Expert Witness Journal Issue 64 December 2025 - Flipbook - Page 39
his comments that he would expect to have seen musclewasting if the claimant was as disabled as she said she
was, involved him departing from his role as an expert
and trespassing into the court’s territory. I disagree with
that. Both he and Professor Lalkhen assisted the court by
sharing what they would expect to see in a patient with
the claimant’s history and presenting complaints. As I
have made clear in the paragraphs above, I consider that,
if anything, the court and the parties would have been
assisted by more comment from Professor Lalkhen, not by
less from Dr McDowell.”
Mr Shafic Al-Nammari
Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon
MBChB, MSc(Oxon.), FRCS(Tr&Orth)
Mr. Al-Nammari is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with a specialist interest in
disorders of the Foot & Ankle. He also maintains an active clinical practice. He has
been an NHS Consultant for over ten years and during that time has been a formal
surgical supervisor to Cambridge Orthopaedic Surgical Trainees and has been a
Medical Student Examiner at Cambridge Medical School. More recently he has
taken on the role of Foot & Ankle Clinical Lead for the Essex & Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre- one of the largest such Orthopaedic Surgical Centres in the
United Kingdom.
Mr. Al-Nammari maintains an active research interest. He has published book
chapters, over thirty scientific papers and he has presented his findings at dozens
of international and national Orthopaedic conferences over the years.
Key takeaways
He has undertaken formal medicolegal report training and has been preparing
medical reports since 2016. He has completed over one thousand reports during
that time. Instructions are split approximately 85% claimant, 10% defendant and
5% single joint instruction. Increasingly he is working directly with solicitor’s
nationwide and focusing more on complex, serious and high value Foot & Ankle
injuries.
This case serves as a strong reminder that while
honesty is for the court to determine, expert
opinion remains invaluable. Courts rely heavily on
medical experts to interpret clinical 昀椀ndings and
contextualise inconsistencies in the evidence.
Mr. Al-Nammari welcomes instructions in the areas of:
• Standard or complex Foot & Ankle cases.
• Serious injuries.
• Clinical negligence
An expert’s measured but candid opinion can make
a signi昀椀cant di昀昀erence - and sometimes, as seen
here, silence can speak volumes.
Contact: Shafic Al-Nammari
Tel: 01473 279 100
Email: shafic@suffolkfootandankleclinic.com
Website: www.suffolkfootandankleclinic.com
Training: Clinical Negligence Course (Speedmedical)
Area of work: Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire
The judgment reinforces the principle that experts
should not shy away from o昀昀ering views on
credibility when those views are rooted in objective
medical evidence and expressed with respect for the
court’s role.
Mr. Al-Nammari currently hosts clinics in Ipswich and Colchester. Mr. Al-Nammari is happy
to see clients at their Home and undertakes prison visits. He will travel nationwide or abroad.
Appointments are routinely offered within two weeks of instruction and can be accommodated
sooner based on urgency. Expert reports are typically produced within 10 days.
Mr Nikhil Shah
Consultant Trauma
and Orthopaedic Surgeon
FRCS(Tr & Orth), FRCS(Glasg), MCh(Orth), MS(Orth), DNB(Orth).
I provide medico legal reports in personal injury
in various conditions - trips, slips, whiplash injury,
hip surgery, complex pelvic acetabular fractures,
long bone and articular fractures, ankle, lower
limb injuries, hip/knee joint replacements,
periprosthetic fractures, soft tissue injuries and LVI cases.
Mr Nimalan Maruthainar
Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon
FRCSEd (Tr & Orth), MB BS, BSc (Hons)
Mr Maruthainar practices at the Royal Free Hospital (NHS) and
I also provide clinical negligence related reports in my specialist
area of practice concerning hip and knee replacements, revision
surgery, and trauma including pelvic-acetabular fractures.
the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth. His practice covers general
Instructions from claimant/defendant solicitors or single joint
expert approximately (ratio 45:45:10). I provide the regional
tertiary service in pelvic-acetabular fractures.
Mr Maruthainar has a special interest in surgery to the hip and knee,
orthopaedic surgery and orthopaedic trauma, and undertaking
primary and revision knee and hip replacement procedures.
including Hip and knee replacement and revision surgery, anterior
cruciate ligament reconstruction, hip joint resurfacing and fracture
treatment
Contact:
Secretary Amy Brookes 0161 393 3059
Consultantcare Ltd, Riverside Buildings, Mill Lane, Cheadle, SK8 2PX
Peer reviewed publications include work on the management of
scaphoid fractures, primary bone tumours, Gaucher's disease, the
Consultations at:
76 Gartside Street, Manchester M3 3EL
47 Rodney Street, Liverpool, L1 9EW
John Charnley Wing, Wrightington Hospital, Hall Lane, Appley Bridge,
Near Wigan, WN6 9EP
Ad hoc clinics in London
interpretation of radiographs in the emergency setting and the
Email:
Contact: Mrs M Bowring
Website:
Tel: 07871 269 062 - Fax:01923 232 588
peri-operative care of patients.
He is advisor to various medical organisations on orthopaedic
matters and has a local lead role in training.
nikhil.shah@consultantcare.com
www.privatehealthcare.co.uk/privatespecialists/
find-a-doctor/knee-surgeons/nikhil-shah
find-a-doctor/knee-surgeons/nikhil-shah
Email: osteon@btinternet.com
Brampton House Consulting Rooms,
Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, 60 Grove End Road,
St John's Wood, London, NW8 9NH
find-a-doctor/knee-surgeons/nikhil-shah
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
36
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025-2026
