Alcohol/Drugs – Drug Abuse Expert Witness

Drug abuse is a dependency on addictive chemicals, including drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. Once abusers develop tolerance for drugs, they require increasing amounts of it to experience the same effects, or “high.” Experts in the drug abuse specialty can be psychologists, psychiatrists, or biologists, and work to help their patients overcome their dependence on drugs. One of AME’s drug abuse expert witnesses has written an exclusive medical malpractice article that we have provided, for your interest, below. Narcotic injections are frequently used in hospitals to control pain, sometimes augmented with the use of tranquilizing medications. However, tranquilizing drugs in combination with narcotics will increase the risk for respiratory depression.That is, they chemically narcotize the breathing centers in the base of the brain (the medulla) and can stop the patient’s breathing. If this is not recognized immediately, death ensues. Elderly patients and children are more susceptible to the respiratory depression side effects of narcotics and tranquilizers. The frequency of injection should be not closer together than every three hours, and the dosage and cumulative effect of combinations of medications must be taken into consideration by both the ordering physician and the treating nurses, both of whom have independent duties to protect patients.

AIDS/HIV Expert Witness

AIDS, aquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is a disease that affects the human immune system. It is caused by HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. Since the immune system is the human body’s natural defense system, AIDS leaves sufferers vulnerable to opportunistic diseases. HIV is easily transmitted through the transfer of bodily fluids, so AIDS has become a pandemic. Although there are a variety of drugs available to alleviate symptoms, there is no cure for AIDS and it is ultimately fatal.

Aesthetic Dentistry Expert Witness

Aesthetic dentists are different from general dentists because their work does not focus on improving the functional stability of teeth; rather, aesthetic (or “cosmetic”) dentists want to improve the appearance of their patients’ teeth. Common aesthetic dentistry procedures include veneers and whitening.

Adult Respiratory Distress Expert Witness

Respiratory distress syndrome is a condition that results from lung injuries. The syndrome is often characterized by inflammation of the lungs and, if left untreated, can ultimately result in multiple organ failure. Since this condition is unfortunately often fatal, patients must be hospitalized so that doctors can intervene at all times.

Adolescent Medicine Expert Witness

Adolescent medicine is a branch of medicine that emphasizes care for adolescents. Females are considered “adolescents” when they are between the ages of 9 and 11; males, from 11 to 14. This specialty encompasses many different fields of medicine, and issues can range from sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy to acne and eating disorders.

Abdomen Surgery Expert Witness

Abdomen surgery is a branch of surgery in which surgeons operate on patients’ abdomens; they often deal with the abdominal organ as well as the stomach, kidney, and liver. A common problem that abdominal surgeons treat is appendicitis.