
Malpractice Litigation and Advocacy
From Doctors and Litigation: The L Word by Gita Pensa MD
December 16, 2025 · 55 min · Season 3 · Episode 3
About this episode
This episode discusses tort reform in the US and features insights from physician-lawyer Dr. Shilpa Mathew.
This month we take a high level view of the landscape of 'tort reform' in the US (and what does that even mean?) Physician-lawyer Dr. Shilpa Mathew, MD JD, walks us through some basics of tort law and advocacy efforts in the US, how you can get involved, and why it matters. (Note: Dr. Mathew's views expressed in this podcast are strictly her own, and not representative of her employer or ACOG.) Shilpa Mathew, MD, JD, is a Northern California physician double board-certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Lifestyle Medicine. She is a former practicing attorney who spent the latter half of her legal career focused on health insurance and regulatory compliance and brings a unique perspective to the intersection of law, medicine, and policy. She has long been active in health advocacy and policy efforts—ranging from things such as pro bono legal work to protect basic health rights of foreign detainees in US prisons to serving as a medical student delegate to the California and American Medical Associations. She has a particular passion for issues related to medical malpractice and focused her residency research project on malpractice knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of OB/GYN…
People in this episode
Host: Gita Pensa MD
Guest: Shilpa Mathew, MD JD
Topics covered
- tort reform
- malpractice litigation
- health advocacy
- medical policy
- physician-lawyer perspective
Keywords
- tort reform
- malpractice
- health advocacy
- physician-lawyer
- medical policy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Places: United States, Northern California
More episodes of Doctors and Litigation: The L Word
- Perfectionism in Medicine and Litigation · May 18, 2026 · 51 min
- The Weaponization of Punitive Damages · April 16, 2026 · 46 min
- "Reviving Fairness" in Malpractice Litigation: John Hall Returns · March 19, 2026 · 45 min
- The Educated Defendant, Part Two: An Elite Trial Attorney's Advice · February 19, 2026 · 26 min
- The Educated Defendant: An Attorney's Best Asset · January 18, 2026 · 56 min
- The Blame Game: Finger Pointing in Charting and Litigation · November 16, 2025 · 44 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Doctors and Litigation: The L Word podcast page.