Professor Karen Saunders CSP & HCPC Registered
Consultant Neurological Physiotherapist
Medico-Legal Experience
Professor Karen Saunders is an experienced medico-legal expert witness and specialist neurological physiotherapist. She provides expert quantum reports for both claimant and defendant solicitors, with a caseload focused on acquired and traumatic brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, and complex neurological disability. She has been accepting instructions since 2022 and works nationwide.
Professor Saunders has extensive experience in assessing clients with neurological impairment and providing clear, well-reasoned reports that reflect both her clinical insight and understanding of rehabilitation pathways. Her reports support litigation involving personal injury and clinical negligence and are informed by over 25 years of hands-on experience across NHS, private, and community neurorehabilitation services.
She has completed specialist expert witness training with the Medico-Legal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists, including a one-day course in 2012 and a two-day advanced training in 2016. She maintains ongoing professional development through medico-legal webinars and training updates to ensure her reports meet current lega
Clinical Experience
Professor Karen Saunders is an experienced medico-legal expert witness and specialist neurological physiotherapist. She provides expert quantum reports for both claimant and defendant solicitors, with a caseload
Professor Saunders is Director of an independent clinical, educational, and research neurological physiotherapy service she established in 2011. Her practice spans acute hospital care, inpatient neurorehabilitation, outpatient services, and community-based rehabilitation, working across both NHS and private sectors.
Her clinical approach is underpinned by more than 45 postgraduate training programmes, including four advanced Bobath courses focused on complex neurological presentations. She works at an advanced level of practice, combining hands-on expertise with evidence-based methods to support functional recovery and long-term outcomes.
Professor Saunders has presented her work internationally, including at the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine conferences in Argentina (2017) and Paris (2018), where she shared case studies on the impact of her specialist physiotherapy input for stroke survivors.
Professor Saunders is registered as a PhD doctoral candidate at the Centre for Health Service Studies at the University of Kent, where she has completed research into the long-term health impacts of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury and exploration of co-designing a resource deemed of value with survivors of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury living in the community and other stakeholders. As a PhD candidate, this distinguishes her level of expertise within the field of acquired brain injury. It also enables her to access and incorporate relevant research literature and evidence into the reports that she writes.
Special Interests
Professor Saunders is also a Consultant Research Fellow with a 10 year portfolio of completed clinical and qualitative research studies, which include: Traumatic brain injury, brain health, stroke, co-design and co-production, EEG neurofeedback to reduce neuropathic pain, balance rehabilitation, spasticity, health inequalities and leadership. Hence, she has achieved an extensive portfolio of publications in these areas.
Professor Saunders is regularly invited to present research abstracts at national and international conferences and most recently has been invited to make 4 research presentations at the 7th Pacific Rim Conference on Brain Health and Intersectionality (02/07/25-05/07/25). She has also received numerous awards throughout her career nationally and internationally for leadership, education and teaching.
Memberships of Professional Bodies
- The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
- Health and Care Professions Council
Further information
Download Prof Saunders’ CV to learn more about her research publications, qualifications and more.
Category of Expert
Specialisms
- Years experience preparing ML reports: Since 2022
- Reports prepared in the last 12 months:
- Total number of reports completed: 3
- Claimant/ Defendant split: 30/70