A second opinion is an opinion on a matter disputed by two or more parties.
In legal cases, a second opinion which contradicts the opinion of a jointly retained expert may be disregarded as not being impartial.[1]
In cases such as car repairs, a second opinion should be obtained in writing, and the original garage given an opportunity to rectify matters.[2] In the case of clients' disputes with domestic building contractors, the builder may seek a second opinion to confirm their view.[3]
A second opinion can be a visit to a physician other than the one a patient has previously been seeing in order to get more information or to hear a differing point of view.[4][5] Some reasons for which a patient may seek out a second opinion include:
Different payment procedures apply to different second opinions. For example, some health plans pay for second opinions for members; many employers offer free second opinion benefits through companies like Grand Rounds or similar companies; and some states have public programs for cancer second opinions.[9]
Second opinions may also be obtained by employers.[10]
Professional mediators may be asked for second opinions regarding whether to proceed to trial or seek a settlement instead.[11]