Pathology Expert Witnesses for Medical Malpractice and Injury Cases
A pathology expert witness is a board-certified physician who evaluates diagnostic accuracy, specimen handling/processing, reporting standards, causation, and damages across anatomic and clinical pathology. Attorneys retain pathology experts for misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis on biopsy/cytology, false-negative Pap/HPV or FNA, hematopathology/flow cytometry interpretation, molecular and biomarker testing errors (NGS, ER/PR/HER2, MSI/MMR, PD-L1), frozen section discrepancies, specimen mix-ups/chain-of-custody issues, autopsy controversies, and laboratory quality/regulatory disputes (CLIA/CAP). Expert Retainer connects you with targeted subspecialists—surgical pathology (organ-system experts), cytopathology, hematopathology/flow, molecular/genomic pathology, dermatopathology, neuropathology, renal/transplant, pediatric, forensic, transfusion medicine/blood bank, microbiology, clinical chemistry—who respond directly with CVs, fee schedules, and availability, typically within 24–72 hours, nationwide.
When to retain a pathology expert witness
- Biopsy misdiagnosis or delay. When do attorneys involve a pathologist after a diagnostic miss? Experts review grossing and block selection, slide quality, special stains/IHC panels, intra- and inter-observer variability, synoptic reporting, and whether a reasonable pathologist would have reached the same diagnosis at the time.
- Cytology false-negatives/false-positives. Were screening, adequacy, and interpretation to standard? Opinions cover specimen adequacy criteria, screening workflows, QA rescreen percentages, adjunct HPV testing, and documentation of critical findings and recommendations.
- Hematopathology and flow cytometry interpretation. Were gating strategies and correlations appropriate? Experts examine morphology, IHC/flow panels, cytogenetics, molecular (e.g., BCR-ABL, MYD88), and clinicoradiologic correlation for leukemias/lymphomas and plasma-cell disorders.
- Molecular/biomarker testing errors. Did test selection, validation, and reporting meet standards? Reviews include tissue adequacy/tumor percentage, fixation artifacts, NGS pipeline/QC metrics, reflex testing algorithms (ER/PR/HER2; MSI/MMR; PD-L1), and impact on therapy choice.
- Frozen section vs. final diagnosis discrepancies. Were intra-op limitations explained and documented? Experts analyze sampling limits, real-time communication with surgeons, and whether decisions (extent of surgery) were reasonable given frozen capabilities.
- Specimen identification, labeling, and chain-of-custody problems. Was a mix-up or contamination preventable? Reviews include accessioning logs, barcode systems, block/slide traceability, gross room workflow, and corrective action records.
- Autopsy and cause-of-death disputes. Were gross/microscopic findings adequate and conclusions supported? Experts review scene/clinical correlation, special studies (toxicology, neuropath), and consent/scope.
- Transfusion medicine/blood bank events. Was compatibility testing and administration safe? Opinions address ABO/Rh, crossmatch records, antibody workups, product selection, transfusion reactions, and documentation.
- Microbiology/clinical chemistry disputes. Did pre-analytic, analytic, or post-analytic factors lead to error? Experts evaluate culture handling, contamination, instrument QC/QA, proficiency testing, and result communication.
- Quality systems & regulatory compliance (CLIA/CAP/Joint Commission). Did the lab meet accreditation standards? Experts map policies, validation, personnel qualifications, and proficiency to alleged failures and outcomes.
Pathology subspecialties & experts available
- Surgical pathology (organ-system) expert witnesses. Breast, GI/liver, GU/prostate, GYN, pulmonary, head & neck, bone/soft tissue, dermatopathology, neuropathology.
- Cytopathology expert witness. Pap/HPV, thyroid and salivary FNA, lung/EBUS, body fluids, adequacy assessment.
- Hematopathology/flow cytometry expert witness. Leukemia/lymphoma diagnosis, marrow/lymph node workups, cytogenetics/molecular correlation.
- Molecular & genomic pathology expert witness. NGS panels, MSI/MMR, PD-L1 and other companion diagnostics, validation and reporting.
- Dermatopathology expert witness. Melanocytic lesions, margins, staging, immunostains, clinicopathologic correlation.
- Neuropathology expert witness. CNS tumors, degenerative disease at autopsy, neuro-oncology classification.
- Renal & transplant pathology expert witness. Medical renal biopsies, rejection scoring, IF/EM correlation.
