Traumatic Injury Expert Witnesses

Physical Medicine & Rehab, Pain Management - Medicine - Traumatic Injury, Standard of Care, Back Injury, Chronic Conditions, Joint Pain, Range of Motion, Return of Function, Rehabilitation, Pain Management

Dr. Neeti Bathia is a board certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who specializes in the diagnosis and management of spine problems and other musculoskeletal complaints. She trained at Weill Cornell Medical College, the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, and she has been practicing medicine in the Bay Area since 2011. She currently works as a Physiatrist in private practice. Dr. Bathia’s clinical expertise includes fluoroscopically guided cervical, thoracic and lumbar epidural injections, facet joint injections, sacroiliac joint injections, and medial branch ablations. She has experience treating conditions that are a result of traumatic injury, over use, chronic medical conditions, sports injuries, and chronic pain. She is also skilled in ultrasound guidance for joint and soft tissue injections, and she has a particular clinical interest in treating pregnant and postpartum women with back and hip pain and people who run ...

Psychology, Psychoanalysis - Traumatic Injury, Correctional Mental Health, Risk Assessment, Traumatic Brain Injury, PTSD, Standard of Care, Institutional Inpatient Care, Disability, Adjustment Disorder, Military Mental Health, IME, Emotional Distress, Fitness for Duty, Competency

Dr. Butler is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She earned her doctoral degree and master’s degree in clinical psychology at Argosy University in Alameda, California. In addition, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and minored in health science at California State University: Hayward, California. Dr. Butler’s administrative and leadership career has included the role of Director of Behavioral Health and Senior Psychologist Specialist which consisted of monitoring and enforcing compliance with government regulations, developing trainings, conducting audits and effectively communicating with stake holders. She has over seven years of experience working with individuals and groups in forensic –based settings, inpatient- based settings, and outpatient community based setting. She has treated adult individuals with co-occurring disorders and those who are dealing with life stressors (e.g., career change, job loss, divorce, trauma, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse). Fu...

Dentist, Oral Surgery - IME, Chronic Pain, Dry Mouth, Traumatic Injury, Cosmetic Dentistry, Standard of Care, Malpractice, Crowns, Dental Implant, Prosthetics, Joint Pain, Orthotics

Dr. Kevin Cebula graduated from the West Virginia School of Dentistry in 2000. After completing a one-year residency at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, he spent 10 years in Lake Havasu City, Arizona practicing general dentistry. He then completed a two-year postdoctoral program in Orofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine at UCLA in order to pursue his interests in TMJ and sleep apnea management. Dr. Cebula specializes in non-surgical TMJ therapy, oral sleep appliances, treatment for headache, neck pain, and chronic dental pain. His dental practice is limited to orofacial pain management and dental sleep medicine. Dr. Cebula has been awarded Fellowship in the American Academy of Orofacial Pain and received board certification from the American Board of Orofacial Pain.

Neurology, Neurophysiology - Traumatic Injury, Nerve Pain, Seizures, Standard of Care, Critical Care, Disability, Back Pain, Stroke, Migraine, Tremor, Movement Disorder, Spine Injury, Motor Vehicle Accidents, TBI, Concussions, Spasticity, Muscle Weakness, Loss of Consciousness, Oxygen Deprivation, Surgical Complications

Dr. Fawaz Faisal is triple board certified in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology, and Sleep Medicine. He began his medical education at the University of Damascus in Damascus, Syria, graduating in 1986. He moved to California in 1987 where he completed his Neurology residency at Standford University Hospital. He then completed additional fellowships in Sleep Medicine and Clinical Neurophysiology at UCLA. He has since served as an assistant clinical professor at UCLA for 20 years. Dr. Faisal holds hospital privileges at Providence St. Joseph Burbank, UCLA Medical Center and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. In addition he has been the president and medical director of Western Neurological Associates in Burbank since 2000. His practice has included treatment of epilepsy, headaches, neuromuscular disorders, sleep disorders and Dementia/Parkinson’s disease.

