Surgery: Thoracic Surgery Expert Witnesses, Page 1

Craig A. Nachbauer, MD, RPVI, is certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and has practiced thoracic and vascular surgery since 1991. He also serves as the Medical Director of the University of Vermont Health Network-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital Wound Center.

Dr. Nachbauer completed his thoracic surgery residency at the Ohio State University Hospitals. After a fellowship in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Emory University, he served as Clinical Associate in Cardiothoracic Surgery at The Cleveland Clinic.

He is a diplomate of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, and the Society for Vascular Ultrasound.

Litigation Support - Dr. Nachbauer has over 10 years of experience in medical record review, determinations of standard of care, and deposition and testimony in medical malpractice cases.

Areas of Expertise:

Thoracic Surgery
Vascular, Endovascular surgery and Phlebology
Non-invasive Vascular Testing
Wound Care

New York Address
12 Haeley Avenue
Plattsburgh, NY

Vermont Address
54 West Twin Oaks Terrace, Suite 14
South Burlington, VT

View Dr. Nachbauer's Consulting Profile.

• Dr. Nachbauer's Curriculum Vitae

• About

• Services

• Testimonials

• LinkedIn Profile

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.

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

Areas of Expertise: