Expert Witness in Optometry: Dr. Mark J Cannon

Mark J Cannon, OD has been offering consulting services as an expert witness in optometry related to criminal and civil cases since 2016.  You can read more about his forensic eye exam philosophy here.  Dr. Mark spends most of his time on patient care, and forensic optometry only makes up a small part of his career.  However, Dr. Mark is happy to work in records review and is willing to be deposed and testify in court as needed. He is also equipped and willing to consider malpractice suits.

Dr. Cannon started working on medical malpractice suits in 2021.  In most cases, Medical malpractice lawsuits are typically brought to court by an injured patient or their family.  In these law suits a healthcare provider or clinical institution (hospital, etc.) would be defending itself.  Many legal cases involve questions regarding vision.  For example, the court may ask the defendant questions regarding their sight and whether or not they could see well at the time of the accident or incident. Therefore, it is important to consult an expert witness in optometry so the case proceeds on just grounds.

We have designed a policy with regard to malpractice suits to avoid any conflicts whatsoever:

Our defense services will be available in all locations within the United States
Our comfort lies in working for the defense rather than the plaintiff when it comes to malpractice suits involving Washington State eye care providers.

What Does An Expert Witness in Optometry Do?

Forensic optometry is a road less travelled; this field requires doctors to work as expert witnesses. These doctors use testing and science to look for facts with regards to eye health, eyewear and glasses to determine the cause of death or any other injury pertaining to vision in a legal case.

Corneal clouding is one of the most evident changes in the body after death. It begins 2 hours after death. An optometrist can easily identify this. Other than that, the doctor may also be able to determine the time of death with the help of a potassium-level examination of the vitreous humour.

There are many salient points and pieces of evidence that come to light with forensic optometry. It is important for us to explore it properly as there are many unsolved mysteries that could’ve been solved with the help of an expert witness in optometry.

Here are all the responsibilities of a Forensic Optometrist:

1. Review medical records and form an unbiased opinion
2. Provide a written report or affidavit if requested
3. Evaluate visual function with the help of a forensic eye exam
4. Review any additional records or depositions as needed
5. Give depositions or court testimony in support of the unbiased opinion at the client’s request, with reasonable notice

Dr. Mark Cannon provides forensic eye exams to determine the extent and limitations of an individual’s vision.  A law office and Dr. Mark must set up the exam type directly. It is important to note that we will not accept all cases. Moreover, we make sure that we only accept cases where we involve the best interest of both parties.  We do not want any conflicts of interest. That determines whether Dr. Mark Cannon will accept the case or not.

Forensic eye exams

Forensic eye exams may be helpful in personal injury cases, criminal cases, or any legal case where there may be a question about what a party or witness was able to see. Dr. Mark is available for forensic eye exams on behalf of plaintiffs or defendants in civil cases, or for the defence or prosecution in criminal cases.

After the independent medical exam, Dr. Mark can prepare a detailed written report. Furthermore, it will include optometric determinations pertinent to a case on a “more-probable-than-not” basis.

Should a case end up in court, it is important to know that Dr. Mark will work both sides of the courtroom in search of truth.

Contact Dr. Mark for a fee schedule and curriculum vitae.