Environmental Medicine Expert Witnesses
The experts you need in complex cases involving environmental factors
Environmental medicine is the medical branch of the broader field of environmental health, which is concerned with aspects of the natural and built environment that affect human health. Environmental health includes both direct pathological effects from the environment, such as exposure to toxic chemicals, radiation, and harmful biological agents, as well as indirect effects on health and well-being from housing, urban development, land use, transportation, and other environmental and societal factors.
Some of the disciplines within environmental health include:
- Environmental epidemiology – studies the relationship between environmental exposure and human health.
- Toxicology – studies how environmental exposures lead to specific health outcomes, usually using animal test subjects.
- Exposure science – studies and quantifies human exposure to environmental contaminants to support the other disciplines.
Environmental medicine is concerned with a wide range of health concerns, including but not limited to:
- Air quality
- Body art safety (tattoos, piercings, etc.)
- Climate change
- Disaster response
- Drinking water safety
- Food safety
- Hazardous materials management
- Housing and overcrowding
- Land use
- Lead poisoning
- Liquid and solid waste disposal
- Medical waste disposal
- Noise pollution
- Occupational health
- Radiological health
- Toxic chemical exposure
- Vector control, including pests that transmit diseases
The value of an environmental medicine expert witness
Environmental medicine specialists can be critical witnesses in cases involving environmental factors, including toxic torts and other injuries caused by environmental exposure. An environmental medicine expert can explain the effects of the environmental factors on the patient’s health and the potential long-term ramifications of environmental exposure.
If you’re handling a legal matter involving environmental medicine, Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants can help you find the right expert. Contact us today for a free case summary review.