Hello all,
This is an opportunity to do some legal consulting, if you are qualified. I have done a fair amount of legal consulting, but I can not take this one on due to a conflict of interest. I am trying to help the client find an alternative consultant. She needs to name her expert within a week.
This is a case of cauda equina syndrome (CES), which is, briefly, disabling nerve damage leading to one or more of bowel dysfunction, urinary dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and other damage--often permanent.
The complaint is that the medical center did not act on the symptoms in a timely way, leading to some permanent disabilities. A very important issue in the case is the likelihood of a poor outcome in relation to timing of surgery after symptoms begin. The statistician would need to become familiar with these timing issues, with some of the literature in timing, and with the statistical methods used in these studies. Depositions and court testimony may happen. A PhD in a statistical field and a strong CV are needed. Of course, prior legal consulting would help. And, some experience with medical, biological or biostatistical work would help, too.
If you are interested, please send me an email note about your relevant experience and your CV. Send to:
nayak@mwlight.com. Don't send it to this list or everyone will get it. But, do feel free to forward this message to other statisticians whom you think may be qualified.
Thank you,
Nayak
P.S. Here are two relevant references:
Kohles SS, Kohles DA, Karp AP, Erlich VM, Polissar NL. Time-dependent surgical outcomes following cauda equina syndrome diagnosis: comments on a meta-analysis. Spine. 29(11):1281-7. June 2004. DeLong WB, Polissar NL,Neradilek B. Timing of surgery in cauda equina syndrome with urinary retention: meta-analysis of observational studies. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. 8 (4): 305-320. April 2008.
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Nayak Polissar
Principal Statistician
The Mountain-Whisper-Light Statistics
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