Certificate/Affidavit of Merit -Easy 2 Step Process

May 18, 2023

We can simplify your Certificate/Affidavit of Merit process

Our Comprehensive Case Evaluation service is a simple and cost effective approach to meet your state requirements in the preparation of a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit.

What Must the Certificate/Affidavit of Merit cover?

The specific language requirements of the affidavit vary from state to state. Generally speaking, the a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit must state three things:

• the expert signing the affidavit qualifies as an expert in the same medical field or healthcare profession in which the defendant health care provider practices
• the expert has reviewed your case, and
• the expert is of the opinion that your case has merit — meaning that the defendant’s conduct has deviated from the accepted standards of care under the circumstances.

The Expert Who Signs the Certificate/Affidavit of Merit will also be the Testifying Expert

Some states have strict requirements on who signs the a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit. Others do not. Depending on the state, the physician or healthcare professional will be required to have some of the following qualifications:

• a current and active license
• active clinical experience (i.e., that the expert actually performs the care in question), both prior to, and specifically at, the time the care was being provided
• the physician must be board-certified in the same area of medicine as the defendant
• the physician or healthcare professional spends a majority of their time in active or academic practice

How long does the Comprehensive Case Evaluation take?

The initial review of records and the preparation of the Forensic Report on our letterhead takes 5 – 6 weeks.  In situations where there is a time constraint a verbal report can be given to meet the initial deadline of your case. It is advised to contact the reviewing physician or healthcare professional immediately after the receipt of our Forensic Report in order to proceed with the Certificate/Affidavit of Merit process.

To two step process to obtain a Certificate/Affidavit of Merit:

Provide us with a copy of the medical records

Include an overview of the case, and any specific questions you or your client may have. The reviewing  physician or healthcare professional will not limit their review to the questions you present, but the overview will assist with the general direction of the review.

The cost of the review. Our base fee for the review of records is $1100.00 per specialty, and includes review of approximately two inches of records. This fee will be increased for voluminous records; certain specialties; and rush services, since our normal turnaround time is 5 to 6 weeks. All fees can be quoted upfront.

What you will receive. A detailed Forensic Report will be provided on our letterhead, outlining the details of your case, and explaining whether there are departures from the accepted standards of care, as well as the effect on the outcome, if within the reviewer’s area of expertise. If not, evaluation by a causation expert may be necessary to address the specific damages related to the negligence.

Referral to the Expert

The actively practicing reviewing physician, or healthcare professional, that evaluated your case for merit, is available to support the opinions explained in our Forensic Report, and deal directly with you. The fee for the referral to the reviewing expert is $400.00, and from this point forward, you will be billed directly by the expert. The expert’s fee information will be provided, along with the Curriculum Vitae and  preferred contact information.

Certificate/Affidavit of Merit. Once you have been placed in direct contact with the reviewing expert, our Forensic Report can be utilized in the preparation of the required document, which can be sent to the reviewing expert for editing, signature, and notarization.

Saponaro, Inc., has experts available in the following areas:

Medical

Hospital

Nursing and Nursing Home

Chiropractic

Dental

We will only refer the expert with the best experience and background to match the unique issues of your case.

Many experts services bill for their experts and have them under contract, we do not. A curriculum vitae and hourly fees are supplied at the time of referral and you work directly with the recommended expert.

For a complete list of services and experts visit www.saponaroinc.com

Over 40 years helping attorneys win trials by placing the best expert witnesses in over 40,000 cases.