Dr Anita Réka Tóth
About MeAn injury, a medical condition, a disputed course of medical treatment or a death is never solely a medical matter. Behind each case is a human story, a legal dispute and often a decision with serious consequences.
For more than 20 years, I have worked as a forensic medical expert to provide evidence-based, professionally substantiated opinions in such cases.
The responsibility of forensic medical expert practice
The work of a forensic medical expert is rarely visible, yet it can play a decisive role in criminal proceedings, civil litigation or insurance disputes. The findings of a forensic medical expert opinion may materially affect the outcome of proceedings, so every conclusion must be transparent, traceable and supported by the medical evidence.
I have worked as a forensic medical expert since 2002. I began my career at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Szeged, under Prof. Dr Tibor Varga. Alongside my expert work, I taught fifth-year medical students in Hungarian and English. I now provide forensic medical and health insurance expert opinions through my own practice and also work under contract as a police forensic physician.
Cases involving children are especially important to me. Alongside medical expertise, these cases call for consideration of developmental psychology, children’s rights and forensic child protection. I therefore obtained three further qualifications: postgraduate legal qualification for physicians, postgraduate qualification in children’s rights, and qualification as a forensic child protection consultant.
Most people look for the final conclusion in an expert opinion. I focus on how that conclusion is reached. Every medical record and examination finding has a context. The expert’s task is to draw scientifically sound, logical and transparent conclusions from the available evidence. This approach has motivated me for more than 20 years.
My work is guided by three principles
Core valuesObjectivity
The established facts, rather than the interests of the appointing authority or the instructing party, determine my expert opinion.
01Scientific rigour
I base my conclusions on the available evidence, scientific literature and professional guidelines.
02Clarity
An expert opinion must be precise, clear and readily usable in the relevant proceedings.
03„My credibility rests not on my years in the profession, but on the consistency of my professional opinion across forums. An expert opinion is credible when it can be defended on professional and ethical grounds, irrespective of who requested it.”
Professional journey
Over more than two decades, I have gained experience across almost all areas of forensic medicine: assessment of bodily injuries and impairment of health; assessment of alcohol- and drug-related impairment; evaluation of mental state; and forensic autopsies in deaths requiring investigation. I place particular emphasis on criminal cases involving children.
Get in touchProfessional experience
- 2002–2015 — Forensic medical expert and university lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged
- 2015–2017 — Forensic medical expert and police forensic physician, Institute for Forensic Sciences and Research (National Institute of Forensic Sciences from 2017)
- 2017–present — Forensic medical expert, health insurance medical expert and police forensic physician, Med-Forensic Igazságügyi Orvosszakértői Bt. (own practice)
Qualifications and medical specialist certifications
- 2009 — Specialist qualification in forensic medicine
- 2014 — Specialist qualification in health insurance medicine
- 2015 — Qualification in English for medical and health sciences communication, University of Szeged
- 2018 — Physician with a postgraduate qualification in law, ELTE Institute for Postgraduate Legal Studies
- 2022 — Child rights specialist with a postgraduate qualification in law, ELTE Institute for Postgraduate Legal Studies
- 2026 — Forensic child protection consultant, Ludovika University of Public Service
Professional memberships
- Hungarian Chamber of Judicial Experts
- Hungarian Society of Forensic Physicians
- Section of Forensic Medicine, Medical Expert Practice and Insurance Medicine
- EMMI Coordination Committee on Drug Affairs
- Scientific Council of Health, Forensic Expert Board
Publications
Over the course of my career, I have authored 12 scientific journal articles, delivered 42 conference presentations in Hungarian and English, and contributed to 3 book chapters, primarily on forensic toxicology, cases involving children and road traffic accidents.
Professional CV
My full professional CV is available for download in a formal version suitable for inclusion in case files.
Collaboration across disciplines
With experts from other disciplinesA substantial proportion of forensic medical cases now require expertise from more than one discipline.
Where necessary, I involve forensic engineering experts, firearms experts, forensic psychiatrists, child psychiatrists, clinical psychologists specialising in children or adults, or physicians from other specialties in preparing my opinions. This enables a multidisciplinary assessment drawing on the relevant expertise.
Contact
Have a question? Get in touch.
I aim to respond to every enquiry within one business day.
Get in touch