- Pediatric pathology expert witness. Age-specific tumor biology, congenital disorders, perinatal pathology.
- Forensic pathology expert witness. Cause/manner of death, injury timing, toxicology/labs, scene correlation.
- Transfusion medicine/blood bank expert witness. Compatibility testing, reactions, product selection, hemovigilance.
What you’ll receive from each pathology expert
CV
Fee schedule
Availability
Why attorneys use Expert Retainer for pathology experts
- Physician-led matching that saves time and cuts noise
- Anonymized outreach until you choose to engage
- Direct access (no agency middle layer)
- Nationwide coverage with subspecialty depth
- Fast timelines (initial matches typically 24–72 hours)
Attorney checklist — what records to send to a pathology expert
- Pathology reports (final, addenda, synoptic summaries) and preliminary/frozen section worksheets
- Glass slides (H&E, special stains, IHC) and, where available, digital whole-slide images (WSI)
- Tissue blocks or unstained recut slides (when additional stains/molecular tests may be needed)
- Cytology materials: Pap/ThinPrep slides, cell blocks, FNA slides, adequacy notes
- Hematopathology files: flow cytometry raw data/plots, marrow smears/biopsies, cytogenetics/FISH, molecular reports
- Molecular/biomarker documentation: NGS run metrics, tumor percentage estimates, control data, validation summaries
- Grossing photos, cassette/block maps, accession logs, barcoding/chain-of-custody records
- Radiology/clinical correlation (imaging reports and key images), endoscopy/operative notes, tumor board notes
- Lab quality/regulatory: CAP/CLIA certificates, inspection reports, proficiency testing results, SOPs/policies referenced by either party
Common questions your pathology expert can answer
- Diagnostic accuracy. Would a reasonably prudent pathologist, using the materials and methods available at the time, have made the same diagnosis?
- Standard of care. Were specimen handling, staining, ancillary tests, and reporting consistent with prevailing guidelines and lab policies?
- Causation. Did a diagnostic error or reporting delay more likely than not change treatment options, prognosis, or outcomes?
- Ancillary testing choices. Were IHC, flow cytometry, cytogenetics, or molecular assays indicated and properly validated/interpreted?
- Frozen section limitations. Was the intra-operative opinion reasonable given sampling/technical constraints and was uncertainty communicated?
- Chain of custody & identification. Were accessioning, labeling, and tracking processes adequate to prevent mix-ups/contamination?
- Autopsy opinions. Do gross/microscopic findings support the stated cause and manner of death?
Deposition and trial support — what to expect
- Many pathology experts offer records reviews, declarations/affidavits, deposition, and testimony; scope and rates are set by the expert.
- You coordinate prep calls, exhibit exchange, and scheduling directly with the expert.
- Expect slide-centric, timeline-driven analyses, side-by-side differentials, and clear explanations of uncertainty, test performance, and guideline context.
Submit your need — how it works
Submit your need
Share your case requirements (subspecialty, timelines, conflicts).
Direct responses
Interested and available experts respond to you quickly and directly with CV, fee schedule, and availability.
Instant expert notifications
Relevant, board-certified pathology experts are notified immediately.
No questions asked
100% no-questions-asked guarantee of a successful match.
FAQs — Pathology Expert Witnesses
What qualifications matter for a pathology expert witness?
Board certification in Anatomic Pathology and/or Clinical Pathology (and, when relevant, subspecialty certification in cytopathology, hematopathology, dermatopathology, molecular, neuropathology, pediatric pathology, forensic), active practice, and case-domain experience. Teaching and prior medico-legal work help.
How are pathology expert witness fees structured?
Each expert sets their own schedule, typically with an initial retainer and hourly rates for review, meetings, deposition, and trial. You’ll see the fee schedule before you engage.
Do pathology experts testify for plaintiff and defense?
Yes—our panel includes experts who take both types of cases; we also route conflicts appropriately.
Can I request academic vs. private-practice background?
Yes—indicate your preference and any credentialing needs in your submission.
How fast are matches?
Initial matches typically arrive within 24–72 hours; complex subspecialties or large record sets may take longer.
Will I see pricing before I engage?
Yes—experts reply directly with fee schedule and availability so you can decide prior to engagement.
Do your experts support affidavits of merit and depositions?
Many do; jurisdictional requirements vary. Share your needs in the submission.