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Reports we arrange

Industrial disease medical reports

Industrial disease claims are about harm that builds up over time at work rather than a single accident. The medical evidence has to connect the claimant’s condition to what they were exposed to, often over many years and several employers. We arrange medico-legal reports for these claims from independent experts in the relevant specialty.

What the report is for

An industrial disease report explains what condition the claimant has, whether their work caused it or made it worse, how much of it is due to work rather than other causes such as age or illness, and what it means for them now and in future. The expert usually looks closely at the claimant’s work history and exposure, as well as their medical records.

Claims we arrange reports for include:

  • noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus
  • hand-arm vibration syndrome, including vibration white finger, from using vibrating tools
  • occupational asthma and other breathing problems caused by dusts, fumes or chemicals at work
  • occupational dermatitis and other skin conditions
  • work-related upper limb disorders, such as those from repetitive tasks

Asbestos-related disease reports can also be discussed with us. Ask us about the claim.

Who usually writes it

The specialty follows the condition: ENT surgeons and audiovestibular physicians for hearing loss; respiratory physicians for occupational asthma and lung conditions; dermatologists for skin conditions; and hand, orthopaedic or vascular surgeons for vibration and upper limb conditions.

We are building our panel across specialties, starting with ENT surgeons and audiovestibular physicians. Ask us about the specialty your claim needs.

Thinking of writing these reports yourself? Read our guide to becoming a medical expert witness.

What to send us

Along with your letter of instruction and the claimant’s contact details, send what you hold of:

  • the claimant’s GP records and any hospital or specialist records
  • their employment history, with the employers, jobs and dates involved
  • occupational health and health surveillance records, such as hearing tests or skin and lung checks at work
  • any evidence of exposure, such as noise surveys, risk assessments or witness statements

Tell us if there are several defendants, so the expert knows which periods of work are in question.

How we handle it

Industrial disease files are often long and come from many sources. The records are sorted, paginated and indexed, with a chronology prepared for the expert that sets the claimant’s medical history alongside their work history: AI-prepared, expert-reviewed. The expert reads the records themselves and decides what the evidence shows.

You can send secure upload links from the portal to record holders, such as a GP practice or a former employer’s occupational health provider. The claimant books their appointment through a secure link. Each report is checked against the industrial disease checklist before release, with a person reviewing anything flagged, and released to you through the portal.

Our secure portal is launching soon. Until then, instruct us by email and we’ll keep you updated on each case.

AI prepares the records for the expert: sorted, paginated and indexed, with a chronology and summary. It never forms or changes a medical opinion, and Probita gives none. The expert checks the summary against the records and the opinion is theirs alone, under their duty to the court.

We switch on each AI feature only once it has passed its own testing, and our team does the same work by hand until then.

How instructing works, what the portal shows you and how billing works: Probita for law firms.

Questions

Questions about industrial disease reports

Can you handle a group of claims against the same employer?

Yes. You can instruct many cases at once from our spreadsheet template, and cases in a group can share a reference, so lists and updates can cover the whole group.

The claimant worked for several employers. Does the expert deal with that?

The expert can comment on how the condition relates to the exposure described in each period of work, if your letter of instruction asks them to. A clear employment history helps them do that.

Will the claimant need tests?

Often, yes. For example, hearing loss reports need a hearing test. The expert decides which tests are needed for the report, and we tell the claimant what to expect before the appointment.

Instruct a industrial disease report

Tell us about the case or your caseload, and we will explain how to instruct and send our solicitor agreement.

Instruct us