Medical Malpractice Defense Lawyers
How Experienced Medical Malpractice Defense Attorneys Can Protect Your License
Don’t trust your financial future to a group of insurance lawyers when you can put the Oberheiden P.C. Healthcare Law Team on your side.
The attorneys of Oberheiden, P.C. combine veteran courtroom experience with an in depth understanding of all of the nuances of healthcare law in order to provide our clients with the most effective defense against claims of medical malpractice. We have helped hundreds of providers undergoing state and federal investigations, including general practitioners, family practitioners, pain doctors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and others. We defend and protect our clients’ professional licenses, including M.D.s, D.O.s, D.C.s, and P.A.s, and we have prevailed in many administrative board hearings on behalf of nurses. We have proven over and over that our experience allows our clients to practice with a clean license and a spotless record.
What sets Oberheiden, P.C. apart from traditional malpractice lawyers is are vast experience in the court room and the insight that we have gained from appearing in more than 2,000 healthcare cases. Our attorneys are profoundly familiar with medical billing procedures from both a patient care and a standard of care point of view. We know about HIPAA laws, document retention requirements, and clinical records standards. This knowledge helps us understand the facts and details of your case. You will not have to teach our attorneys about the practical workings of the medical industry because we already understand them.
At Oberheiden, P.C., our attorneys understand how quickly a successful and careful doctor can be incorrectly accused of malpractice or other improprieties by a patient. Time and time again, we have witnessed patients, encouraged by money driven plaintiffs’ lawyers, exaggerate their claims and present their doctors in a negative light in order to prevail in malpractice suits. That is why our medical malpractice defense lawyers are dedicated to protecting our clients’ good names and livelihoods. We will not let plaintiffs’ attorneys drag your reputation through the mud!
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Dr. Nick Oberheiden
Founder
Attorney-at-Law
Lynette S. Byrd
Former Department of Justice
Brian J. Kuester
Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA
John W. Sellers
Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
Local Counsel
Joanne Fine DeLena
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Joe Brown
Former U.S. Attorney & Former District Attorney
Local Trial & Defense Counsel
Amanda Marshall
Former U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Aaron L. Wiley
Former Federal Prosecutor
Local Counsel
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Michael Koslow
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Chris Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Full Service Medical Malpractice Defense
Oberheiden, P.C. will be there to advise you throughout the entire course of your malpractice suit, including pre-suit investigation, the pleadings stage, discovery, motion practice, pre-trial hearings, trial, and post-trial proceedings. Our malpractice defense lawyers will challenge “hired gun” expert witnesses that make a living exaggerating plaintiffs’ injuries and pointing blame on doctors. We will force the plaintiffs to prove every cent of the damages they are claiming. While plaintiffs and their lawyers may attempt to pray on the sympathies of the jury, we will tactfully demonstrate that there is no legal basis for their claims.
Additionally, we will work with your malpractice insurance carriers to make sure that you reap the full extent of the benefits that you have paid the premiums for. We will communicate with your insurance policy adjusters to explore settlement options, and we will help negotiate favorable pre-trial settlements with the plaintiff where appropriate.
Civil Liability Defense
At Oberheiden, P.C., we routinely defend medical practitioners against claims for civil liability. We represent clients facing suits brought by private individuals as well as state and federal authorities. Such civil actions range from False Claims Act claims brought by qui tam relators, or private citizens bringing suits on behalf of the government, to audits conducted by private insurance companies and repayment demands issued by Medicare or Medicaid contractors. Our clients include doctors, psychiatrists, dentists, physician assistants, nurses, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, laboratories, and healthcare related businesses.
What are the common allegations in civil liability defense cases?
- Billing mistakes
- Regulatory violations
- Overpayment
- Incomplete documentation retention
- Negligent credentialing
- Improper compensation to employees or independent contractors
- Improper staffing
- Improper hiring
- Lack of training for employees
How to Implement a Medical Compliance Program?
The best way to guarantee a successful outcome from a malpractice law suit – or any other type of civil litigation or government investigation – is to have a routine compliance program in place. Medical practitioners who practice systematic compliance training and monitoring are infinitely more prepared to demonstrate the exercise of due care in the face of accusations of negligence and good faith against allegations of fraud or other financial improprieties.
