Degenerative Disc Disease Expert Witnesses

El Cajon, California

Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine - Trauma, Upper extremity Infection, Ligament Tears, Spine - Non-operative, Lower Extremity Infection, Fractures, Upper Extremity Fracture, ACL, Tendon Tears, Lower Extremity Fracture, PCL, Joint Dislocations, Degenerative Disc Disease

Dr. Kian Raiszadeh, MD is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon in San Diego, CA and has over 22 years of experience in the medical field. He is sub-specialized in sports medicine and trauma, with additional sub-specialization in shoulder and knee surgery. Dr. Raiszadeh also has an additional sub-specialty as a non-operative spine surgeon. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1998 and then completed his medical school at UC San Diego in 2002. He later completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Rutgers University in New Jersey in 2007. Dr. Raiszadeh then completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. After practicing as a Sports Medicine Orthopedic Surgeon at Kaiser Permanente for seven (7) years, he spent five (5) years as an Orthopedic Traumatologist in San Francisco. Dr. Raiszadeh also founded SpineZone - a company focused on non-operative orthopedic care. He guided the company's growth for 9 years as the CEO, ensuring the company's focus on a holistic a...

Sacramento, California

Physical Medicine & Rehab, Pain Management - Medicine - Spinal cord injury, Disc herniation, Lumbar injury, Neuropathic pain, CRPS, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal stenosis, Thoracic injury, Amputation, Disability, Failed back surgery, Whiplash, Cervical injury, Interventional pain procedures, Brain injury, Motor vehicle accident, Concussion, Radiculopathy, Falls, Opioids

Merna Naji, MD is a dual-board-certified physician in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Pain Medicine, offering a unique, function-focused and evidence-based perspective in medical-legal cases involving pain, injury, and disability. Her dual certification allows her to evaluate not only pain generation and treatment, but also functional impairment, recovery trajectory, and long-term outcomes—an expertise combination particularly valuable in complex personal injury, workers’ compensation, and disability matters. Dr. Naji completed her Interventional Pain Medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where she served as Chief Fellow, and her PM&R residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, Davis, where she is actively involved in teaching pain fellows and PM&R residents. Her PM&R background provides a strong foundati...

Orlando , Florida

Diagnostic Radiology, Neuroradiology - Musculoskeletal Radiology, Expert Witness, Disc Herniation, Plaintiff and Defense Representation, Spine MRI Interpretation, Trial Testimony, Degenerative Disc Disease, Independent Medical Examination, Deposition Testimony, Causation Analysis, Radiology Record Review, Traumatic Brain Injury, Objective Image Analysis

Dr. Michael P. O’Neill is a fellowship-trained Neuroradiologist with over 30 years of experience in diagnostic radiology. He completed his Neuroradiology fellowship and Diagnostic Radiology residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the State University of New York at Buffalo and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, with prior studies in Electrical Engineering at Cornell University. Dr. O’Neill is Board-Certified by the American Board of Radiology and licensed to practice medicine in the State of Florida since 2004. He is President of Professional Radiology Associates, P.A. in Orlando, Florida, where he oversees a high-volume private practice with more than 300,000 MRI and CT interpretations. His clinical expertise includes MRI and CT imaging of the brain, spine, and musculoskeletal system. Dr. O’Neill is the Founder and Managing Member of Radiology Review Services LLC, where he has provided Independent Medical Examina...

Champaign, Illinois

Orthopedic Surgery, Spine Surgery & Spine Care - Orthopedic Spine Surgery, Complex Adult Revision Surgery, Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar Spine Disorders, Degenerative Disc Disease, Herniated Disc, Sciatica, Spinal Stenosis, Spondylolisthesis, Osteoporotic Compression Fractures, Independent Medical Evaluations

Jesse P. Butler, MD, CIME, ABOS certified, fellowship trained and certified independent medical examiner and practicing spine surgeon. Dr. Butler offers an evidenced based medical opinion for spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx) related cases. He has extensive experience with Independent Medical Evaluations (IME), Section 12 examinations, AMA Guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment 6th edition, record reviews, expert witness, trial testimony and complex and revision spine surgery. Dr. Butler is a past member of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission Medical Fee Advisory Board (2004-2011). Northwestern University - Orthopedic Surgical Residency, Chicago, Illinois Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center - Spine Surgery Fellowship, Chicago, Illinois Highly credible expert witness renowned for clear defensible medical opinions.

Evansville, Indiana

Spine Surgery & Spine Care, Orthopedic Surgery - Hip dislocation, Spinal Cord Injury, Cauda Equina Syndrome, Back pain, Neck pain, Knee replacement, Hip replacement, shoulder replacement, fracture, postoperative infection, Cervical spine injury, Failed back surgery syndrome, Lumbar disc herniation, Degenerative disc disease, Spinal stenosis, Compression fracture

To Whom It May Concern, At the age of 17, I was accepted to Indiana University School of Medicine through the 8-year BS/MD program. At my college graduation, I was awarded the President's Medal--the highest award given to a graduating senior. In medical school, I graduated as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, which recognizes the top 15% of medical school graduates. I completed my residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, California. I completed a minimally invasive and outpatient spine surgery fellowship at Masson Spine Institute in Orlando, FL under the tutelage of neurosurgeon, Robert Masson, MD. For the past 4 years, I have practiced in private practice, hospital employed, and academic environments. I contributed extensively to the scientific literature with over 40 publications, book chapters, abstracts, and presentations. I have been recognized for research excellence with awards from the WOA (Western Orthopaedic Association), ORS (Orthopaedic Research Societ...