Records & case review
Independent review of medical records, photographs, examination documentation, and the relevant literature, applying the science to the specific facts of your case.
Medical-Forensic Expert Review & Testimony
First, do know harm.
Independent expert review and testimony in cases of sexual assault, strangulation, intimate partner violence, and child abuse. I read the records, apply the current science to the facts, and report what the evidence supports. Retained by prosecution and defense.
The expert
An independent opinion, held to the same standard for either party.
Benjamin O. Weger, MD, FAAP
I am a board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist with an extensive background in forensic healthcare examination. My clinical background spans prehospital, nursing, and physician practice: I trained and worked as a paramedic and registered nurse before earning my medical degree, and I have served as a U.S. Army physician. I hold board certifications from the American Board of Pediatrics in General Pediatrics (2014) and Adolescent Medicine (2020), am licensed in North Carolina and Indiana, and have performed and supervised medical-forensic examinations since 2019.
Since 2022 I have consulted and testified in courts-martial and related proceedings in North Carolina and across the United States and overseas, retained by both the defense and the government. My forensic training includes the Defense Health Agency Forensic Healthcare Examiner course and a five-course progression through the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention (2022–2026), and I helped draft the DHA Forensic Healthcare Procedure Manual (2020). Where the evidence does not support the retaining party's theory of the case, my report and my testimony reflect that, regardless of which party has retained me. A summary CV is available on this site; the full CV and fee schedule are available on request.
First Do Know Harm is an independent practice, and the name is deliberate. In a courtroom, avoiding harm requires knowing what the findings mean, what they do not mean, and where the settled science ends.
Dr. Weger also teaches community trauma-response and preparedness courses through Sandhills Readiness.
Expert & legal
Where the medicine meets the case file.
Independent medical-forensic review and testimony for prosecution and defense. Four areas of focused expertise, applied to the specific facts in front of us.
Sexual assault & SAFE exams
Interpretation of medical-forensic examination findings, the evidence and the limits of it, and what the literature does and does not allow you to conclude.
Strangulation
The clinical picture of non-fatal strangulation, the frequent absence of external findings, documentation, and the science behind the testimony.
Intimate partner violence
Patterns of injury, the medical record in context, and the difference between what a finding suggests and what it proves.
Child abuse
Careful, literature-grounded review of pediatric findings, including the differential, the mimics, and the boundaries of what can be said.
Working a case now? See how an independent review works for the prosecution or for the defense.
What I provide
Depositions & interviews
Availability for deposition and pretrial interviews, with clear explanation of the findings, the methods, and the honest limits of what they support.
Written expert reports
Clear, defensible written reports that state the basis for each opinion and don't reach past the evidence. Plain language where it helps a jury; precision where it matters.
Expert testimony
Testimony at trial, in the United States and overseas, for prosecution or defense. Since 2022 I have consulted and testified in legal proceedings, including courts-martial, in North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, California, Germany, and Italy.
How it works
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Conflict & fit check
Tell me the jurisdiction and the question. I confirm there is no conflict and that the question falls within my qualifications before any materials change hands.
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Review the materials
I read the records, the documentation, and the relevant literature, and form an opinion grounded in the evidence rather than the desired outcome.
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Report & consult
A written report when you need one, and direct consultation either way, including the parts of the case the science does not help you with.
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Deposition & testimony
Deposition, pretrial interviews, and testimony at trial, CONUS or OCONUS, as the case requires.
“I present what the evidence supports, to whichever side is asking, and I will not pretend it shows more than it does.”
The standard, both directions
Common questions
Questions attorneys ask.
What are your qualifications?
MD from Indiana University School of Medicine; board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in General Pediatrics (2014) and Adolescent Medicine (2020); Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics; licensed in North Carolina and Indiana. Forensic training includes the Defense Health Agency Forensic Healthcare Examiner course and the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention (five courses, 2022-2026). I have performed and supervised medical-forensic examinations since 2019 and consulted and testified in proceedings across the United States and overseas since 2022. Full CV available on request.
Do you work for prosecution or defense?
Both. I accept engagements from prosecution and defense, applying the same standards and the same fee structure in either case. Where the evidence does not support the retaining party's theory of the case, my opinion reflects that.
What cases do you take?
Sexual assault and SAFE/SANE exams, non-fatal strangulation, intimate partner violence, and child abuse: records review, written reports, deposition, and trial testimony.
Where can you testify?
CONUS and OCONUS, for prosecution or defense, subject to a conflict and fit check.
How do I start?
Tell me the jurisdiction and the question you need answered. I confirm there's no conflict and that it's a question I'm qualified to answer. If it isn't, I'll say so. Please don't send privileged material before we've cleared the conflict check.
What does an engagement cost?
Work is billed at an hourly rate with an upfront retainer; deposition and trial testimony are billed separately. Contact me with the scope and I'll provide the fee schedule.
Contact
Discuss a case.
Tell me the jurisdiction and the question you need answered. I'll tell you if I'm the right person for it. If I'm not, I'll say so.
info@firstdoknowharm.comor call (812) 236-7027
Inquiries only. Please don't send privileged or protected material until we've confirmed there's no conflict and agreed how to proceed.