Oberheiden, P.C. offices compliance and risk management consulting to our clients both as precautionary measures before allegations are lodged and as remedial measures following accusations of negligence or impropriety. The former federal prosecutors on our team rely on their experience working for state and federal agencies to perform compliance audits for our clients and to advise them on ways to rectify any existing regulatory violations or questionable policies. We help our clients draft employee handbooks and policies and procedures, implement compliance protocols, and conduct employee training. Time and again, we have witnessed how strong compliance programs have helped our clients obtain favorable outcomes from civil litigation and lawsuits.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
The Right Team to Defend You
The veteran team of medical malpractice defense attorneys at Oberheiden, P.C. has litigation experience collectively, and we use our experience in the courtroom to achieve successful outcomes for our clients. Many of our medical malpractice defense lawyers are former federal and state prosecutors who bring their experience from working for the government to the table when advising our clients during criminal and civil investigations, litigation, and settlement negotiations. All of our attorneys are senior litigators with extensive experience in healthcare litigation and defense practice.
Our medical malpractice defense attorneys have put together a proven defense strategy that has a demonstrative track record of success. Our medical license defense strategy includes answering our clients’ most pressing questions, effectively communicating with government lawyers and opposing counsel, implementing creative litigation techniques, aggressively litigating in the court room, and negotiating favorable settlements.
Oberheiden, P.C. has helped hundreds of our clients achieve successful outcomes from:
- State and federal investigations
- Malpractice suits
- Civil litigation
- False Claims Act suits
- Administrative hearings
- Licensing board hearings
- Private insurance audits
- Medicare and Medicaid audits
- Tricare Audits
Defending Doctors
Our attorneys have defended hundreds of doctors, including primary care physicians, surgeons, chiropractors, gerontologists, pain doctors, and other specialists. We use our extensive experience with healthcare law to demonstrate to judges and juries that medical decisions were both reasonable and based in current medical science. At Oberheiden, P.C., we understand that just because a procedure does not work out the way a patient wanted it to does not mean that the doctor was negligent or careless. In the same way, we recognize that a patient’s misunderstanding medical bills or explanations of benefits does not automatically mean that a mistake has been made. Our attorneys are dedicated to protecting the practice that you have spent a lifetime building.
These days, it seems like doctors are under attack from all angles. An entire legal industry has been created by plaintiffs’ attorneys who are looking to take advantage of patients’ ailments in order to make their own fortune. In addition, state and federal prosecutors are focusing more and more energy on targeting doctors for mild violations of healthcare statutes. We regularly represent doctors facing malpractice claims, state and federal investigations, and suits for civil liability, such as False Claims Act actions.
We defend doctors facing claims of:
- Medication errors
- Surgical errors
- Misdiagnosis
- Failure to diagnose
- False Claims Act suits
- Improper marketing
- Anti-kickback violations
- Stark Law violations
- Improper billing
- Medically unnecessary services
- Improper referrals
- Overpayment
- Improper staffing
- Insurance fraud
We represent doctors practicing in the following fields:
- General medicine
- Pediatrics
- Emergency medicine
- Gerontology
- Pain medicine
- Anesthesiology
- General surgery
- Cardiology
- Internal medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Radiology
- Urology
- Gynecology & Obstetrics
- Orthopedics
Defending Psychiatrists and Psychologists
Unlike many defense firms who focus their malpractice defense practice on doctors specializing in physical medicine, Oberheiden, P.C. represents many practitioners in the mental health field, including psychiatrists and psychologists. Psychiatrists and psychologists are particularly vulnerable to claims for negligence and malfeasance because their patients’ conditions are more susceptible to varying interpretations or diagnoses. These circumstances open the door for overzealous plaintiffs’ attorneys to bring in “expert” witnesses who will deliberately contradict an initial diagnosis or treatment in order to advance a plaintiff’s case. Additionally, the patients themselves are often more prone to being taken advantage of by aggressive plaintiffs’ attorneys looking to capitalize on the patients’ cases for their own financial gain. Our attorneys have represented psychiatrists and psychologists accused of:
- Misdiagnosis of conditions
- Improper prescribing practices
- Improper billing
- Inadequate documentation retention
- Improper credentialing
- Improper staffing
- Receiving overpayments
- False Claims Act violations
- Regulatory violations
Defending Dentists
More and more dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons are becoming the target of civil liability suits, malpractice actions, private insurance audits, and state and federal investigations. Dentists who service federal healthcare beneficiaries are particularly at risk for having their clinical services scrutinized and their administrative practices investigated.