Chiropractic - IME, malpractice, chiropractic peer review, standard of care, personal injury, chronic back injury, whiplash, sports injury, accidents, practice guidelines, chronic pain, auto accident, traumatic injury, reduced mobility, disability rating

Dr. Robert Froh, D.C., QME has been a board certified chiropractor since 2001. He earned a B.S. in Human Biology from Northwestern Health Sciences University. He began his career in Arizona where he practiced until 2006 when he transitioned to California. Dr. Froh has dedicated his career to clinical practice where he takes pride in helping his patients find pain relief and better mobility. He provides diagnosis and treatment of the spine, shoulder, elbow, knee, hands, and feet. He has experience treating injuries related to arthritis, trauma and work-related injuries. He is currently the owner and director of Dr. Froh Spine and Rehab where he treats patients in Sacramento, California. In addition, he is also a member in good standing of the International Chiropractor’s Association of California.

Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedics - Non-Surgical - Hip Replacement, Joint Replacement, Arthroscopy, Sports Injuries, Scar Reduction, Tendon Tears, Traumatic Injury, Fractures, Ligament Injury, Motor Vehicle Injury, Rotator Cuff Injury, Knee Injury

Dr. Vlad Gendelman received his Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Southern California, and received his Doctorate from University of California at Irvine. Dr. Gendelman went on to complete his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY. During his time in Brooklyn, NY he served as a team physician of Sheepshead Bay High School Varsity and Junior Varsity Football Teams. During his residency he completed rotations through six different New York area hospitals including Brooklyn VA Hospital as well as Kings County Hospital which provides Level 1 trauma care to the surrounding community. Dr. Gendelman is licensed to practice medicine in the state of California, and is board certified with American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is also a certified fluoroscopy supervisor and holds an operator permit. Dr. Gendelman holds membership in various professional organizations, includ...

Forensic Psychology, Psychology - Correctional Mental Health, Institutional Adult and Juvenile Inpatient Care, Pediatric Mental Disability, Autism, Developmental Disorders, Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, Risk Assessment, Malingering, Chronic Pain, Emotional Distress, Cognitive and Functional Capacity

Kerry A. Hannifin, Psy.D. in a licensed forensic and clinical psychologist. Dr. Hannifin is currently a Senior Psychologist Supervisor with the Department of State Hospitals - Patton, where she has been employed for 15 years. In her role at DSH-Patton, Dr. Hannifin oversees the PC 1370, Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST), division of the hospital’s Forensic Evaluation Department, the largest forensic department in the nation. Dr. Hannifin developed and implemented the IST forensic program at DSH-Patton, the first to be fully implemented within the Department of State Hospitals. Dr. Hannifin has extensive forensic experience and has provided expert testimony on various forensic matters. Dr. Hannifin frequently provides forensic trainings, presentations, and consultation. In addition to her work at DSH-Patton, Dr. Hannifin has a forensic private practice. In her practice, Dr. Hannifin serves as a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) and has worked with the Department of Industrial Relatio...

Psychiatry - Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, PTSD, Sexual Offender Risk Assessment, Testamentary Capacity, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Mental Impairment, Disability, Adjustment Disorder, Depression, Psychosis, Personality Disorders, Anxiety, Inpatient Care, Institutional Care, Suicide Risk

Dr. Christopher Heckman is currently a member of the Clinical Operations Advisory Council (COAC) for the California Department of State Hospitals. The Clinical Operations Division facilitates the development, evaluation, and maintenance of clinical standards for California’s Department of State Hospitals (DSH). At the heart of the DSH Clinical Operations Division is the Clinical Operations Advisory Council (COAC), an interdisciplinary team of clinicians from the state hospitals who are devoted to the quality of clinical care and therapeutic services that the DSH provides. Dr. Heckman represents the Department of Psychiatry on the COAC. COAC works closely with clinical leaders to identify best practices within DSH facilities, as well as facilities outside of California and in the current academic literature. While conducting onsite reviews of clinical services, COAC gathers data to design data collection methodologies. These methodologies are used to better understand our patients, i...

