Independent assessment of emergency care, from initial evaluation through treatment and disposition.
EMToxLegal provides emergency medicine case review and expert testimony for plaintiff and defense counsel. Dr. Shaun Carstairs and Dr. David Tanen bring emergency medicine and medical toxicology training to the review of medical malpractice, personal injury, and other medically complex matters.
Discuss an Emergency Medicine Case
Questions an emergency medicine review can address
- Evaluation and diagnosis: the presenting history, examination, available information, diagnostic testing, and consideration of alternative diagnoses.
- Treatment and reassessment: management decisions, monitoring, response to treatment, and changes in the patient’s condition.
- Escalation and consultation: the clinical circumstances surrounding specialist consultation, transfer, or a higher level of care.
- Disposition: admission, observation, transfer, discharge decisions, and follow-up instructions.
- Standard of care and causation: the care provided and its potential relationship to the outcome, considered as distinct questions within the expert’s assignment.
Clinical areas considered
Assignments may involve neurologic or cardiac emergencies, sepsis and other serious infections, trauma and critical illness, medication-related events, poisoning, overdose, and the care of intoxicated patients. Each matter is screened for fit with the selected physician’s training and experience; a topic’s appearance here is not a commitment to accept every related assignment.
When emergency medicine and toxicology overlap
Some cases require analysis of both a drug or exposure and the emergency care provided. Our two-specialty perspective can support a coordinated review of those questions. Explore medical toxicology consultation.
What the review may involve
The scope can include medical-record review, a chronology of relevant events, focused literature review, an attorney conference, written opinions or reports, and deposition or trial testimony. Deliverables and deadlines are agreed upon before work begins. Opinions remain independent and may or may not support the retaining party’s position.
Information for initial screening
Begin with a nonconfidential overview of the medical issue, the jurisdiction, the requested assignment, and important deadlines. After conflict screening and engagement arrangements, relevant material may include complete emergency department and hospital records, nursing documentation, medication administration records, laboratory and imaging results, emergency medical services records, subsequent care, and relevant testimony.
Do not send medical records through the public inquiry form. We will arrange an appropriate transfer method after initial screening.
Meet the experts
Shaun D. Carstairs, MD, DFACMT, FACEP
David A. Tanen, MD, FAAEM, FACMT
Availability and turnaround are confirmed after review of scope, record volume, conflicts, and deadlines. Start a case inquiry.