Our last post in this series on ways to find qualified medical experts and dental experts to help you win your case.
The Expert’s Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) – Part X
Every doctor has a C.V., which outlines his professional career; where the expert went to university, medical school, dental school, postgraduate training, state licensure, hospital appointments, teaching appointments, and ending with a list of articles and book chapters the expert has published. The C.V. will give you clues as to whether the expert will be an effective witness and present your case in its best light. The C.V. of an outstanding expert can fill many pages and list dozens of articles and book chapters the expert has authored in his specialty.
Before your lawyer hires any doctor as a medical expert or dental expert, your lawyer should obtain a copy of the doctor’s C.V., and meticulously verify the doctor’s credentials.
A Connecticut lawyer found an Obstetrics & Gynecology expert through a Medico-Legal Service. The expert’s C.V. claimed that he practiced his specialty in a New York hospital; however, a check revealed that the hospital had been closed for over 10 years. The doctor’s only income came from testifying as a professional expert witness, and he could not qualify as a credible expert in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Another lawyer hired a specialist in Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat), whose C.V. showed excellent credentials. After the lawyer spent a lot of money, and just before trial, he learned that the expert had neglected to tell the lawyer that his medical license had been revoked for 38 counts of fraud in treating patients. It cost a lot of money to replace the expert.
In the U.S., the Association of State Medical Board Directors lists all licensed physicians, in all states, under their State Board of Medical Examiners’ or State Board of Osteopathic Examiners’ website. You will find a listing of the expert’s education, teaching credentials, licensing information, specialty, address, and if the expert has a Public Board Action against his or her license.
If you have a U.S. dental case, you can find the same information about your dental expert at Dental Watch that has links to all state dental boards or dental examiners websites.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada provides websites for each Canadian Province that will give you information about your medical expert such as education, teaching credentials, practice information, specialty, terms and conditions of practice, and if there is a legal proceeding against the expert’s medical license.
If you have a Canadian dental expert witness, go to the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC) website to look up your dental expert in the Province in which he or she practices Dentistry.
The Rule Is: Before you hire an expert witness, obtain a copy of the expert’s C.V. and verify the expert’s credentials. If the expert is a phony, or has a Public Board Action against his or her license, you can be sure the defense lawyer knows about it and will use it to destroy your case.
Contact us at 800-225-JDMD (5363) to have your medical or dental malpractice cases reviewed by JD.MD’s qualified expert witnesses.