This case involves an elderly man in a long-term care facility who was injured while in his power wheelchair. He had been prescribed a power wheelchair by his primary care doctor because his mobility had become very limited. He had just received the chair three days before the incident. On the evening in question, he was in the bathroom preparing for bed. As he was brushing his teeth, he dropped his toothbrush and reached down to pick it up. On his way back up, the man hit the lever that activates the chair and it spun in a circular motion. The turn caused him to hit his head on ceramic tile. The plaintiff alleged the car facility did not provide enough training for him to safely and proper operate the vehicle.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Do you routinely treat patients that require wheelchairs/scooters?
2. Are you able to speak to the necessity of a scooter for a patient? When would you recommend a patient obtain a scooter?
Expert Witness Response E-000468
I am an expert in health and human service administration programs. As a hospital director, I have provided administrative oversight to the operation of long-term care facilities and managed a broad range of human service organizations that required expert knowledge of federal and state regulations. Currently, I am a professor of management and teach graduate management courses in an MBA program, a master's of healthcare leadership program. I also supervise doctoral students in a Ph.D. program. I routinely provide administrative standard of care opinions related to care and treatment provided in long-term care facilities. I can provide a non-medical quality of life opinion related to when a scooter is necessary for a patient. I would recommend a patient obtain a scooter when their ambulatory skills are reduced such that social interaction with the environment, staff, and other residents is severely restricted.
About the author
Victoria Negron
Victoria Negron has extensive experience in journalism and thought leadership in the legal space, with a background crafting content, whitepapers, webinars, and current event articles pertaining to the role of expert witnesses in complex litigation matters. She is a skilled professional specializing in B2B product marketing and content marketing. Currently, she serves as an Enterprise Product Marketing Manager at Postman, and previously held the position of Technical Product Marketing Manager at Palantir Technologies, where she developed her skills in launch strategies, go-to-market strategy, and competitive analysis.
Her expertise in content marketing was further refined during her tenure at the Expert Institute, where she progressed from a Marketing Writer to Senior Content Marketing Manager, and eventually to Associate Director of Content & Product Marketing. In these roles, she honed her abilities in digital marketing, SEO, content strategy, and thought leadership.
Educationally, Victoria holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida - Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Art, and Hispanic Studies from Hamilton College. Her diverse educational background and professional experience have equipped her with a robust skill set in product marketing, content development, and strategic marketing initiatives.