Pediatric Psychiatry, Psychiatry - Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Traumatic Injury, Abuse, Standard of Care, Residential Treatment, Addiction, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Disability, Suicide Risk Evaluation, Self Harm, Capacity, Impulse Control, Executive Functioning, Panic Disorder, Intellectual Disability

Dr. Jain’s interest in psychiatry began as an undergraduate at USC where she majored in Neuroscience and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She then went onto Medical School at SUNY Downstate followed by a psychiatry residency at UCLA San Fernando Valley. She then went on to become Chief Resident while completing her fellowship in Child Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA. She is currently double board certified in Psychiatry as well as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has further gone on to become a certified Buprenorphine prescriber, a PEERS certified provider (to provide social skills training to patients on the Autism Spectrum) and a certified psychedelic assisted therapist. Dr. Jain currently works at Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders in Los Angeles; sees patients in Imperial County via telemedicine; and has co-founded Ocean Bay Psychiatry in Santa Monica and treats children, adolescents, and adults. Her practice includes, but is not limited to; the treatment of Adjustment Disorder, A...

Ophthalmology, Neuro-Ophthalmology - Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, Vision Loss, Puncture, Abrasion, Cornea Injury, Retina Injury, Vision Loss, Puncture, Foreign Body, Chemical Injury, Light Sensitivity, Eye Pain, Reduced Night Time Vision, Eye Strain, Optic Nerve, Double Vision, Dry Eyes

Dr. David Kaye is board certified in Ophthalmology by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. He is Fellowship trained in neuro-ophthalmology and refractive surgery and is a comprehensive ophthalmologist. He is also a Fellow of the Legal College of Medicine (J.D) and holds specialized certifications in LASIK, Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK), and Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK). In addition to his broad personal background, he also comes from a family of eight active ophthalmologists. Dr. Kaye has a successful practice in the Central Valley of California. Dr. Kaye is widely respected for consistently providing the most advanced medical technology to his patients. Dr. Kaye introduced Laser Vision Correction to the Central Valley in 1996. He also pioneered disposable contact lenses in the U.S.A. and was awarded patents for his research on detecting glaucoma. He has been performing refractive surgery for over 20 years, including L...

Ophthalmology - Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, Loss of Vision, Corneal Abrasion, Puncture Wounds, Subconjunctival Hemorrhage, Accidents, Blunt Force Trauma, Surgical Complications, Blurry Vision, Blindness, Detached Retina, Inflammation, Foreign Body, Reduced Vision

Dr. Knezevic completed his ophthalmology training at the prestigious Northwestern University, which has consistently been ranked one of the nation’s top medical schools by U.S. News and World Report. Dr. Knezevic continued his surgical training at University of California - Irvine with a Fellowship in Corneal, Anterior Segment, & Refractive surgery. Dr. Knezevic has published many peer-reviewed articles, presented at national conferences, and written a number of book chapters on the topics of dry eye, corneal surgery, and cataract surgery. He has performed an extensive number of sight-saving surgeries abroad, and has been a visiting physician in both India and Nepal. He is motivated to pass his experience on to the next generation by teaching residents and medical students. He holds appointments as a Clinical Instructor of Ophthalmology at UCLA and Medical Staff at Cedars-Sinai.

Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedics - Non-Surgical - Traumatic Injury, Personal Injury, Standard of Care, Sports Injuries, Motor Vehicle Injuries, Fractures, Ligament Injury, Catastrophic Injury, Rotator Cuff Injury, Hip Replacement, Surgical Implants, Knee Replacement, Reconstruction, Surgical Hardware, Devices and Equipment

Dr. Nicholas Kusnezov is a premier, nationally-recognized, board-certified, and fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon currently practicing in Southern California. He specializes in total joint replacement with extensive experience in managing complex sports and traumatic injuries. His interests currently lie in muscle-sparing anterior total hip replacement, state-of-the-art robotic joint replacement, and rapid recovery protocols. Born on the East Coast, he spent his formative years in southern California, graduating summa cum laude from UCLA bioengineering and AOA from the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. He was the only dual recipient of the Edward K Rice Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award and university-wide Outstanding Bachelor of Science Award, in addition to being solely bestowed the Longmire Surgical Society Award for his distinctive achievement and surgical aptitude. After medical school, he subsequently commissioned into the U.S. Military as an officer and co...

