Medical Expert Witness Services

Barbara  de la Torre, MD, DABMA, FAAMA

Dr. de la Torre provides independent medical expert witness services for both plaintiff and defense cases. Expert witness services represent one component of her comprehensive practice at Third Opinion MD®, which includes individual health strategy consultations, clinical medical acupuncture services, medical acupuncture education and training, organizational consulting, and professional speaking. This diverse clinical, teaching, and consulting background enriches her ability to provide thorough, objective medical record reviews and expert testimony.

Areas of Expertise

Primary Focus Areas:

Acupuncture, Medical Acupuncture & Dry Needling Cases

– Standard of care violations

– Pneumothorax and other complications

– Scope of practice issues

– Safety protocols and informed consent

– Negligence and delay in diagnosis

– Appropriate referral timing

– Evaluation of dry needling techniques performed by non-acupuncturists

Medical Records Review

– Family medicine standard of care

– Urgent care decision-making and triage

– Motor vehicle accident injuries

– Work-related injury assessment

– Return-to-work evaluations

– Treatment necessity and appropriateness

Integrative Medicine Cases

– East-West medicine integration standards

– When referrals between practitioners should occur

– Treatment appropriateness across modalities

Professional Experience

Primary Focus Areas:

Expert Witness Experience

– Oregon Medical Board Expert Consultant (2017-2021)

– Medical records review and consultant reports

– Investigative committee board interviews

– Standard of care and causation analysis

– Current private expert witness practice (2024-present)

– Plaintiff and defense case experience

Clinical Background

– 20+ years clinical experience

– 7 years primary care practice

– 9 years high-volume and high-acuity urgent care

– Extensive clinical experience treating work-related injuries in urgent care settings

– Board-certified in Family Medicine (ABFM)

– Board-certified in Medical Acupuncture (DABMA)

Services Offered

– Medical records review and analysis for plaintiff and defense cases

– Standard of care evaluation

– Causation determination

– Treatment necessity assessment

– Written expert reports

– Deposition testimony

– Trial testimony

Unique Qualifications

Comprehensive Acupuncture & Dry Needling Expertise

Dr. de la Torre evaluates the full spectrum of acupuncture cases as a board-certified medical acupuncturist with extensive training in several needling modalities. With dry needling becoming increasingly legalized across states, her expertise is particularly valuable in assessing:

– Scope of practice boundaries for non-acupuncturists performing dry needling

– Safety standards and training requirements across different practitioner types

– Appropriate protocols for trigger point and myofascial needling techniques

– Standard of care for all forms of acupuncture (traditional, medical, electroacupuncture, dry needling)

Integrated Perspective

Dr. de la Torre’s dual expertise in conventional medicine and medical acupuncture provides invaluable insight for cases involving:

– Complementary and alternative medicine integration

– Cross-disciplinary referral patterns

– Treatment appropriateness across modalities

– When Eastern and Western approaches should intersect, her Oregon Medical Board experience demonstrates a commitment to upholding professional standards and providing objective case evaluation

Professional Affiliations

– Fellow, American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (FAAMA)

– Board Member, AAMA (through 2026); Treasurer (2023-2025)

– Faculty, Helms Medical Institute (acupuncture training program for physicians)

– Member, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)

– Former Member, Oregon Medical Board Acupuncture Advisory Committee (2017-2023)

Geographic Reach

Licensed to Practice: Oregon

Expert Witness Services: National Scope

– Board certifications in both Family Medicine and Medical Acupuncture are national credentials

– Able to review cases and provide expert opinions from any jurisdiction

– As a physician, medical acupuncture is within the scope of practice in most states

– Currently handling out-of-state expert witness cases