Prognosis

A prognosis is a doctor’s professional opinion on how you are likely to recover, including how much of the injury’s effects will remain over time.

It sits at the centre of a personal injury claim, because compensation for pain and suffering, future care and any reduced earning capacity all depend on what the prognosis says is likely to happen next, not only on what has already happened. A guarded or uncertain prognosis often means waiting a little longer before settling, so the claim does not undervalue a lasting problem.

A realistic prognosis, honestly recorded, protects you far better than an optimistic guess made too early in your treatment.

Getting a specialist report explains how prognosis is assessed and documented.