PROTECTING THE LEGAL INTERESTS OF INJURED HAWAII RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SINCE 1973

Expert testimony often crucial in medical malpractice cases

On Behalf of | Sep 28, 2016 | Medical Malpractice |

An incident occurred in another state that reportedly left a man permanently disabled. The man filed a lawsuit, claiming that a doctor’s negligence caused his injuries. In Hawaii and all other states, those who believe doctors’ errors or failures to provide appropriate care constitute medical malpractice may be able to seek justice in civil court.

In this particular situation, a doctor unrelated to the man’s situation was brought in to vouch for his colleague’s skill and professional history. That colleague was named as the defendant in the lawsuit the injured patient had filed. Years later, the doctor who testified as a professional character witness came forward to say he lied when he told the court he knew of no situations where any patients had suffered injuries due to procedures his colleague had performed.

The defendant is not the only party able to enlist the assistance of a third party in court. Often, an experienced personal injury attorney will secure expert testimonies that can substantiate the severity and cause of an apparent medical injury. Such testimony can increase a plaintiff’s chances of obtaining a positive outcome.

The doctor who has confessed that he lied under oath has reportedly retired from practicing medicine and has become a patient advocate, assisting an attorney who represents injured patients in medical malpractice claims. In Hawaii and elsewhere, an experienced attorney can launch an immediate investigation into a medical situation that resulted in injury to a patient to help identify all possible sources of liability. If appropriate, third party testimony can then be used to help convince the court that a defendant and/or defendants should be held accountable for damages a patient has sustained.

Source: npr.org, “Doctor Confesses: I Lied To Protect Colleague In Malpractice Suit“, Marshall Allen, Sept. 23, 2016

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