David Gault FRCS Fees, T's and C's for Medico-Legal Reporting
There are different scales for Mr Gault’s fees to reflect the complexity and specialty of some of the medico-legal work he does, avoiding the need, when considering scarring for example, for reporting first by a general plastic surgeon and then by Mr Gault if consideration of conventional and laser options for treatment of scarring is required.
Fees, Terms and Conditions for Medico-legal reporting
Hourly rates are as follows:
For consultation and examination (normally 1 hour): £495 per hour
Cost of examination room £75 per hour
For preparation and composition: £495 per hour
For dictation: £495 per hour
For revision and proofing: £495 per hour
All fees are payable on receipt of invoice.
A typical personal injury report or condition and prognosis report costs £3045 (1+1+3+1+1) including drawings, academic references, photos and an estimate of costs for reconstructive surgery if appropriate and is normally available within 1-2 weeks of seeing the client / addition to the workflow, whichever is the later.
A typical personal injury report or condition and prognosis report requiring comment upon skin laser consequences or options to treat red or brown scarring or dirt tattooing costs £3540 (1+1+4+2+1) including drawings, academic references, photos and an estimate of costs for reconstructive /laser surgery if appropriate and is normally available within 2 weeks of seeing the client / addition to the workflow, whichever is the later.
Please note that the time charge for preparation, composition, dictation, revision and proofing is directly dependent on the amount and quality of the instruction and documentation submitted for consideration, together with the congruity of the evidence.
A typical report on breach of duty/causation costs £6510 (1+1+6+3+3), including drawings, academic references, and photos if appropriate and is normally available within 4 weeks of seeing the client / addition to the workflow, whichever is the later. A condition and prognosis report in addition would cost approximately £1732.50 (0+0+2+1+0.5). A subsequent condition and prognosis report would cost approximately £2302.50 (1+1+2+1+0.5).
A reversioning of a combined B and C, C and P to provide a separate C and P for service costs approximately £700.
The fees above are on a per client basis. Additional queries or reports are charged on an hourly basis. Please note that it is a condition of our acceptance of instructions that these fees will not be subject to assessment or taxation by the court. Fees are payable before the report is dispatched.
If you wish to proceed, please reply with your agreement to the terms and conditions and we will be pleased to offer your client an appointment.
We have a new on-line booking system where your client can see live availability, and then either phone to arrange an appointment or select the medical report option once in the diary app. An appointment for interview and examination takes approximately one hour.
Fees, Terms and Conditions for telephone conference, attendance at case conference / court as an expert witness are as follows:
Hourly rates are as follows:
For preparation, travelling, further reporting (min 1 hour): £495 per hour
For attendance at conference or court (min 1 hour): £495 per hour
Cost of travel: as incurred, plus travelling time at £495 per hour
In the event that the appointment is cancelled, Mr Gault’s fees per booked and subsequently cancelled period are as follows:
• cancellation more than two calendar months of the scheduled date: 10% of fees payable
• cancellation between one and two months of the scheduled date: 25% of fees payable
• cancellation between one month and two weeks of the scheduled date: 37% of fees payable
• cancellation two weeks or less of the scheduled date: 100% of fees payable
Formal notice of cancellation must be made in writing. The date of notice of cancellation will be the date of receipt of that notice, and we recommend that a hard copy is sent by a Signed For service or is e-mailed.
Please note that these fees are based on cancellation of theatre or clinic time which cannot be reinstated. Much of Mr Gault’s work is for international patients and children, is staged and timed, involves pre-booked surgical teams and extended theatre sessions, and cannot be moved or cancelled, and it would be important to advise us at your earliest convenience which dates are being considered before they are finalised.
Fees are raised according to the time vacated/allocated. Court attendance is booked at a standard 7 hours per day. Travelling time is booked from Mr Gault’s base at the Clementine Churchill Hospital. In order to minimise costs, we would respectfully suggest that you limit your selection to one or two days, if possible
Declaration
This report is provided to those instructing me with the sole purpose of assisting those who are parties to the dispute on which the report comments. It may not be used for any other purpose, nor may it be disclosed to any third party without my express written authority.
Although I have taken instructions from the Solicitors named in this report, I have formed an independent view as to the patient’s injuries and subsequent prognosis. I have addressed this report to the Court. I understand that my overriding duty as an expert witness is to the Court, both in preparing reports and giving oral evidence. I have complied and will continue to comply with that duty. I am aware of the requirements of CPR 35 and Practice Direction 35 and the Guidance for the Instruction of Experts in Civil Claims 2014. I have not been instructed to avoid reaching agreement or otherwise defer from doing so on any matter within my competence.
In compiling this report, I have attempted to include all matters of relevance within my knowledge and experience. I have given details in this report of any matters which might affect the validity of this report. I confirm that I have made clear which facts and matters referred to in this report are within my own knowledge and which are not. Those that are within my own knowledge I confirm to be true. The opinions I have expressed represent my true and complete professional opinions on the matters to which they refer. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.
I fully understand that my report will form the basis of evidence given under oath. I also understand that I may be cross-examined on my report and that, should my report prove to be inaccurate, then I would be open to criticism by the courts. Finally, I confirm that my fee for this report is based on work done and is not related in any way to the outcome of the case.