Heart of the Matter Expertise has experts in this specialty and in many others. It's founder, Dr. Thomas J. Berger, MD, FACS, FCCP, FACFE became a board certified cardiac surgeon in 1981 and is currently re-certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Berger has been involved, as an expert, in over 200 medical malpractice cases, involving cardiac surgery, cardiology, thoracic surgery, general surgery and cardiovascular surgery.
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. Since then, Heart of the Matter Expertise has acquired associates in many other medical specialties.
Even as a medical student, at Tufts University, in Boston, Dr. Thomas J. Berger knew he wanted to be a heart surgeon. He spent four months of his senior year in Houston, Texas, where he scrubbed with Dr. Michael DeBakey and also trained with Dr. Robert D. Leachman, cardiologist to Dr. Denton Cooley.
After medical school, Dr. Berger spent seven years in general and cardiac surgery residencies and research, with his mentor, Dr. John Kirklin. Dr. Kirklin is the internationally revered pioneer of open-heart surgery, who was the first surgeon ever to begin operating on a routine basis with a heart-lung machine. Before completing his training, Dr. Berger contributed to the writing of Dr. Kirklin’s widely respected textbook, Cardiac Surgery.
After completing his training, Dr. Berger served his country for two years as a staff cardiac surgeon, at the Naval Regional Medical Center, in San Diego, where he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for, “Displaying exceptional technical skill in the field of open-heart surgery.”
In 1980, Dr. Berger started his own heart surgery program in a small town in Montana, where heart surgery had never before been done. He helped to design the operating room and ICU, from the blueprint stages; trained nurses and technicians, who had never treated heart surgery patients before; and set up “patient management programs” to assure consistency and excellence. Such standardization of care did not come into general use, as “care paths,” until decades later.
By 1990, the program he had started was recognized in the Wall Street Journal as being tied for the lowest mortality in the nation, for Medicare coronary bypass patients.
In 1997, Dr. Berger returned to academic medicine, as Chief of, not only cardiac surgery, but all surgery, at a Duke affiliated hospital, where he held the academic appointment of Associate Consulting Professor of Surgery, with Duke University Medical Center. In this position, Dr. Berger was responsible for the training of Duke residents and fellows, in cardiac surgery and other surgical sub-specialties, when they rotated through his hospital.
Currently, due a medical problem with his vision, which does not permit him to operate, Dr. Berger is not in the active practice of cardiac surgery. He is now devoted to a very busy practice of forensic medicine, working to assure that the truth is uncovered and understood in every case in which he, or any other associate of Heart of the Matter Expertise, becomes involved.
If your state requires that an expert be in active practice, one of Dr. Berger’s associates, who is an Assistant Consulting Professor of Surgery, with Duke University Medical Center and chief of cardiac surgery at a Duke affiliated hospital, will do a superb job as your expert. This Duke trained, cardiac and thoracic surgeon, is a senior associate of Heart of the Matter Expertise, with a rapidly growing experience, over the past several years, in forensic consultation and testimony. Associates of Heart of the Matter Expertise, in other specialties, are similarly distinguished and experienced professionals.
When Dr. Berger receives your client’s medical records, he will devote the same intense concentration and effort to their detailed evaluation as he did in the operating room to a beating heart held in his hands. Associates in other specialties will also give your case the detailed and thoughtful review that you and your client deserve.
For more information about Dr. Berger and other assiciates of Heart of the Matter Expertise please visit our website at heartofyourcase.com, or call our office at 828-651-0290.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: See my CV.
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A: See my CV.
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: See my CV.
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: No
Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
A: Over 150
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Cardiac surgery
Cardiology
Thoracic Surgery
General Surgery
Cardiovascular Surgery
PhenFen Litigation
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
A: 99%
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
A: 1%
Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
A: Many
Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
A: Recently
Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
A: Many
Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
A: Many
Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
A: 6
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: Free initial phone consultation Medical record review (with written report when requested) Depositions Trial testimony
Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
A: Fee schedule available on request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
A: Fee schedule available on request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
A: Fee schedule available on request.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
A: Fee schedule available on request.
Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
A: Fee schedule available on request.
References
Edward J. Balzarini, Sr.Balzarini & Watson
3303 Grant Building
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
(412) 471-1200
Kenneth K. Graham
Risner & Graham
100 North Stone, Suite 901
Tucson, Arizona 85701
(520) 622-7494
Raul Davila
Raul Davila Law Offices
63 Fortaleza St.
San Juan, P.R. 00901
(787) 723-0025
Stephen Seidner
Fisher & Seidner
403 Deer Park Ave.
Babylon, New York 11702
(631) 661-5000
