Medical-legal Liaison Committee Hypothetical Case Report

• Publication year: 1983
• Pages: 1420
• Citation: Vol. 12 No. 9 Pg. 1420

12 Colo.Law. 1420 Colorado Lawyer 1983.

1983, September, Pg. 1420. Medical-Legal Liaison Committee Hypothetical Case Report

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1420

Vol. 12, No. 9, Pg. 1420

Medical-Legal Liaison Committee Hypothetical Case Report

In the interest of improving communication between the medical and legal professions, hypothetical case reports, such as the following, are a periodic feature in the Denver Medical Bulletin and The Colorado Lawyer. These reports, generated by the Denver Medical Society-Colorado Bar Association Liaison Committee, identify common interactions between physicians and attorneys where misunderstanding can occur.

By informing both professions and suggesting guidelines for interactions, the Committee hopes these cases will be sure to generate a positive working climate. The Committee welcomes written comments or questions in care of the Medical Society's Office: Denver Medical Society, 1601 E. 19th Ave., Denver, CO 80218; 832--8332.

Hypothetical

Dispute: An attorney retains an expert psychiatrist to testify concerning communications and adequacy of warnings on a product liability case against manufacturer of explosive devices. They meet before trial and discuss the matter and at trial the court rules as a matter of the exercise of its discretion that the witness is not qualified to render an opinion. The witness sends a bill to the attorney which the attorney refuses to pay because the witness did not do his case any good and was not an expert in the area involved in the case

Action: The attorney is responsible to pay the bill. It is up to the...