Is there a limit to how much an expert witness physician can reasonably charge? In two recent rulings, judges have said, “Yes.”
Late last year, U.S. District Court Judge Leigh Martin May considered a motion that Dr. Eric Awad’s and Dr. Kamal Kabakibou’s request for $3,000 per hour each – which would have totaled $12,000 for their two depositions – was unreasonable. In her order dated November 4, 2021, the judge ordered the doctors to appear for a deposition not to exceed two hours for a price not to exceed $2,000.
In the State Court of Gwinnett County, Judge Ronda Colvin Leary ruled in January in favor of Defendants’ claim that Dr. James Chappius’ deposition fee of $2,500 for the first hour and an additional $700 for every 15 minutes thereafter was unreasonable, setting $1000 as a reasonable fee for his participation.