Recently, a few major news stories about negligent dental practices have cast the entire industry in a negative light. However, at Oberheiden, P.C., we understand that hardworking and careful dentists can nonetheless make clinical or clerical mistakes and that such errors do not mean that the dentist was negligent or guilty of fraud. Our attorneys have represented many dentists and dental practices in civil litigation brought both by private citizens and government officials. We have successfully defended dental practitioners facing the following claims:
- Malpractice
- Medically unnecessary services
- Improper billing practices
- Improper compensation to employees and independent contractors
- Improper marketing
- Regulatory violations
- False Claims Act suits
- Overpayment
Defending Nurses and Physician Assistants
Whereas in the past most malpractice actions targeted doctors, nurses and physician assistants are increasing facing civil litigation brought by private citizens, private insurers, and government agencies. State and federal investigators are widening their investigations to include nurses, medical assistants, and home health aides. Medical professionals with prescription writing authority, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, are particularly at risk for civil and criminal investigation.
From our experience participating in hundreds of healthcare cases, our malpractice defense attorneys understand that nurses are often brought into healthcare investigations for conduct that they did not even know was occurring. In countless cases, we have seen government investigators, insurance attorneys, and plaintiffs’ lawyers cast a wide net against medical practices, resulting in innocent nurses getting caught up litigation and facing daunting monetary judgments. The attorneys at Oberheiden, P.C. are dedicated to helping nurses achieve the best possible outcomes from such circumstances, through case dismissal, early settlement, or cooperation with government investigations, among other strategies. Additionally, we have helped countless nurses and physician assistants defend their licenses to state licensing boards.
Our lawyers have helped nurses accused of:
- Negligent care
- Improper billing
- Improper certification
- Improper prescription writing
- Home health fraud
- Hospice fraud
- Regulatory violations
- Statutory violations involving telemedicine
- Conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud
Our Defense Attorneys Will Protect Your License
Oberheiden, P.C., is a group of former federal prosecutors and experienced defense lawyers. Every client at Oberheiden, P.C. has direct and personal access to one or more senior attorneys; you will not be handed off to secretaries, junior associates, or paralegals.
Why Do Clients Trust Oberheiden, P.C. as their medical malpractice defense lawyer?
At Oberheiden, P.C., we built our reputation the hard way – by winning a multitude of favorable outcomes for our clients. Following are some of the primary reasons for the immense trust that our clients have placed in us.
1. Experience
At our firm, you will enjoy the fruits of the experience in complex federal matters that have been accumulated by our attorneys. Of course, our function is not to simply get you out of trouble when federal investigators come knocking, but also to assist you with regulatory compliance before any issues arise. We want to make it far less likely that you will ever undergo a federal investigation in the first place.
2. Perspective
Analyzing a case solely from the client’s perspective can give you a kind of tunnel vision that narrows your options and renders you vulnerable to nasty surprises. We are not limited to that narrow perspective, because several of our attorneys have “switched sides” – so to speak. They enjoyed distinguished careers as federal prosecutors before joining Oberheiden, P.C., and they bring a valuable and unique “prosecutor’s perspective” to the table. This helps us to anticipate what the prosecution is thinking, what they will likely do, and how to best stop their strategy in its tracks.
3. Results
Two kinds of results matter most – (i) obtaining favorable liability outcomes, and (ii) resolving your case without spending too much time or money. We are committed to both. A high percentage of our clients walk out of our offices with zero civil or criminal liability, and still others are delighted to discover that we have dismissed indictments, avoided criminal charges, saved provider’s licenses, and won jury trials. We do all of this as promptly and as economically as we possibly can.
4. Teamwork
Investigators and prosecutors can be relentlessly aggressive when they smell blood, and at the federal level, these parties usually work together quite cohesively. You can be certain that the government will assemble a team of investigators, federal agents, and prosecutors, and you will need your own team to respond effectively. We can provide that for you – a team that works cohesively as a single unit.
5. Dedication
Among all our firm’s core values, dedication to our client’s cause is the most central – nothing falls into place until you care as much about your clients’ interests as you care about your own. If you run into a law firm that lacks this kind of dedication, run the other way as fast as you can – your future is too important to trust anything less than total commitment.
Dr. Nick Oberheiden Answers Your Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common types of medical malpractice claims?
