274Medical questions

274 Medical questions (1) In exercising jurisdiction under this Part, a court— (a) may, on the court's own motion, refer a medical question to a Medical Panel for an opinion under Division 3; or (b) if— (i) a party to the proceedings requests that a medical question be referred to a Medical Panel; and (ii) the party notified the court, no later than 14 days prior to the date fixed for hearing of the proceedings, or another time determined by the court, of the party's intention to request that a medical question be so referred— the court must, subject to subsections (3), (4) and (5), refer a medical question to a Medical Panel for an opinion under Division 3. (2) This section extends to, and applies in respect of, an application to the County Court for leave under section 335(2)(d) of this Act or section 134AB(16)(b) of the **Accident Compensation Act 1985**— (a) so as to enable, in accordance with subsection (1)(a), the County Court to refer a medical question to a Medical Panel for an opinion; or (b) so as to require the County Court, at the request of a party to the application, to refer, in accordance with subsection (1)(b), a medical question (other than a medical question referred to in paragraph (o) of the definition of ***medical question*** in section 3)— to a Medical Panel for an opinion. (3) If a request is made to a court under subsection (1)(b) to refer a medical question to a Medical Panel for an opinion, the court may refuse to refer the question if the court is of the opinion that the referral would, in all the circumstances, constitute an abuse of process. (4) A court has the discretion, if a request is made under subsection (1)(b), as to the form in which a medical question is referred to a Medical Panel. (5) A court must not refer a medical question if it appears to the court that the formation of an opinion by a Medical Panel on the medical question would depend substantially on the resolution of factual issues which are more appropriately determined by the court than by a Medical Panel.