Orthopaedic Surgeons for Medico-Legal Matters
Orthopaedic Surgeons are highly valued expert witnesses frequently engaged by law firms and insurance companies to provide their medical opinion to help manage claims relating to injury and illness. Understand what conditions Orthopaedic Surgeons assess and provide medical opinion on below.
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What is an Orthopaedic Surgeon?
An Orthopaedic Surgeon is a Medical Expert who has completed further training to specialise in musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. Their specialised training includes surgical and non-surgical diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation methods. The musculoskeletal system is highly complex and includes bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves, allowing people to be active, move, and work.
What Conditions Do Orthopaedic Surgeons Treat?
Orthopaedic Surgeons treat conditions such as arthritis, cerebral palsy, congenital disorders, degenerative diseases, infections, musculoskeletal trauma, scoliosis, sports injuries and tumours.
How Do Orthopaedic Surgeons Work with Red Health?
All Medical Experts on the Red Health Referral Network can provide medico-legal opinion on conditions common to their specialty and will be able to provide extensive and expert opinion on their selected special interests. Clients of Red Health have access to our Orthopaedic Surgeon’s special interests, and our full list of available Medical Experts.
Red Health doesn’t offer appointments with our Referral Network Orthopaedic Surgeons for treatment – appointments with Red Health are only for providing medico-legal reports.
What Subspecialties Do Orthopaedic Surgeons Specialise In?
Orthopaedics is a broad and vast speciality, and most Orthopaedic Surgeons subspecialise to concentrate on specific areas. Subspecialties for Orthopaedic Surgeons focus on one or two areas of the musculoskeletal system, such as:
Foot and ankle
Hand and wrist
Shoulder and elbow
Spine
Sports medicine
Hip replacement and reconstruction
Knee replacement and reconstruction
Orthopaedic oncology (bone tumours)
Orthopaedic trauma
What Matters and Conditions Can Orthopaedic Surgeons Assess?
Matters
Our clients frequently engage Orthopaedic Surgeons from the Red Health Referral Network to provide medical opinion in claims relating to Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA), Compulsory Third-Party Insurance (CTP), Total and Permanent Disability (TPD), Workers’ Compensation (WC), Public Liability (PL), Incapacity and Permanent Impairment, and Medical Negligence.
Conditions
Orthopaedic Surgeons are often requested to give their medical opinion on all conditions related to their specialty in the musculoskeletal system. These conditions include but aren’t limited to:
- Soft tissue and trauma-related injuries (whiplash)
- Fractured or broken bones
- Osteoarthritis and Arthritis Pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Ligament, tendon and joint conditions
Medico-Legal FAQ for Orthopaedic Surgeons
Does an IME performed by an Orthopaedic Surgeon provide functional capacity testing?
No, IMEs include very minor opinion on functional capacity and predominately focus on the claimant’s prior medical history and the claimant’s interview with the Medical Expert giving their opinion. If your matter requires functional capacity, see our Plus Services for clarity.
Can I book an appointment with an Orthopaedic Surgeon to treat my illness or injury with Red Health?
No, Red Health only accepts appointments with our Orthopaedic Surgeons to provide medico-legal services. You’ll need to make an enquiry with your General Practitioner for further information on treatment.
Can an IME opinion be different from my GP?
Yes, IME opinion can be different from a treating practitioner. When an IME (Independent Medical Examination) medical opinion differs from that of a treating practitioner, it may surprise someone with a legal or insurance claim relating to injury or illness. To understand why, read our article here.
Explanations of common Orthopaedic Surgeon acronyms >>
FAOrthA
Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association (FAOrthA) is granted to Medical Experts who have completed their training by the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) and are awarded a fellowship of the AOA
FRACS (Ortho)
Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
MBBS
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
MBChB
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.
MRCSEd
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
BSc
Bachelor of Science
Education, Certification, and Training for Orthopaedic Surgeons
For an Orthopaedic Surgeon to provide their independent medical opinion as a medical expert witness, they must have adequate clinical experience and a working knowledge of relevant guidelines, legislation and methodology used in this practice area.
Many accreditations and training courses are available to Orthopaedic Surgeons to support them in developing the additional skills required to become a medical expert witness.
Medical experts must be accredited for some referrals before providing assessments or commenting on areas such as permanent impairment.
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