Ophthalmology - Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, Vision Loss, Optic Nerve, Dry Eyes, Abrasions, Lacerations, Vision Loss, Eye Strain, Foreign Bodies, Retinal Detachment, Puncture, Chemical Exposure, Scarring, Cornea Injury, Double Vision, Eye Pain, Blurred Vision, Reduced Peripheral and/or Nighttime Vision

Jonathan Macy is a leading ophthalmologist in Los Angeles. He earned his B.A. and M.D. degrees at Boston University in 1976, with election to Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, Dr. Macy moved to Los Angeles to do an Internal Medicine internship at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. A subsequent Research Fellowship at the Doheny Eye Institute led to an Ophthalmology residency at U.S.C., which he completed in 1981. Since completion of his Ophthalmology training, Dr. Macy has been in private practice adjacent to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In addition to his busy office and surgery practice, Dr. Macy is a Past President of the Beverly Hills District of the Los Angeles County Medical Association. He is a Past President of the California Academy of Ophthalmology and was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Olympia Hospital. He is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at both U.S.C. and U.C.L.A. and he is the author of more than 100 chapters, papers and abstracts. Dr. Macy...

Urology & Urological Surgery, Sexual Health - Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, Iatrogenic Ureteral Injury, Incontinence, Erectile Dysfunction, Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Treatment of Infections, Vasectomy, Kidney Injury and Disease, Circumcision, Perforation, Kidney Stones, Loss of Function

Sepehr Nowfar, MD FACS MPH QME completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated with honors in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He then attended Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans where he received his Doctorate of Medicine and Master of Public Health simultaneously. Dr. Nowfar returned to California and completed his urology and general surgery residencies at UC San Diego. He joined West Coast Urology in 2011. In his current practice he focuses on advanced robotic and stone surgery, oncology, and tertiary referrals. He has an in-depth knowledge of urinary and sexual dysfunction, including psychogenic causes of dysfunction. Dr Nowfar is board-certified by the American Board of Urology and serves in many areas of physician leadership. He is Medical Director for Optum-Surgical Care Associates, Expert Medical Reviewer and Utilization Reviewer for multiple medical groups, Medical Executive Board Member, and Medical Credent...

Dermatology - Standard of Care, Traumatic Injury, Personal Injury, Medication Side Effects, Cosmetic Procedures and Outcomes, Alopecia, Practice Management, Disability Rating, Allergies, Psoriasis, Vitiligo, Cysts, Hemangiomas

Dr. Lisa Stirling is a board certified dermatologist with expertise in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. She has practiced clinical dermatology for the past 11 years and telemedicine for the last 5 years. She enjoys caring for patients with complex skin conditions and uses multiple treatment modalities, including topical regimens, light therapy, laser, systemic medications, and biologics. She is specialized in treating patients with skin cancer, including melanoma. Dr. Stirling believes in compassionate care and a patient centered treatment approach, including lifestyle strategies to improve outcomes and focusing on overall wellness. Dr. Stirling earned her undergraduate degree in biology at St. Ben’s University in Minnesota, graduating with the distinction of summa cum laude. She received her medical degree at the University of Minnesota Minneapolis and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. During medical school, she traveled to the Karo...

Emergency Medicine - personal injury, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, failure to diagnose, standard of care, trauma, traumatic injury, cerebral vascular accident, stroke, heart attack, aortic dissection, emergency department, in hospital fall, causation, negligence, compartment syndrome

Hello! I am Dr. Andrew Tisser, a board-certified emergency physician. With a clinical footprint in over 13 diverse hospitals, I've been at the forefront of patient care, ranging from small critical access facilities to huge level 1 trauma centers, spanning both rural and urban settings. My leadership journey has taken me to pivotal roles as Medical Director for both an urgent care facility and a high-volume urban emergency department. As a medicolegal consultant, I’ve been retained by both plaintiff and defense firms in a variety of personal injury and medical malpractice cases. My emphasis? Offering rigorous, evidence-based expert insights on failure to diagnose, standard of care, causation, and all emergency medicine-related concerns. Please understand, that my commitment is to the objective truth of each case. When you reach out, anticipate a prompt, transparent, and unbiased review. Do call or email for an assessment grounded in integrity and expertise.

