The need

Attorneys defending a major medical device company against a consolidated, multi-district product liability litigation urgently needed a life care planning expert to support their case. The product was a synthetic mesh that allegedly caused nerve damage in patients that had undergone surgery involving the product. As such, the ideal expert would need to be able to opine on life care planning, causation, prognosis, and extent and treatment of disability.

Our approach

From conversations with the client, we understood that the trial was due to start in a matter of weeks. Additionally, we knew that this case was going to involve an extensive amount of work for the expert. We needed an expert who could devote a large amount of time in the near term and beyond. The attorney was also looking for us to identify any medical societies of which the candidates were a members of, as well as any published works or statements they made regarding the use of the synthetic mesh. With this in mind, we quickly went to work to find the ideal expert with top qualifications.

The expert

We found an expert who was a forensic physiatrist who offered clinical and consulting services including life care planning and was familiar with the product in-suit. During his career the expert had been the Director of Rehabilitation Medicine at various hospitals and had been on the clinical faculty at a few prestigious medical schools. He had authored several publications that appeared in the Forensic Examiner and the Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery. Well respected in his field, he was board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management and a fellow in the American College of Forensic Medicine and the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians. His extensive education included numerous degrees from top universities including an MA in Rehabilitation Medicine and a Doctor of Medicine. Finally, he had been an expert witness previously at both the state and federal levels, had prior testimony experience and was available to begin work immediately.