In today’s litigious society, it is becoming common practice for attorneys to reach out to plaintiffs’ or claimants’ treating physicians, including their psychiatrists, and request their assistance in litigation. This request may be as simple as asking a practitioner to discuss the treatment rendered to a patient, or as involved as having a practitioner act as a medical expert on a patient’s behalf.
Irrespective of the extent of the contribution, the participation is never as simple as the attorney will lead a practitioner to believe. As healers devoted to assisting patients, practitioners’ initial instincts are to help. However, while their intentions may be noble and admirable, practitioners may be setting themselves up for unintended legal ramifications.