Dr David Hacker has prepared over 300 expert reports for the Court since 2009 in both civil and criminal matters. Dr hacker is the Director of DH Neuropsychology Ltd which is a company providing medicolegal neuropsychology reports for matters relating to both personal injury and clinical negligence.
Dr Hacker has undertaken reports under instruction from both Claimant and Defence. In addition, he has undertaken Occupational Health assessments, Medical Defence Union assessments, assessments of mental capacity, parenting assessments (where brain injury is a significant component). Dr David Hacker has previously undertaken assessment of fitness to plead and competency to stand trial, forensic risk assessment, the impact of acquired brain injury on culpability in criminal proceedings and on capacity to parent and have prepared formal reports for mental health review tribunals including those for restricted patients. He prepares around 40 personal injury neuropsychology reports per year with around 40% being Claimant instructed and around 60% being Defendant instructed.
ADDITIONAL CLINICAL EXPERTISE:
Dr David Hacker was employed as a Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham (QEHB) from 2006 to October 2024, but left to focus on his medicolegal practice. He was the lead neuropsychologist for traumatic brain injury at QEHB which is one of the largest Neuroscience Centres in the UK and a regional Major Trauma Unit serving clients with a range of neurological conditions and acquired brain injuries. It is also the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. He undertook both acute inpatient and outpatient work for TBI as well as seeing more general Neuropsychology referrals from Neurosurgery and Neurology. Dr Hacker worked as part of a multidisciplinary team including neurosurgery, neurology, and rehabilitation medicine, contributing to ward rounds, MDT TBI clinics and a national Sports Concussion clinic. He provided teaching to a range of MDT staff members including neurology, contributed to multidisciplinary research and was responsible for cognitive screening protocols and training and supervision of Occupational Therapy staff as part of an expanded practice protocol.
Dr Hacker was previously the lead Consultant Neuropsychologist at West Park Hospital in Wolverhampton where he was responsible to the neuropsychology provision to the post-acute inpatient, outpatient and community rehabilitation services. Prior to this he worked within a neurobehavioural setting within the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT).
Previously, Dr Hacker worked with the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) at West Heath House in Birmingham which is a neuro-behavioural unit for the assessment and management of clients with acquired brain injury who present with issues of risk and challenging behaviour. Dr Hacker has 8 years post-doctoral experience in Neuropsychology working in the areas of neurosurgery, neurology, acute trauma and rehabilitation and have undertaken post-doctoral training in this area. He is familiar with the assessment and treatment of patients with a range of neurological conditions and acquired brain injuries.
Dr David Hacker also has extensive previous experience within Adult Mental Health NHS services in both inpatient and community settings working both directly with patients and on a consultancy basis. He has a particular expertise in risk assessment and challenging behaviour having worked with forensic patients with severe and enduring mental health problems (Psychosis and SEMI), learning disabilities and brain injury. He is also a Cochrane Reviewer and peer reviewed author in the areas of risk and challenging behaviour and SEMI.
Dr Hacker has a particular interest in: Cognitive behavioural approaches to voices & delusions; assessment of risk & challenging behaviour; neuropsychological assessment tools. He is currently co-authoring the most recent Cochrane Review of CBT for schizophrenia.
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