Medico-Legal &
Expert Witness
CPR-compliant medico-legal reports and expert witness services for injuries to the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. Reports are prepared by a Consultant Hand Therapist with specialist training in expert witness practice.
Independent expert
opinion
Ms Michelle Razo is a Belfast based Consultant Hand Therapist, Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) and Registered Occupational Therapist with extensive clinical experience in the assessment, diagnosis and rehabilitation of injuries and conditions affecting the hand and upper limb. She provides independent medico-legal reports and expert witness services to solicitors, insurers, case managers and occupational health professionals across Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
All reports are prepared in accordance with Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) and the associated Practice Direction. Ms Razo's duty is to the court, not to the instructing party, and her opinions are based solely on objective clinical assessment and evidence-based specialist knowledge.
Ms Razo has completed the full suite of Bond Solon Expert Witness training, equipping her with the procedural knowledge and writing skills required to produce reports that meet the highest standards of clarity, impartiality and legal compliance.
- Master of Occupational Therapy
- Certified Hand Therapist (CHT)
- Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Civil Certificate
Special
interests
Ms Razo accepts instructions across the full spectrum of upper limb injury and acquired conditions. Her particular areas of medico-legal interest include:
- Upper limb & hand trauma: including fractures, amputations, tendon injuries and nerve injuries
- Work-related injuries: occupational upper limb disorders, industrial accidents, repetitive strain injuries and hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
- Road traffic accidents: upper limb and hand injuries sustained in RTA's
- Acquired conditions: including carpal tunnel syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and other upper limb conditions
- Upper limb & hand scarring: assessment of scar-related functional impairment, disfigurement and prognosis
- Reconstructive surgery: assessment of complications and outcomes following upper limb and hand surgery
Services
offered
Ms Razo prepares a range of specialist medico-legal reports covering all injuries and conditions of the upper limb. Each report is prepared following a face-to-face clinical assessment and thorough review of the available medical records.
Prognosis Reports
A comprehensive medico-legal report addressing the nature and extent of the claimant's upper limb injury, the treatment received, the expected prognosis and any permanent functional consequences. These reports provide the instructing party with a clear clinical picture of the injury and its impact on the claimant's life and work.
Assessment
A detailed assessment of the claimant's functional hand and upper limb capacity, quantifying the impact of injury on manual dexterity, grip and pinch strength, range of motion and the ability to perform occupational and daily living tasks. These reports are particularly valuable in claims involving manual workers, where the functional consequences of hand injury are central to the quantum of damages.
Needs Assessment
An assessment of the claimant's outstanding rehabilitation needs and the likely cost of providing appropriate specialist treatment. These reports set out a costed rehabilitation plan to support damages claims and assist case managers and treating teams in planning the claimant's ongoing care.
Court Attendance
Where required, Ms Razo participates in expert joint discussions and prepares joint statements in accordance with CPR Practice Direction 35. She is available to attend court or tribunal to give oral expert evidence, having completed training in expert witness procedure and cross-examination skills through Bond Solon.
Why instruct
Ms Razo?
The CHT credential is the highest specialist qualification in Hand Therapy, held by fewer than 6,000 practitioners worldwide. It signifies a level of knowledge, clinical experience and examination performance that qualifies Ms Razo to provide authoritative specialist opinion on hand, upper limb and shoulder injuries.
Ms Razo has completed the full suite of Bond Solon Expert Witness courses, the gold standard of expert witness training in the UK - covering report writing, CPR compliance, joint discussions, cross-examination skills and court procedure. Her reports are prepared to meet the highest standard of legal clarity and impartiality.
Ms Razo has worked across NHS trauma centres in Northern Ireland and London, including Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and in a specialist hand surgery unit in the United States. This breadth of clinical experience, encompassing acute trauma, complex reconstruction and post-surgical rehabilitation underpins her expert opinion with real-world clinical depth.
As an independent practitioner, Ms Razo has no institutional conflicts of interest. Her medico-legal opinions are formed solely on the basis of objective clinical assessment and specialist knowledge, in accordance with her overriding duty to the court. She accepts instructions from both claimant and defendant solicitors.
The instruction
process
Ms Razo aims to make the instruction and reporting process as straightforward as possible for legal professionals. Enquiries and instructions are responded to promptly. Reports are completed within agreed timescales.
Contact the clinic by email or telephone to discuss your instruction, the claimant's injury and the scope of the report required. Ms Razo will confirm availability, fee schedule and turnaround time.
Send a formal letter of instruction setting out the questions to be addressed and any specific matters to be considered. Please include all available medical records, imaging reports and any existing expert evidence.
A face-to-face assessment of the claimant is conducted at the clinic in Belfast. The appointment includes a detailed clinical history, physical examination and any standardised functional testing relevant to the instruction.
A CPR Part 35-compliant expert report is prepared and delivered to the instructing party within the agreed timeframe. Amendments to factual inaccuracies and supplementary questions can be addressed by addendum.
Ready to instruct
Ms Razo?
Contact the clinic to discuss your instruction, confirm availability and obtain a fee schedule. Ms Razo welcomes enquiries from both claimant and defendant solicitors.