Dr. Gustin's Blog

Adverse Drug Reactions: Terbutaline and Preterm Labor

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Published: Thursday, 17 February 2011 15:12

Normally, I would put information like this in my "Latest News" section, but this is too important not to be on my front page where my blog is located. Terbutaline, given orally or intravenously, is routinely used to treat preterm labor.  It has now been shown to significantly increase the risk of maternal heart problems and sudden death.  You can read more about this by clicking my link, and you can also read more about this on the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm243539.htm

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About Medical Expert Reports

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Published: Wednesday, 09 February 2011 19:20

Medical experts are often requested by attorneys or insurance claims adjusters to write medical expert reports. This is true for both retained medical expert witnesses and non-retained expert consultants.  Here are some general steps medical experts should take to properly construct an expert report.

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Lawsuit Loans Add New Risk for the Injured

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Published: Wednesday, 09 February 2011 18:55

An interesting article appeared recently in the NY Times about lawsuits, plaintiffs, and lending.

The business of lending to plaintiffs arose over the last decade, part of a trend in which banks, hedge funds and private investors are putting money into other people’s lawsuits. But the industry, which now lends plaintiffs more than $100 million a year, remains unregulated in most states, free to ignore laws that protect people who borrow from most other kinds of lenders.

Unrestrained by laws that cap interest rates, the rates charged by lawsuit lenders often exceed 100 percent a year, according to a review by The New York Times and the Center for Public Integrity. Furthermore, companies are not required to provide clear and complete pricing information — and the details they do give are often misleading.

A growing number of lawyers, judges and regulators say that the regulatory vacuum is allowing lawsuit lenders to siphon away too much of the money won by plaintiffs.

To read the entire NY Times article:  Click Here

Medical Expert Witnesses Approved in Avandia Lawsuits

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Published: Sunday, 30 January 2011 14:04

US District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has recently ruled that three plaintiffs' medical expert witnesses meet the Daubert standard for scientific validity in Avandia lawsuits currently before the court. Avandia lawsuits are numerous, with some 3,500 cases filed in California state courts, and 1,200 in Pennsylvania, with all but 250 of those having been settled with GlaxoSmithKline – the maker of the diabetes medication.

The allegation with Avandia is that the drug can cause pathologic bone fractures, stroke, liver damage, and a myriad array of heart disorders that can result in a permanent disability or death.

Code of Ethics for Expert Witnesses

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Published: Sunday, 02 January 2011 16:22

Recently, I came across a useful code of ethics proposal for expert witnesses on an expert services website (IME) which was carefully thought out and crafted.  It should stimulate some interested discussion.  Please see below.

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Medical Malpractice: Failure to Diagnose Cancer

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Published: Monday, 27 December 2010 18:43

One of the most frequent medical malpractice issues is the failure to timely diagnose and treat cancer.  An issue that comes up in each case is how much damage was caused by the failure to timely diagnose the malignancy? Unlike a surgical or medication error which can be directly caused by a careless health care provider, cancer is usually not caused by the physician involved in the patient’s care.  In most instances the presence of cancer is the unfortunate consequence of nature.

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Selecting an Medical Expert Witness: What should an attorney look for?

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Published: Tuesday, 14 December 2010 20:35

Credibility is a key attribute in a medical expert witness, every trial lawyer would agree. The medical expert must come across as experienced, well-informed, sincere, and believable.  But how is this credibility determined when first seeking which experts to use on any given matter? What attributes provide the best predictors of how the expert will measure up in the eyes of a jury?

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What Is the Key Factor When Hiring a Medical Expert?

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Published: Tuesday, 30 November 2010 10:15

When hiring an expert, the most important quality to look for is someone who presents well.  Assess how he speaks, how he appears, and his degree of comfort with himself and his area of expertise.  If it is not possible to meet with him before hiring him, then ask for several references from attorneys for whom he has testified.  This is because, as a rule, jurors will tend to believe a medical expert who presents and appears well.  Of course, the content of his testimony is crucial too, but if this information cannot be conveyed properly, it will difficult for a medical expert to succeed.  The medical expert can have spotless credentials and plenty of experience, but if, for whatever reason, he does not present well to a jury, the jury may focus on the absence of those qualities and never really hear the testimony.

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Are Attorneys Liable for their Expert's Opinions?

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Published: Thursday, 18 November 2010 10:21

When expert witnesses are targeted for malpractice by the attorney's client, can experts turn and sue the attorney who hired them?  A California appeals court has ruled that they can.

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