We are often asked by prospective expert witnesses if there is work in their particular field and to give examples of the types of cases an expert in a particular field might be retained to work on. Below are 30 sample cases where a family medicine expert witness might be called upon to serve as an expert witness.
Sample Cases Where Family Medicine Physicians Could Serve as an Expert Witness
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – drug toxicity (methadone, oxycodone, and morphine).
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – Failure diagnose neuroendocrine tumor.
- Criminal defense of a family practice physician charged with unlawfully prescribing schedule IV controlled substances.
- Section 1983 (Civil Rights) action – opinion on preexisting health of person who was harmed by law enforcement.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – Failure to diagnose and treat pneumonia leading to sepsis.
- Medical Malpractice Causation – delay in diagnosing urinary tract infection.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – delayed diagnosis of brain tumor.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to reverse elevated INR’s, patient develops bleed.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to properly supervise a physician assistant.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to diagnose lung cancer.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – negligent post-delivery care leading to brain damage.
- Divorce Case – Effects of suboxone and cannabis on parent.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – discontinuation of anticoagulation prior to GI procedure.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to diagnose pneumonia, leading to death.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to order EKG of patient complaining of chest pain, patient dies of heart attack a few days later.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – renewal/monitoring of a medication by a primary care doctor where the medication was prescribed by and followed by a specialist.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – steroid shot for back pain given in wrong leg.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to diagnose dissection.
- Healthcare Fraud – was treatment by physician medically necessary?
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to properly manage high blood pressure leading to brain bleed.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure timely diagnose prostate cancer.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to timely diagnose breast cancer due to failure to order diagnostic studies.
- Informed Consent – Failure to obtain before draining a wound.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to diagnose spinal abscess.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to refer to GI for colonoscopy.
- Life Expectancy opinion.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – blood in urine but failure to diagnose kidney cancer.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – failure to diagnose coarctation of the aorta in a newborn.
- Standard of care of a family practice doc working in an Emergency Room on diagnosing stroke.
- Medical Malpractice Family Medicine Standard of Care – overdose of methadone at a methadone clinic.
As you can see from the above, family medicine physicians serve as expert witnesses in a variety of cases. There is certainly opportunity and work available for family medicine physicians who wish to serve as expert witnesses. This work is both highly lucrative and intellectually challenging.
To learn more about how to become an expert witness please visit www.testifyingtraining.com
About the Author
Kelly J. Wilbur, Esq., is a Trainer and Consultant for SEAK, Inc – The Expert Witness Training Company. She in on the faculty for SEAK’s signature “How to Start, Build, and Run a Successful Expert Witness Practice” seminar and has been retained by numerous expert witnesses to expand and grow their practices. Phone: 617-791-6802 Email: kelly@seak.com www.seak.com www.seakexperts.com