Trauma, emergency surgery and critical care expert

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Dr. Charity Evans is a nationally recognized trauma, emergency general surgery, and critical care surgeon with extensive experience in the management of critically ill and injured patients. She is double board-certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care by the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Evans is a Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), where she practices full-time at a high-volume American College of Surgeons verified Level I adult and Level 2 pediatric academic trauma center, providing expert care for patients with blunt and penetrating trauma, surgical emergencies, and complex critical illness. Dr. Evans brings a distinctive combination of frontline clinical expertise, health system leadership, and academic experience to her work as an expert witness. Her areas of specialization include trauma surgery, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care, with particular expertise in complications related to cholecystectomy, appendectomy, bowel obstruction and perforation, hernia repair, hemorrhage, sepsis, and ICU management. She has extensive experience evaluating surgical decision-making, timing of intervention, postoperative complications, and adherence to standards of care in high-acuity and time-sensitive clinical environments. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Evans serves in multiple leadership roles that provide a systems-level perspective on patient care and hospital operations. She is Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery, Program Director of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, and Co-Medical Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at UNMC. She also serves on institutional committees focused on patient safety, capacity management, and clinical operations, providing her with insight into hospital systems, throughput, and quality oversight relevant to complex medical-legal cases. Dr. Evans earned her Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science in Healthcare Management from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She completed her general surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine and fellowship training in Surgical Critical Care at the University of California, Davis—both nationally recognized programs in trauma and critical care. She is an active Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and serves as Chair of the Nebraska Committee on Trauma and Education Program Chair for Disaster Education within the ACS Committee on Trauma. These roles reflect her leadership in trauma systems development, disaster preparedness, and standards of care at both regional and national levels. Dr. Evans is also a funded investigator and leader in trauma-informed care and hospital-based violence intervention, with multiple federally and foundation-funded programs. Her work demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of patient outcomes across the continuum of care, including the clinical, social, and system-level factors that influence recovery and complications. As an expert witness, Dr. Evans has the expertise to provide case review, expert reports, deposition, and trial testimony in matters involving surgical error, delayed or inappropriate intervention, postoperative complications, ICU management, and trauma care. She is known for delivering clear, objective, and well-reasoned opinions, and for translating complex medical and surgical concepts into language that is accessible to attorneys, judges, and juries. Her opinions are grounded in current evidence-based practice, national guidelines, and real-world experience in a high-acuity academic medical center.