Medcal-Legal and billing ??

[Guest guest]

Doctors and medico-legal types.

Recently I was subpoenaed to testify at a patient's worker's comp appeal

hearing. The subpoena came with a $30 witness fee check and a $70

transportation check. Hearing was to be held and Bend, which is

approximately 135 miles away. I contacted the attorney who subpoenaed

being advised him at $70 would not buy enough fuel to get me to the first

mountain pass. I also informed him that for me to testify I would have to

close my office for an entire day and drive three hours each direction,

and at $30 would not cover my expenses. The attorney advised me that

under ORS $30 is the standard witness fee. The trial at that time was

postponed. However, I just received another subpoena that would allow me

to testify by phone. However, the attorney wants me to be available for

two hours on a Thursday morning, which is a typical busy morning for me.

This same law firm has scheduled a deposition in my office for a different

case. They requested that I schedule, a two-hour block for their attorney

and reporter for this deposition. And once again are only allowing a $30

witness fee.

In the first case, the patient told me that he had hurt himself splitting

wood that we presented with an L5/S1 neuropathy and an obvious foot drop I

advised the patient that a referral was needed. However, he insisted on

conservative care. The following day he presented my office and at that

time, he agreed to referral to a medical doctor, and that was my last

contact with the patient. In the second case, the patient maintain

routine treatment in my office, primarily for headaches and upper back

pain. three months after her last visit my office, she hurt her low back

at work and filed the worker's compensation claim. And she was never

treated by me for this claim.

The question is, the $30 witness fee is explained by the attorney as

dictated by ORS. is this the only reimbursement that I will be able to

obtain for my time?

DR CHARLIE CAUGHLIN DC. CAC

155 NW 1ST AVE

JOHN DAY, OR 97845

OFF-541-575-1063

FAX-541-575-5554

HM-541-575-1103

[Guest guest]

I had a loocal atty do something like this ans was advised by my atty tht I

had to appear. However my answers could be limited to logistics and NO

medical opinions. That meant answering when and how often they came in but

not why. No answers about where the injury was or how it happened. I just

declined to answer anything that was related to my exams, treatment or the

result of treatment.

It turns out that the atty that called me was interested only in the timing

of the 2 seperate incidents and didn't want my opinion. Unfortunately, he

won his defense case based on the timing of the events unrelated to the

obvious findings of real injury presented in the medical record of the MD

and DC involved!

He did well for his client but not the patient.

Colwell, DC

Medcal-Legal and billing ??

>

> Doctors and medico-legal types.

>

> Recently I was subpoenaed to testify at a patient's worker's comp appeal

> hearing. The subpoena came with a $30 witness fee check and a $70

> transportation check. Hearing was to be held and Bend, which is

> approximately 135 miles away. I contacted the attorney who subpoenaed

> being advised him at $70 would not buy enough fuel to get me to the first

> mountain pass. I also informed him that for me to testify I would have to

> close my office for an entire day and drive three hours each direction,

> and at $30 would not cover my expenses. The attorney advised me that

> under ORS $30 is the standard witness fee. The trial at that time was

> postponed. However, I just received another subpoena that would allow me

> to testify by phone. However, the attorney wants me to be available for

> two hours on a Thursday morning, which is a typical busy morning for me.

>

> This same law firm has scheduled a deposition in my office for a different

> case. They requested that I schedule, a two-hour block for their attorney

> and reporter for this deposition. And once again are only allowing a $30

> witness fee.

>

> In the first case, the patient told me that he had hurt himself splitting

> wood that we presented with an L5/S1 neuropathy and an obvious foot drop I

> advised the patient that a referral was needed. However, he insisted on

> conservative care. The following day he presented my office and at that

> time, he agreed to referral to a medical doctor, and that was my last

> contact with the patient. In the second case, the patient maintain

> routine treatment in my office, primarily for headaches and upper back

> pain. three months after her last visit my office, she hurt her low back

> at work and filed the worker's compensation claim. And she was never

> treated by me for this claim.

>

> The question is, the $30 witness fee is explained by the attorney as

> dictated by ORS. is this the only reimbursement that I will be able to

> obtain for my time?

>

> DR CHARLIE CAUGHLIN DC. CAC

> 155 NW 1ST AVE

> JOHN DAY, OR 97845

> OFF-541-575-1063

> FAX-541-575-5554

> HM-541-575-1103

>

>

>

>

>

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