Surgery: Cardiovascular Surgery Expert Witnesses, Page 1

Dr. James Strader, Jr., MD, FACC is a full-time practicing General Invasive Cardiologist, experienced in all areas of cardiovascular medicine. Dr. Strader is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Nuclear Cardiology. He is currently the Chief of Cardiology at The Medical Center of Plano, TX. Dr. Strader possesses Expert knowledge of Cardio Vascular Imaging and Therpeutic Procedures, including cath lab, TEE, echocardiography, stress testing, and arrhythma testing. He also has special expertise in Aeromedical Cardiology and Return-To-Flight-Status Decisions.

A published author in his field of expertise, Dr. Strader has given Presentation and Lectures both nationally and internationally. His most recent awards include "Cardiologist of the Year” from The Medical Center of Plano in 2011 and the Max R. Ungar Award from the USAF Society of Flight Surgeons in 2008. Dr. Strader is an experienced Expert Witness with numerous case reviews, depositions, and ongoing cases. He is available to assist external peer review agencies and both Plaintiff and Defense in malpractice actions. Areas of Expertise Include:

Coronary Disease
Heart Attack Diagnosis and Management
Arrhythmia Management
Hypertension
Hyperlipidemia
Vascular Disease

ICU Care
Critical Care
Cardiac Cath Lab
Valvular Heart Disease
Congestive Heart Failure Diagnosis and Management
CV Imaging

View Consulting Profile.

• Dr. Strader's Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Thomas J. Berger was board certified in 1981 as a cardiac surgeon by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and has been involved, as an expert, in over 300 medical malpractice cases. Most of this experience has been since 1998, when his firm, Heart of the Matter Expertise, began to gain recognition, within the legal community, as the premier expert witness service for cases involving cardiac surgery and cardio-thoracic disease.

Areas of Expertise:

Cardiovascular Surgery
Cardiology
Surgery - General
Thoracic Surgery

Mission Statement

To see that the truth about every case, in which an associate of Heart of the Matter Expertise becomes involved, is uncovered and understood, whether this means assuring justice for a poorly treated patient or protecting the precious reputation of an unfairly accused physician.

• View Dr. Berger's Curriculum Vitae

1/28/2011 · Medical Malpractice

Your Med-Mal Expert – An Advocate for the Truth

By: Thomas J. Berger, MD

In 1998, problems with my vision forced me to retire from the active practice of cardiac surgery...In recent years it has become progressively more difficult for attorneys to find experts willing to tell the truth about malpractice.

Read Article

Dueling in Death's Backyard

Thomas J. Berger, MD

In addition to his credentials in cardiac surgery, Dr. Berger is a Faulkner Award winning author. His first novel, Dueling in Death's Backyard, is a medical murder mystery based on his experiences as a surgery resident in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1970s. Any medmal attorney will benefit greatly from the knowledge of cardiac surgery, hospital politics, VA scandals and related topics to be gained effortlessly by enjoying this great story. There is even specific commentary in the novel about the so-called "medmal crisis" and the shameful response of some medical organizations to the challenge of substandard care by their members.

The Role of Expert Witnesses in Medical Malpractice Cases: Leading Experts on Utilizing Expert Witness Testimony, Understanding Technical and Scientific ... and Preparing for Trial

Thomas J. Berger, MD, et al

Dr. Berger is the author of the chapter "Your Medical Malpractice Expert: An Advocate For The Truth." This is an authoritative, insider's perspective on the best practices for utilizing and building relationships with medical malpractice experts. Featuring leading medical experts from across the country, these leaders guide the reader through the process of preparing and presenting expert witnesses testimony in court. The authors describe the medical records that are most important when formulating an opinion on a case and explain how experts analyze this data alongside scientific research in order to maintain credibility.

Robert A. Ertner, MD, is a Board Certified, fellowship-trained Cardiac Anesthesiologist in full-time clinical practice at a Northern California county hospital that serves as a level 2 trauma center. Dr. Ertner has been a certified Echocardiographer for 15 years. He specializes in Cardiac and Thoracic surgical procedures for which he is fellowship-trained.

Background: Dr. Ertner has previously served as an academic physician teaching residents in both MD and CRNA programs. He has served as a locum tenens anesthesiologist performing direct care and both supervising and directing CRNAs, and presently provides care to over 700 patients each year. He provides Spinal, Epidural, Regional, and General Anesthesia for patients undergoing cardiovascular and thoracic procedures as well as general, orthopedic, bariatric, urologic, vascular, otorhinolaryngological (ENT), ophthalmologic, gynecologic, and neurologic surgery in both the hospital inpatient and outpatient surgery center settings. He provides care for obstetric patients in the labor and delivery suites and operating rooms. Additionally, he provides care for a variety of procedures performed “out-of-department,” such as in the cardiac catheterization suites, the interventional radiology suites, and CT and MRI cases.

Dr. Ertner maintains licenses in California where his practice is located, as well as in Texas and Georgia, where he trained, and in Missouri and Oregon. He was awarded Diplomat status by the National Board of Echocardiography in 2007.

Litigation Support: Dr. Ertner has been involved in medical-legal work since 2014. He has reviewed cases for attorneys representing both plaintiff and defense. Dr. Ertner has consulted on over 85 cases, including preparation of affidavits, forensic report writing, and providing testimony at deposition and trial. He works with clients to offer both an understanding of the relevant medicine (anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, etc.) and how to think about what information they need to seek going forward as they pursue their cases.

Areas of Expertise:

Anesthesiology
Cardiac Anesthesiology
Thoracic Anesthesiology
Peripheral Nerve Block
Epidural Anesthesia
Spinal Anesthesia
Airway Management

Airway Trauma
Intubation
Transesophageal Echocardiography
Nerve Injury
Bronchospasm
Laryngospasm
Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation

• Dr. Robert A. Ertner's Curriculum Vitae

• Recommendations

• Selected Publications and Research

Elite Medical Experts is a physician-led team that hand selects nationally recognized Professors of Medicine and Surgery as expert witnesses. Each expert is a board-certified specialist with a busy clinical practice and impeccable credentials. From Stanford to Yale, and from every healthcare specialty and field, Elite aligns leading specialists from top-tier medical universities.

Actionable benefits to our clients:

♦ Zero-Risk Guarantee: Approve the expert or we'll refund the fee.

♦ Avoid costly mistakes with real-time access to our physician-led Strategy Team.

♦ No subscriptions - we earn trust one case at a time.

♦ Work directly with hand-selected university experts screened for your specific case.

♦ No database or advertised experts - we plan for discovery and transparency at every stage.

Please call [877] 670-8625 to speak directly with our in-house Case Strategy Team. There's no charge for phone or video consultation consultation and we'll outline a a strategic plan for moving forward.

Dr. Burton Bentley II, M.D., FAAEM
CEO, Elite Medical Experts

Areas of Expertise: