Podiatry Malpractice : What is a podiatrist ?
Before undertaking the podiatric malpractice case, it is critical to understand what a podiatrist does and how the podiatrist differs from other medical practitioners in terms of education and scope of practice. The Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) is a peculiar breed of practitioner that is uniquely situated in the medical profession. In order to properly prosecute or defend a podiatric negligence or malpractice case, the attorney needs an understanding of podiatric principles and a familiarity with the similarities and differences between the podiatrist and other allopathic or osteopathic physicians.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
A license to practice podiatric medicine and surgery is a limited license. State law governs the scope of podiatric practice. Scope of practice differs vastly among the states and in some states it is strictly localized to the foot only, others define practice to include the ankle and some include the entire lower leg. Furthermore, statutes and regulations may authorize or prohibit certain procedures such as amputation or define a practice limited to a specific anatomical level such as soft tissue only.
TIP # 1. It is prudent for the attorney to check the respective state's regulations when evaluating or defending a podiatric malpractice case in order to determine if the treatment rendered was within the scope of practice as defined by state law.
