Whether it’s a medical malpractice case or workers’ compensation claim, cases that involve injuries and medical procedures can be difficult to present to a jury. Medical legal illustrations are an invaluable tool in the litigation arsenal, helping you communicate with jurors and add clarity to evidence and expert testimony. Here are just some of the benefits and FAQ about medical legal illustrations.
Q: How do medical legal illustrations help medical malpractice cases?
To win a medical malpractice case, you must demonstrate the “medical standard of care” and that the doctor was negligent in providing treatment. “Medical standard of care” simply means that a doctor has a legal duty to provide patients with the type and level of care that a similarly trained, competent health care professional would provide. Your medical expert witness will then explain how the doctor was negligent in meeting that standard, which could be anything from failing to properly diagnose a condition to making physical mistakes during a surgery or medical procedure.
This testimony often involves medical terminology and complex descriptions of medical procedures which are difficult to grasp for most jurors. Medical legal illustrations add clarity and depth to expert testimony, allowing jurors to visualize what is being discussed and grasp the full impact of the doctor’s negligent actions.
Q: What makes a good medical legal illustration?
A good illustration is well drafted, rendered and designed, and accurately portrays the biomedical content. It should clearly communicate the client’s message and interpret complex relationships in 3D space and/or time.
Q: What is a medical illustrator?
A medical illustrator is a professional artist with extensive training in medicine, science, communication and media technology. Their artistic, scientific, and medical knowledge allows them to grasp complex medical information and turn it into a visual narrative that is accurate, educational, and engaging.
Q: Why aren’t medical images sufficient?
While x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs are a great way to communicate information to physicians and radiologists, to an untrained eye they are often a confusing jumble. With medical legal illustrations, you can provide the jury with understandable interpretations of medical film. By adding clarity to these images, you uphold the veracity of the information obtained by the scans while presenting it in a memorable, easy-to-understand format.
Q: What impact do medical legal illustrations have on jurors?
Thanks to the popularity of crime dramas, jurors expect to see a high degree of technical sophistication in the courtroom. Using a highly technical presentation will boost jurors’ confidence in your information.
Additionally, nearly 60% of Americans are now getting their medical information from the Internet. This means the people filling your jury box feel that they have a higher degree of medical knowledge and are less likely to trust a doctor. Presenting the information in a visual format allows jurors to comprehend your case fully and feel confident they are making a decision based on evidence, rather than simply choosing between conflicting expert testimony.
If you need expert medical legal illustrations for your case, call Precise today at 866-277-3247.
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