Whenever a patient brings a malpractice claim through a lawyer, an expert witness is always used. The expert witness is usually a board certified, practicing physician. The role of the expert witness is to review the chart and make a document stating how a doctor, or in a lot of cases, multiple doctors did not follow the standard of care. Attorneys use the expert witnesses of proof that the law suit against the doctor or doctors has merit and are able to proceed with the suit. The document by the expert witness is used as evidence if it goes to trial that the doctor or doctors being sued were negligent and caused harm to the patient.
Expert witness make a lot of money $$$$$. They can get paid as much as $5K to $8K to review a case and present a document supporting the plaintiff patient. If a deposition is taken of the expert, even more thousands of $. If it goes to court and the expert testifies, more and more $.
That being said would any of you consider doing this. There are lots of doctors out there in all specialties who are willing to testify against other doctors if the price is right.
The doctors who do this justify this on the grounds that they feel like they are "patient advocates" and are taking an active role in "policing the system" of faulty doctors.
On the other hand, there always seemed to be an unwritten rule early on that you never rat out another doctor..........and these docs are doing it in the name of the almighty dollar.
Is it ever something you would consider doing to supplement your income when you are a practicing physician?
Expert witness make a lot of money $$$$$. They can get paid as much as $5K to $8K to review a case and present a document supporting the plaintiff patient. If a deposition is taken of the expert, even more thousands of $. If it goes to court and the expert testifies, more and more $.
That being said would any of you consider doing this. There are lots of doctors out there in all specialties who are willing to testify against other doctors if the price is right.
The doctors who do this justify this on the grounds that they feel like they are "patient advocates" and are taking an active role in "policing the system" of faulty doctors.
On the other hand, there always seemed to be an unwritten rule early on that you never rat out another doctor..........and these docs are doing it in the name of the almighty dollar.
Is it ever something you would consider doing to supplement your income when you are a practicing physician?
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