Any healthcare provider can find themselves the defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, certain practitioners are at a higher risk based on the volume of patients they treat and the type of medicine they practice. Historically, surgeons and anesthesiologists have been at the top of the list of those providers most frequently named in medical negligence claims. For example, about 85 percent of surgeons report having been sued at one point in their career. However, this is due in large part to the high-risk procedures these practitioners undertake on a daily basis. While any healthcare provider can find themselves at the center of a medical malpractice lawsuit, the majority of these claims stem from the following alleged errors:
- Misdiagnoses and delayed diagnoses
- Medication errors
- Surgical mistakes
- Anesthesia errors
- Labor and delivery injuries
While these are the most commonly cited errors, almost any adverse patient outcome can become the basis of a medical malpractice lawsuit. If you are facing allegations of medical malpractice, it is imperative that you reach out to a dedicated medical malpractice defense attorney as soon as possible.
What does a patient need to prove to succeed in a medical malpractice lawsuit?
Medical malpractice lawsuits are based on a healthcare provider’s negligence, not an adverse patient outcome. That said, at the center of every medical malpractice claim is a patient who believes that a healthcare provider failed to provide them with appropriate medical care. However, doctors are human and cannot be held to a standard of perfection. To prove a case of medical malpractice, a patient must establish each of the following elements:
- The existence of a doctor-patient relationship;
- The healthcare breached the duty owed to the patient;
- The doctor’s negligence was the cause of the patient’s injuries; and
- The patient’s injuries led to specific, identifiable damages.
Not every medical error should result in a medical malpractice claim. However, given the aggressive nature of the personal injury bar, many healthcare providers face legal liability based on their unavoidable errors. If you find yourself at the center of a medical malpractice claim, it is important you protect yourself by contacting an experienced medical malpractice defense attorney.
Do I need an expert witness if I’m named in a medical malpractice lawsuit?
Almost certainly. Depending on the jurisdiction, most states require patients bringing a medical malpractice claim to present the testimony of an expert witness before they can even file a claim. However, that same expert (or a similar one) should also be expected to testify at trial. Often, medical malpractice cases come down to a “battle of the experts,” in which each side presents the most compelling expert they can find. Thus, it is imperative that any healthcare provider named in a medical malpractice lawsuit consult with a medical malpractice defense attorney who not only understands these complex laws but also has a working relationship with many qualified and respected experts.
What should I look for in a medical malpractice defense lawyer?
Medical malpractice cases involve the complex intersection of law and medicine. This makes them some of the most complex lawsuits. If a patient is claiming that you committed medical malpractice, the most important consideration when selecting a lawyer to defend you should be their experience handling claims similar to those the one you are facing. Not all experience is equal, and a lawyer highly experienced with writing briefs and researching the law may not be well-suited to take on a high-stakes medical malpractice case. Instead, you should locate a medical malpractice defense attorney with hands-on experience settling and litigating medical malpractice cases on behalf of providers within your specialty. It is important to remember that your actions will be judge based on the standards of your specific practice area, and having a lawyer who already possesses an in-depth understanding of the field will be able to better represent your interests throughout the process.
What does a medical malpractice case look like?
While most people think of a medical malpractice case taking place in a courtroom, there is a significant investigation that goes into a case before it reaches trial. Once the patient hires a lawyer and decides to bring a claim, you will discuss the claim with the insurance company. The insurance company will ask you about the type of care provided and any other details that you can remember. You can, and should, rely on your notes when answering these questions. If the case progresses, the next step will be to answer interrogatories. Interrogatories are written questions submitted by the patient’s attorney. These questions tend to be more specific than those asked by the insurance company. Next, the patient’s lawyer will likely depose you, which involves sitting down with your attorney, the patient’s attorney, and a court reporter. The patient’s attorney will ask you questions under oath, and the court reporter will document your answers. Once this process is complete, the case will get scheduled for pre-trial motions and then a trial. While this is a very brief and summarized version of a medical malpractice case, it provides a basic overview. If you were recently named in a medical negligence lawsuit or have questions about the process, contact an experienced medical malpractice defense attorney for immediate assistance.
Free Consultation With Knowledgeable Malpractice Defense Lawyers
Contact our experienced attorneys today if you are under investigation or subject to a disciplinary proceeding. We are committed to defending your license and your reputation like our own. When you call us, you will immediately speak to senior defense attorneys.
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