Pathology Expert Witness and Litigation Support

Our mission at Path Counsel Pathology Legal Consultations is to support the legitimate claims of your clients with legally defensible medical analysis and opinion. As an established and recognized expert in the specialty of Medical Pathology, we will partner with you to provide:

• Medical record review 
• Microscopic slide evaluation & tissue pathology reporting 
• Formal discoverable or confidential non-discoverable report preparation 
• Legal depositions and trial testimony 
• Private Autopsies 

Medicolegal areas in which pathologic evaluation of cases can be important include:

• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home neglect
• Workman's compensation
• Criminal defense
• Insurance claims

If necessary in such cases when death has occurred, Dr. Godfrey can also perform private autopsies, exhumation autopsies, second autopsies, forensic autopsies, or review of findings from previous autopsies through his related enterprise Peace of Mind Private Autopsy Services.       

Path Counsel Pathology Legal Consultations includes the investigation of occupational lung diseases, particularly those from alleged asbestos exposure.  Dr. Godfrey has provided this service to multiple legal firms with an emphasis on such cases, in the greater St. Louis area and nationally.  These references are available upon request.

Path Counsel is fair and compassionate – we guarantee the medical complexities of your case will be in good hands.

We welcome the opportunity to meet with you to understand your current or anticipated medicolegal needs.

Stephen E. Godfrey, M.D., located in St. Louis, MO has twelve years of experience as the Medical Director for Path Counsel Pathology Legal Consultations.  He is a recertified Diplomate of the American Board of Pathology in both Anatomic and Clinical Pathology.  Dr. Godfrey also maintains an active clinical practice, and therefore he is not vulnerable to potential efforts by opposing counsel to disqualify expert witnesses who no longer practice their specialty.  Such full time expert witnesses can be portrayed as unqualified to render opinions on the standard of care in their specialties, but Dr. Godfrey is not susceptible to this maneuver.  He provides analysis, depositions, and testimony regarding the pathologic aspects of medicolegal cases for a range of clients including legal firms, health care institutions, and private persons.

An important aspect in the litigation of many medicolegal cases is the evaluation of pathologic and laboratory findings in the medical records from treating institutions and physicians.  This is true for both plaintiff and defendant in civil litigation, and for prosecution and defense in criminal cases.  Dr. Godfrey's investigation of each case is supported by correlation with the medical literature, along with his own lengthy personal experience.  Through his analysis, he provides both oral nondiscoverable opinions and formal documented reports, depending on clients' needs and preferences.  His cases have often involved depositions and trial testimony as well. 

Dr. Godfrey's medical staff memberships include St. Louis University Hospital. He is the perennial Secretary-Treasurer for the Society of St. Louis Pathologists, and he is a Fellow in the College of American Pathologists and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.