Most defense teams pick an expert or medical-legal partner for a CME the same way: whoever they used last time or whoever is the lowest cost (and most likely to get approved). But choosing the incorrect one can be among the costliest mistakes you can make.

Here are four things that you should look for in a medical-legal partner.

1. The doctors

Nothing else matters if the physician is weak or wrong for your case. You want board-certified specialists, properly vetted — license, disciplinary record, exclusion lists — who give an honest opinion that survives cross-examination. A polished CV is worthless if the doctor reads as a hired gun or can’t convey complex medical concepts in easy-to-understand terms. This ultimately means you want a company that is consistently excellent at finding, identifying, and recommending these experts.

2. The way they work

The examining physician is chosen and paid by the party requesting the exam — so "independent" isn't quite accurate and everyone knows it. Several Florida circuits have gone so far as to issue written CME guidelines stating plainly that the exam should not be called "independent." If it's a CME, call it a CME.

3. The way they bill

Getting the vocabulary right is a small thing, but it signals you know how Florida handles these exams — and it keeps an easy argument out of the other side's hands.

4. The service

Getting the vocabulary right is a small thing, but it signals you know how Florida handles these exams — and it keeps an easy argument out of the other side's hands.

We built CaseLynx to clear all four. Have a case coming up? We’d love to partner with you.