By Homer R. Peterson II, P.E., CSP, CFLC Introduction During construction or renovation of almost any type of structure containing structural steel members, the steel is typically erected using crews containing ironworkers who are skilled in the type of work performed by their crew. This is true whether the structural steel is part of an… read more
By Robert J. Nocerini, MD Introduction MRIs of the spine are frequently performed after a new episode of back or neck pain, or at some point after trauma to determine the possible cause of pain, and to develop a possible treatment plan. When disc abnormalities are seen, such as bulges, herniations/protrusions, or fissures, one may… read more
By Adam Carinci, MD In personal injury cases involving complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a CRPS life care plan expert witness may need to be retained to analyze the future medical needs (and associated costs) of an individual. A life care plan outlines the medical and non-medical needs of the individual who has suffered an… read more
Richard A. Parker, M.D. You may find this surprising – as I did many years ago – that you cannot sue a not-for-profit hospital in Massachusetts and some other states. In Massachusetts, if there is a medical adverse event, which is alleged to be due to a breach of the standard of care, plaintiffs may… read more
By Homer R. Peterson II, P.E., CSP, CFLC After completion of the steel erection portion of an area, building, phase, level, or sequence of a construction project, it can be advantageous for trades whose work follows the steel to use fall protection systems installed by the steel erector for ironworker safety. However, federal safety regulations… read more
By: Michael McCarthy When a member of the military has been involved in an accident, understanding the impact of the injury on his or her future earnings can be important. A military compensation expert witness can help in determining this amount. The men and women of today’s armed forces are true professionals, and they are… read more
By: Allison Muller Pharm.D, D.ABAT, FAACT The Difference Between Opiates and Opioids Opiates are naturally occurring compounds derived from the opium poppy plant, namely morphine and codeine. Opioids are artificial and are either fully synthetic (e.g., fentanyl) or semi-synthetic drugs (e.g., heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone). Both opioids and opiates attach to opioid receptors, which are nerve… read more
By John R. Filip, MD When a person sustains a heart injury from a motor vehicle accident (MVA), the ejection fraction (EF) is a tool that detects heart damage from MVA, and guides treatment and prognosis decisions. In MVA litigation, an ejection fraction expert witness can explain how the EF value is used for detection,… read more
By, Brian Pisula, MD, FAAEM Introduction Emergency Departments (EDs) regularly evaluate and treat individuals in custody by law enforcement, local jails as well as state and federal prisons. An emergency physician can be asked to evaluate a patient prior to that individual being incarcerated. Alternatively, an individual who has already been incarcerated for a period… read more
By Kent C. Sasse, MD Bariatric surgery is increasingly accepted across specialties as an integral treatment for not only type two diabetes and morbid obesity, but also degenerative joint disease of the knees and hips, obstructive sleep apnea, pseudotumor cerebri, severe hypertension, and a host of other obesity-related health problems. So, while the bariatric procedure is… read more
