prove by any means.”
“How can you be so sure of yourself? The majority of Americans believe in these things.”
“Sure, and 80 percent of us believe in angels ; 86 percent, if you ask women. That’s a hell of a testimonial to something.”
“Let’s put it this way, sweetheart,” she said, resting her head on Mike’s shoulder. “I choose to believe that there’s more. One day, we’ll know the truth.”
Lisa inhaled the fresh mountain air and the promise of a new start for her, and, she hoped, for her mother.
Chapter Ten
A large malpractice insurance company, California Physicians, asked Mike to testify as an expert witness in defense of a malpractice claim against Fernando Perez, one of the neonatologists at a hospital in Hayward.
The calls came in sequence : first the malpractice insurance carrier, then the plaintiff’s attorney. Once a qualified expert witness committed to one side of a case, the other was precluded from soliciting that expert’s assistance. Being approached by both sides wasn’t unusual for medical experts. Ostensibly, they were being solicited for their assistance, but often it served to preclude their use by opposition counsel.
“I have Gordon Meeks on the phone, Mike,” said his secretary.
“Gordy, what’s up?” Mike asked.
“You tell me. You reviewed the Cindy Harkins litigation. What do you think?”
“The Harkins case is a tragedy…”
“They’re all tragedies, Mike. We need your expert opinion now, and possibly in court, about whether or not Cindy Harkin’s disabilities relate to malpractice on the part of Dr. Perez.”
“Do you want my take on the facts of the case , or how it will play in court?”
“Look, Mike, one reason I like you is because you have a predilection for the truth, not just what our executives want to hear. I know you’re not crazy about the system. The only ones who like it are trial lawyers.”
“What about those babies who are injured by the actions of physicians, nurses , or hospitals? At least they get their day in court.”
“You pass legislation that puts these malpractice claims before panels of experts to determine liability, and we’ll be the first in line. John Edwards, Al Gore’s running mate, made millions for himself and his clients not by convincing the jury about the facts of the case, but by strong emotional appeals to their sympathy to the plight of these babies.”
“The main reason that I continue to work with you, Gordy, is because you listen to my advice, and settle legitimate claims. It also keeps you away from the expert witness prostitutes who’d say anything for a buck.” Mike continued, “You’ll have my full report tomorrow, but this infant had an extremely low birth weight, was born at 24 weeks, and had only about a 50 percent chance of survival, and an 80 to 90 percent chance of having residual damage.
“Freddie Perez is a good doc. He did what any of us would have done. He’s not responsible.”
“Thanks, Mike. We appreciate your help.”
I hate this , Mike thought, but he’ll discover the truth, eventually. He might as well hear it from me. “This family has had enough grief, Gordy, but if this goes to court, it’ll come out, and it won’t be pretty.”
“What is it?”
“Cindy’s mother smoked throughout her pregnancy. The correlation between smoking and low birth weight is unassailable.”
The next day, Lisa found herself checking each time the door to the NICU opened. Where is he?
Amanda Kramer had been stable through the night. When Lisa performed her nursing assessment at the start of her shift, the baby’s temperature was down , and she was breathing more easily.
After bathing the baby and drawing the morning blood work, Lisa brought Ted and Karen to the side of the incubator. Karen’s gloved hands extended into the incubator to caress her daughter.
When the door to the NICU opened, Lisa snapped her head around to see Dr. Brad Rosin, Mike’s partner ,
“How can you be so sure of yourself? The majority of Americans believe in these things.”
“Sure, and 80 percent of us believe in angels ; 86 percent, if you ask women. That’s a hell of a testimonial to something.”
“Let’s put it this way, sweetheart,” she said, resting her head on Mike’s shoulder. “I choose to believe that there’s more. One day, we’ll know the truth.”
Lisa inhaled the fresh mountain air and the promise of a new start for her, and, she hoped, for her mother.
Chapter Ten
A large malpractice insurance company, California Physicians, asked Mike to testify as an expert witness in defense of a malpractice claim against Fernando Perez, one of the neonatologists at a hospital in Hayward.
The calls came in sequence : first the malpractice insurance carrier, then the plaintiff’s attorney. Once a qualified expert witness committed to one side of a case, the other was precluded from soliciting that expert’s assistance. Being approached by both sides wasn’t unusual for medical experts. Ostensibly, they were being solicited for their assistance, but often it served to preclude their use by opposition counsel.
“I have Gordon Meeks on the phone, Mike,” said his secretary.
“Gordy, what’s up?” Mike asked.
“You tell me. You reviewed the Cindy Harkins litigation. What do you think?”
“The Harkins case is a tragedy…”
“They’re all tragedies, Mike. We need your expert opinion now, and possibly in court, about whether or not Cindy Harkin’s disabilities relate to malpractice on the part of Dr. Perez.”
“Do you want my take on the facts of the case , or how it will play in court?”
“Look, Mike, one reason I like you is because you have a predilection for the truth, not just what our executives want to hear. I know you’re not crazy about the system. The only ones who like it are trial lawyers.”
“What about those babies who are injured by the actions of physicians, nurses , or hospitals? At least they get their day in court.”
“You pass legislation that puts these malpractice claims before panels of experts to determine liability, and we’ll be the first in line. John Edwards, Al Gore’s running mate, made millions for himself and his clients not by convincing the jury about the facts of the case, but by strong emotional appeals to their sympathy to the plight of these babies.”
“The main reason that I continue to work with you, Gordy, is because you listen to my advice, and settle legitimate claims. It also keeps you away from the expert witness prostitutes who’d say anything for a buck.” Mike continued, “You’ll have my full report tomorrow, but this infant had an extremely low birth weight, was born at 24 weeks, and had only about a 50 percent chance of survival, and an 80 to 90 percent chance of having residual damage.
“Freddie Perez is a good doc. He did what any of us would have done. He’s not responsible.”
“Thanks, Mike. We appreciate your help.”
I hate this , Mike thought, but he’ll discover the truth, eventually. He might as well hear it from me. “This family has had enough grief, Gordy, but if this goes to court, it’ll come out, and it won’t be pretty.”
“What is it?”
“Cindy’s mother smoked throughout her pregnancy. The correlation between smoking and low birth weight is unassailable.”
The next day, Lisa found herself checking each time the door to the NICU opened. Where is he?
Amanda Kramer had been stable through the night. When Lisa performed her nursing assessment at the start of her shift, the baby’s temperature was down , and she was breathing more easily.
After bathing the baby and drawing the morning blood work, Lisa brought Ted and Karen to the side of the incubator. Karen’s gloved hands extended into the incubator to caress her daughter.
When the door to the NICU opened, Lisa snapped her head around to see Dr. Brad Rosin, Mike’s partner ,
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