Lawyer FAQ
What is Physicians for Justice?
Physicians for Justice is a nonprofit network of doctors and medical students who acknowledge that illness and injustice are linked. The organization was founded in 2017 by Elizabeth Levy, MD JD. The mission of Physicians for Justice is to bring doctors’ voices into the justice system on behalf of marginalized individuals in order to address the social determinants of health and to advance a fair, just, and equitable society.
What services does Physicians for Justice offer?
We provide volunteer consultations to help you analyze your client’s medical records in order to help your client win their case.
Can you provide my client with medical care?
Unfortunately Physicians for Justice does not provide any direct medical services. Rather, our main purpose is to support your client’s case. If your client needs medical workup or treatment, we can help direct you to other organizations or clinics in your client’s area.
No. In fact, doctors are mandated reporters with regard to suspected abuse or neglect. However, doctors have legal and ethical duties to protect their patients' privacy and will apply this background toward protecting client confidentiality. Furthermore, in the context of volunteering, our doctors will not be seeing or treating your clients and will not form a physician-patient relationship. In fact, the purpose of this barrier is to protect your client’s confidentiality in case of a reportable situation.
Are the doctor volunteers bound by confidentiality?
Can you write a letter on behalf of my client?
Maybe. The question that will determine whether we may write a letter is whether doing so would require any activity that establishes a physician-patient relationship. Reading medical records does not establish a physician-patient relationship, and if a letter can be written on the basis of reading medical records alone we may be able to write a letter.
What kinds of cases do you get?
We get a range of questions. Here are (shortened, detail-modified) examples of the kinds of questions we are asked.
Q: "My eight-year-old client has a rare developmental disorder including psychiatric, neurologic and cardiac issues. Her public school is imposing overly restrictive conditions and her family is preparing for a hearing with the district. Her medical records have some inconsistencies. Can you give me a phone consultation?"
A: We would love to help you! We will match you with a pediatrician who can help you review the records and answer your questions.
Q: “My client was fired from her job after giving birth. Her employer had refused to make appropriate accommodations during her high-risk pregnancy, my client continued working without accommodations, resulting in complications during birth requiring additional time off. She needs compensation and reinstatement. Can I talk to an ob-gyn?
A: Definitely. Please request and obtain medical records for both your client and the baby. Our volunteers will review her records to determine what accommodations she needed and will help you understand how accommodations could have prevented her birth complications.
Q: “My clients are the family members of an elderly man who is currently hospitalized with multiple issues. He recently changed his will and my clients believe that he lacked capacity. His hospital records mention numerous medications. Can you review the medication lists and comment on the likely effect of these medications on his mental state?
A: Yes. However, in addition to the medication lists we will also need to see the medical records themselves (particularly doctors’ hospital notes and laboratory values) to fully appreciate how these medications might have affected him personally.
Physicians for Justice is not a Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP). MLP is a coordinated services framework in which attorneys work in health care settings. In an MLP, doctors provide clinical care and beneficiaries receive both medical and legal services. The MLP model includes legal services as a valuable component of holistic patient care.
Physicians for Justice does not provide medical services. Instead, Physicians for Justice provides lawyers with free medical expertise in order to provide their clients with the best possible representation in court. Physicians for Justice also views legal services and justice not just as a means to health but also as an important and fundamental goal unto itself.