Category: Rheumatologists

Medicolegal experience

I commenced medicolegal work in 2014 and have completed the Cardiff University Law School Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate. I am completing about 30 reports a year covering a variety of cases within my areas of expertise including personal injury and clinical negligence as well as doing reports for cases being heard in an employment tribunal, in the family court and in the criminal courts. Cases have involved everything from whiplash and personal injury, military cases, work based injuries, and a full range of rheumatic conditions. I have also been cross examined in court on my evidence.

Dr Coakley is a Consultant Rheumatologist with a particular interest in chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), chronic pain, fibromyalgia, whiplash, complex regional pain syndrome and other medically unexplained physical symptoms. He has run an interdisciplinary service for CFS/ME in the private sector since 2007.

He has a PhD in the molecular immunogenetics of Felty’s syndrome (a rare complication of rheumatoid arthritis), and has wide experience of inflammatory rheumatic disease including rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and connective tissue diseases such as lupus, myositis and Sjogren’s syndrome. 

He has extensive experience in providing medicolegal reports for both Claimant and Defendant in relation to personal injury, and is happy to consider medical negligence cases.  His current waiting time is within 4 weeks with a report completed within 4 weeks of the appointment date.