Writing a Medico-Legal Report in a Case of Child Maltreatment with Drugs

Abstract

The medicolegal report has the primary purpose of organizing and presenting information about the child’s drug exposure, the social and family background on which it has arisen and its consequences. By presenting, in sequence, the facts of the case and opinions arising from the facts the report can transmit what the writer believes and why. The facts of the case are made up of the clinical observation, the results of social inquiries and the laboratory testing. Opinion will go into the diagnosis, prognosis and the drug’s contribution to causation, with reference to the facts and the literature that guides interpretation of facts. The arguments that link facts, literature to opinions have to be openly and clearly given so they, like the facts themselves, can be tested and examined in any court proceeding that follows.