Report type
Screening and merits reports
An early, honest view on whether a claim is worth pursuing, before you commit to a full report.
Purpose and limits
What this report does
A screening report is a preliminary view on the merits, from an expert in the right discipline, on a limited review of the papers.
Its value is the claim it stops. A screening report that says the claim will fail on causation has saved the cost of a full liability report and the cost of running a claim that was never going to succeed.
It does not carry the detail of a breach and causation report, and it is not usually served. It exists to tell you, early and at limited cost, whether the claim has legs.
View breach and causation reports →The hard part
A screen only works if it can say no.
The point of a screening report is to be told when a claim is weak. That only works if the expert is willing to say so.
An expert who screens every claim as arguable is worse than no screen at all, because you have paid for reassurance rather than information. Ours will tell you when the records do not support a claim, when causation cannot realistically be established, or when the treatment complained of was a recognised complication of competent care.
That is an uncomfortable report to receive and a valuable one to have. It is the difference between finding the weakness now and finding it at trial.
Instruction context
When this report is used
- 01
Before a full liability report
Where the claim is uncertain and you do not want to commit to the cost of a full report yet.
- 02
On a CFA case
Where the economics require an early view of the risk before the claim is funded.
- 03
Where account and records may not match
Where the client’s account and the clinical records may not align, and you need to know before you proceed.
Scope of the screen
What a screen can and cannot reach
A screening report works from the papers you provide. It can identify whether a claim is arguable, and where its weaknesses lie. It cannot substitute for a full report at trial, and it does not usually involve examining the claimant.
Where a screen is positive, it converts naturally into a full breach and causation or condition and prognosis report, and the earlier work is not wasted.
For instructing solicitors
Why solicitors instruct us
We will tell you when to stop
A screen that only ever says arguable is not a screen. Ours identifies the claims that will not succeed, before you fund them.
The right discipline, even for a screen
A preliminary view is only worth having from someone who could write the full report.
A named case manager
One consistent point of contact from first enquiry through to delivery of the report, who tells you where the instruction stands before you ask.
Deferred terms for CFA-funded cases
For cases funded under a conditional fee agreement, payment can be deferred to the conclusion of the claim where agreed in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Before you instruct
A preliminary expert view on whether a claim has merit, on a limited review of the papers.
Not usually. It is for you, to decide whether to proceed.
That is the report doing its job. You have learned the claim is weak at the least possible cost.
It converts into one, and the preliminary work carries over.
Discuss an instruction
Want a claim screened?
Tell us the case and a case manager will send a suitable CV and a fixed quote.