Judge Rejects Pharmaceutical Experts' $1,000-Plus Hourly Fee Request

MIAMI - A federal judge has determined that the more than $1,000 per hour rate charged by a plaintiff's expert to appear for deposition in a Zicam personal injury case is unreasonable, as it fails to reflect the compensation the doctor likely receives for treating patients in his clinical practice. Dobson v. Matrixx Initiatives Inc., et al., No. 05-80984 (S.D. Fla.).

In a March 20 order, Judge Kenneth L. Ryskamp of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida reduced Dr. Alan Hirsch's per-hour appearance fee to $500, which Judge Ryskamp said is more in line with the …