Techniques of Medical Litigation.

Randine A. Lewis Greenwood Publishing Group/ Quorum Books 88 Post Rd. West P. O. Box 5007 Westport, CT 06881-5007 320 pp., $75

Techniques of Medical Litigation is a handbook primarily aimed at the inexperienced practitioner Of course, one cannot really engage in the "occasional" medical malpractice action.

To do so would not be economically viable and would likely render an unsuccessful outcome. Indeed, an inexperienced attorney is a time bomb of despair for the client and a time bomb economically for himself or herself. Only the experienced fare well in this area.

That said, the book does raise many salient points that can be useful to the seasoned--as well as the inexperienced--trial lawyer in this field.

For example, in chapter 3 the author delineates the various types of medical records to be sought in medical-legal analysis. Some of these are not always in the patient's chart and require specific inquiry to a particular hospital department, such as pathology.

Chapter 4 is also helpful because it discusses the scope of medical research that the lawyer may engage in without incurring the added expense of an expert evaluation. These materials can also be expanded upon when the lawyer consults with his or her own expert witnesses or sometimes the primary treating physician.

When considered as a whole, the book accomplishes its mission--to provide the inexperienced lawyer with a road map for handling medical litigation--by using adept outlining from cover to cover. Author Randine A. Lewis is the founder and operator of a medical-legal consulting firm in Houston. She has studied both medicine and law on a post-graduate level and has worked in both law firms and health care settings.

Although she is not a licensed physician or attorney, this does not dilute her experience consulting on medical-legal issues. Lewis introduces her material succinctly and systematically.

Some areas of the book, such as those discussing medical consultants, are too brief and do not identify the problems inherent in acquiring consultants or expert witnesses. Lewis appears somewhat naive with regard to finding an expert. Her very long list of medical specialty societies with addresses is nice, but as a general rule a trial lawyer does not acquire an expert by contacting these groups.

Sections of chapter 14 dealing with human body systems are good for general knowledge, but as a practical matter this information is best obtained from the expert, who is the only witness in a case who can apply knowledge of body systems to deviations from recognized care.

Half the book is devoted to summaries of the functioning of the various body systems without specific examples of cases involving these systems. For attorneys to spend so much time with basic medical information pertinent to the heart, respiratory system, urinary system, and so forth is not particularly useful without case examples of how a patient was injured or how he or she died as a result of improper medical care.

As a handbook, this volume provides helpful guidelines and working tools for any practitioner requiring them.

Robert C. Strodel practices law in Peoria, Illinois.