafness and tinnitus.
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Hearing loss, tinnitus and sound sensitivity
Head injury sustained as part of a Road Traffic Accident, accident at work, or any other event can not only affect hearing but can also trigger tinnitus and sound sensitivity. Sound sensitivity can occur either to sounds in general, or to very specific sounds. We have unique expertise in these areas.
Working with case managers
We have extensive experience of working with case managers involved in co-ordinating rehabilitation from several disciplines. In the first instance we would assess your client, producing a detailed and fully costed management report. Once funding is agreed, we provide regular reports, and face to face or virtual meetings as required.
Catherene works closely with a number of Case Managers to provide Audiological management for the most complex cases, including those with head injury.
Facilities
All assessment appointments take place at The Portland Hospital, and all testing is carried out on calibrated equipment in sound-proofed rooms conforming to latest ISO standards. A range of Audiological tests are available, including:
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Pure Tone Audiometry
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Impedance Audiometry
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Otoacoustic Emissions
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Speech Audiometry
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Speech in Noise testing
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Auditory Processing Disorder Testing
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Auditory Brainstem Response Audiometry
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Cortical Evoked Response Audiometry
Data storage and CPR compliance
All handling and storing of personal data complies with the principles for the protection of personal data in the Data Protection Act 1998.
Reports are prepared in accordance with current Civil Procedure Rules where required.
Services provided
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Consultation & Report: Assessment of the client, with a review of medical records and final report for the Court.
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Report based on medical records only: Where the client has already been assessed we are able to produce a report for the Court based on medical records only.
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Report for Quantum only: We prefer to assess clients prior to preparing these reports, however in some cases the report can be prepared based on a review of the medical evidence alone.
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Auditory Rehabilitation: Consultation, assessment and audiological management with outcome and benefit reports.
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Appearance at Court as an Expert Witness as requested.