How much does a medico-legal report cost?
A medico-legal report usually costs from around £450 plus VAT for a standard personal injury report, and more for complex work. The low-value soft-tissue RTA report is a fixed recoverable cost set by the Civil Procedure Rules. This guide separates the fixed MedCo fees from typical market rates; Expert Medical confirms the applicable fee in writing at instruction.
How much does a medico-legal report cost?
A medico-legal report in England and Wales usually costs from around £450 plus VAT for a standard personal injury report, and more for complex or clinical negligence work.
The one fee fixed by the rules is the low-value soft-tissue road traffic report. For a whiplash-type claim by a motor-vehicle occupant, the first report is a fixed-cost report sourced through MedCo, set by the Civil Procedure Rules. Everything else is agreed between the instructing party and the expert.
The figures on this page are a guide. Fixed recoverable costs are set by the rules; all other figures are typical market rates across UK providers, not Expert Medical's own prices. We confirm the fee in writing before you instruct.
MedCo fixed-cost RTA report fees
These are the fixed recoverable costs set by the Civil Procedure Rules for the medical report in a low-value soft-tissue RTA claim, in force for claims where the Claim Notification Form is sent on or after 6 April 2025. They apply only where the claim qualifies for the MedCo process.
| Report | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial fixed-cost report (MedCo) | £226 + VAT |
| Further report, Consultant in A&E Medicine | £451 + VAT |
| Further report, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon | £527 + VAT |
All figures exclude VAT. These are the fixed recoverable amounts, not a private quote; the current figures should be checked in the Civil Procedure Rules Part 45. Where a claim does not qualify for MedCo, the fee is agreed directly.
Typical market rates for non-MedCo reports
For claims outside the MedCo process, such as clinical negligence, workplace and industrial disease, the fee is agreed between the instructing party and the expert. The ranges below are typical market rates reported across UK providers, not Expert Medical's own prices, and every fee is confirmed at instruction.
| Report | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard personal injury report | from ~£450 + VAT |
| Consultant-authored PI report | ~£1,200 to £4,200 + VAT |
| Clinical negligence report (breach and causation) | ~£1,500 to £4,950 + VAT |
| Expert time, charged by the hour | ~£250 to £450 + VAT |
| Court or tribunal attendance | ~£1,000 to £3,000 + VAT / day |
Ranges are indicative and vary by provider and case. See our expert medical report guide for more on what a report includes.
What drives the cost of a report
Two reports on the same facts can carry different fees. The main factors are:
- The specialism and seniority of the expert the case requires.
- The complexity of the injury or condition, and the issues in dispute.
- The volume of medical records and other material to review.
- Whether a physical examination is needed, or the report is on records alone.
- Any urgency, and whether court attendance or Part 35 answers are likely.
Because these vary, we set out the fee in writing at instruction rather than applying a single flat price.
Who pays for the report
In most personal injury and clinical negligence claims the instructing solicitor arranges and funds the report as a disbursement. Whether that cost is recovered from the other side is a legal-costs matter for the solicitor, decided under the rules that apply to the claim.
For a qualifying soft-tissue RTA report, the MedCo fee is a fixed recoverable cost. There is always a report fee; what varies is how and when it is funded and recovered, which is a question for the instructing party, not for us.
A clear fee, confirmed at instruction
Expert Medical Examination Ltd is an independent, MedCo registered medical reporting organisation (MRO). For a qualifying soft-tissue RTA report we work within the fixed recoverable costs; for other instructions we set out the fee in writing before you instruct, so there are no surprises.
We provide the medical evidence; the funding and recovery of the report cost is a legal-costs matter for the instructing solicitor. Tell us about the case and we will confirm the applicable fee and timescales.
Medico-legal report costs: frequently asked questions
How much does a medico-legal report cost in the UK?
A medico-legal report in England and Wales usually costs from around £450 plus VAT for a standard personal injury report, rising to £1,500 to £4,950 plus VAT for clinical negligence opinions. The first fixed-cost soft-tissue RTA report is set at £226 plus VAT by the Civil Procedure Rules. These are typical market rates; the fee is confirmed at instruction.
How much is a fixed-cost soft-tissue RTA medical report?
For a low-value soft-tissue RTA claim by a vehicle occupant, the first report is a fixed-cost report sourced through MedCo, set by the Civil Procedure Rules at £226 plus VAT (for claims where the Claim Notification Form is sent on or after 6 April 2025). A further named-specialist report is also fixed, for example £451 for a Consultant in A&E medicine and £527 for a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, both plus VAT.
How much does a clinical negligence expert report cost?
A clinical negligence report addressing breach of duty and causation is more involved than a standard injury report, so it costs more. Typical market rates across UK providers run from about £1,500 to £4,950 plus VAT depending on the specialism, the records to review and the scope. The fee is agreed with the instructing party at instruction.
What does an expert witness charge per hour?
Medical expert witnesses usually charge by the hour or as a fixed report fee. Typical market hourly rates run about £250 to £450 plus VAT, with senior consultants above £500. Attending court or a tribunal is often charged at about £1,000 to £3,000 plus VAT per day. These are typical market rates; the fee is confirmed at instruction.
Who pays for a medico-legal report?
In most personal injury and clinical negligence claims the instructing solicitor arranges and funds the report as a disbursement, and whether it is recovered from the other side is a legal-costs matter for the solicitor. For MedCo fixed-cost RTA reports, the fee is a fixed recoverable cost. There is always a report fee, which is confirmed at instruction.
Are medico-legal report fees fixed or recoverable?
It depends on the claim. For low-value soft-tissue RTA reports sourced through MedCo, the fee is a fixed recoverable cost set by the Civil Procedure Rules. For other claims, such as clinical negligence, workplace or industrial disease, the fee is agreed between the instructing party and the expert, and recovery is a legal-costs question for the solicitor.
What determines the cost of a medico-legal report?
Cost is driven by the specialism and seniority of the expert, the complexity of the injury or condition, the volume of medical records to review, whether a physical examination or a records-only report is needed, and any urgency. Two reports on the same facts can carry different fees. We confirm the fee in writing before you instruct.
How much does it cost for an expert to attend court?
Where an expert is required to give oral evidence, court or tribunal attendance is usually charged separately from the report. Typical market rates run about £1,000 to £3,000 plus VAT per day, depending on the expert's seniority and the time involved. This is a typical market range; any attendance fee is confirmed at instruction.
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