What are the differences between medical experts - Dr Terrence Kommal

What are the differences between medical experts Dr Terrence Kommal

"Just imagine you look at the report written about your love, your child, your wife, your family, in a report written by the audiologist has page on audiologist and a 40 page discussion of psychology. Just imagine your confusion and your concern.

Hi, I’m Terrence Kommal. In the medicolegal world and of the world of medicolegal assessments, these are common questions from patients, lawyers and other clients.

The want to know what are the differences, very high level, of the different types of expert.

In my mind, you can separate them into primary care diagnosticians, auxiliary/ancillary healthcare practitioners and other opinions by other individuals.

Not that very simply puts it, in the context, of primary diagnosticians are the doctors, physicians or surgeons who make the primary diagnoses. They point to what has been established based on the history the assessments, the special investigations and then a conclusive finding being made.

The auxiliary and/or ancillary healthcare practitioners like the occupational therapist, the physiotherapists, the audiologist and others provide information as required, commonly, on request of the primary diagnosticians or just medical doctors or specialists.

This is simply from the perspective that the auxiliary and ancillary healthcare practitioners, although can practice independently, their work is dependent on the primary diagnoses of the original assessors, i.e. the Orthopedic Surgeons and urologists, and the other medical practitioners and other specialists that are assessing the patient in a medical legal context.

You then also have the challenge of other assessors. For example, Orthotists are not directly involved in patient care. They not there to make diagnoses, but they are there to make improvements for the patients. If a patient has a shortened limb or shortened gait or an impairment in gait, they can provide built-up shoes or insoles of particular extra devices that can assist in improving the patient’s quality of life.

But they don’t directly participate in the core diagnostics of the patient nor do they provide functionality assessments or impairments, but do provide opportunities to improve the ability to function in what is known as activities of daily living."

There are different types of medical doctors, psychologist, allied health care practitioners, and other medical personnel who write medico-legal or psycho-legal reports.

Medicolegal issues in clinical practice, are very common.

Personal injury, road accident, medical negligence claims usually result in the need for medico-legal assessments.

Medical experts / psycho-legal experts are usually called upon my personal injury lawyers/ law firms to assist the Honourable courts with assessments.

Dr Terrence Kommal has served as a member and Chairman of the
South African National Health Professions Council’s Serious Injury Tribunal. (HPCSA Serious Injury Tribunal)

He was subsequently appointed for his medical service expertise by the Minister of Transport of South Africa, as a member of the Road Accident Fund Board (a R 45 Billion State owned Entity) in 2016.

He is currently the Chairman of the Medical Expert Consulting
(MEC) Group, with multi-national clients that range from insurance and law firms to government agencies to publishing houses.