Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Expert Surgeon platform ("Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

Expert Surgeon is a technology platform that connects attorneys with qualified surgical expert witnesses for medical-legal case review. The platform provides AI-augmented document processing, case matching, and workflow tools. Expert Surgeon is a technology provider and does not itself provide medical opinions, legal advice, or expert witness testimony.

3. User Accounts

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use.

4. Fees and Payment

The Service involves two types of fees:

• Platform Subscription: Monthly or annual fees for access to AI tools, expert matching, and case management. Billed to your firm via Stripe.
• Expert Engagement Fees: Per-engagement fees for expert services (case review, deposition, testimony). Experts set their own rates, which are published on their profiles. A retainer deposit is typically required before engagement begins and is credited against billable hours.

All payments are processed through Stripe. Expert fees are billed in quarter-hour increments unless otherwise specified in the expert's fee schedule. Subscription fees are non-refundable except as required by law. Unused retainer balances are refundable per the expert's published cancellation policy.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to misuse the Service, including: uploading malicious content, attempting to access other users' data, reverse-engineering the platform, or using the Service for any unlawful purpose.

6. Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of all documents and data you upload. Expert Surgeon retains ownership of the platform, AI models, and generated analyses. AI-generated summaries and reports are provided as tools to assist expert review and do not constitute independent medical or legal opinions.

7. Limitation of Liability

Expert Surgeon provides technology tools and is not responsible for the opinions, testimony, or professional conduct of expert witnesses connected through the platform. Our liability is limited to the fees paid for the Service in the twelve months preceding the claim.

8. Termination

Either party may terminate the Service at any time. Upon termination, your access will be revoked and your data will be retained per our data retention policy before deletion.

9. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflict of law principles.

10. Expert Engagement Terms

Expert witnesses on the platform are independent contractors, not employees of Expert Surgeon. When engaging an expert:

• Expert rates, billing increments, and minimum engagement terms are set by each expert and published on their profile.
• Retainer deposits are held and applied against billable hours. Overages are invoiced monthly.
• Cancellation fees for scheduled depositions or trial testimony are governed by the individual expert's cancellation policy.
• Expert opinions and testimony are the sole responsibility of the expert. Expert Surgeon facilitates the connection but does not guarantee the content or quality of expert work product.

11. Contact

Questions about these Terms should be directed to legal@expertsurgeon.com.