Forensic Psychology, Psychology - IME, Fitness for Duty, Chronic Pain, Abuse, Competency, Mental Capacity, Traumatic Injury, Psychometric Testing, Malpractice, Malingering, Standard of Care, PTSD

Mark Wolkenhauer, Psy.D., Q.M.E. is a forensic psychologist with extensive experience in treating and evaluating sexual offenders and individuals with severe mental illness. He continues to serve as an expert witness in both Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) and Mentally Disordered Offender (MDO) civil commitment trials across the state. Licensed in California in 1997 (PSY 15147), Dr. Wolkenhauer has worked for the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH), as a unit psychologist at Patton State Hospital (PSH), and currently works for DSH as a Consulting Psychologist. He serves as a mentor and is part of the Quality Improvement Team in the Forensic Services Division. He was on the SVP panel as a contractor and performed hundreds of SVP evaluations and provided expert testimony. In private practice Dr. Wolkenhauer conducted PC 1370/1372 evaluations, was the director of the Inland Empire Sharper Future clinics, served as a mental health consultant for Job Corps, and provided consul...

Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedics - Non-Surgical - Infections of the musculoskeletal system, total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, fractures, compartment syndromes, osteomyelitis, arthritis, joint replacement, fracture nonunion, fracture malunion, traumatic injury, amputation,

Board Certified orthopedic surgeon with more than 3 decades of active clinical practice experience. Award winning Professor of orthopedic surgery at major medical centers including the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; The Hospital for Special Surgery, Cornell University, Weill College of Medicine,NY, NY; Washington University in St. Louis; and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. Decades long experience in teaching medical students, orthopedic surgery residents and orthopedic trauma fellows. Invited lecturer on a host of orthopedic surgery issues locally, nationally and internationally. Widely published in multiple orthopedic surgery peer-reviewed journals, recognized researcher, author and medical editor of textbooks and professional journals. Experienced expert witness in multiple medical malpractice cases, including personal injury cases for the United States Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida and Veteran's Claims and Appeals speciali...

Radiology, Neuroradiology - Brain and Spine Imaging, Musculoskeletal Imaging, Head/Neck Imaging, Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, Personal Injury , Traumatic Brain Injury , Medical Malpractice, Child Abuse, Traumatic Injury , Birth Injury, Pediatrics, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, DTI. Neuroquant, PET Scans, Disc Herniations

Specializing in personal injury, traumatic brain injury, medical malpractice, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and child abuse imaging evaluation. Board Certified in Diagnostic Radiology. CAQ (certificate of added qualification) in Neuroradiology granted by the American Board of Radiology. Senior Member of American Society of Neuroradiology. Fellowship Trained in Neuroradiology Actively practicing diagnostic radiology for 30+ years Performing medical legal radiology related case reviews for 25+ years for both plaintiff and defense Extensive experience in depositions and trial testimony. References relating to medical expert and trial testimony expertise are available upon request.

Emergency Medicine - personal injury, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, failure to diagnose, standard of care, trauma, traumatic injury, cerebral vascular accident, stroke, heart attack, aortic dissection, emergency department, in hospital fall, causation, negligence, compartment syndrome

Hello! I am Dr. Andrew Tisser, a board-certified emergency physician. With a clinical footprint in over 13 diverse hospitals, I've been at the forefront of patient care, ranging from small critical access facilities to huge level 1 trauma centers, spanning both rural and urban settings. My leadership journey has taken me to pivotal roles as Medical Director for both an urgent care facility and a high-volume urban emergency department. As a medicolegal consultant, I’ve been retained by both plaintiff and defense firms in a variety of personal injury and medical malpractice cases. My emphasis? Offering rigorous, evidence-based expert insights on failure to diagnose, standard of care, causation, and all emergency medicine-related concerns. Please understand, that my commitment is to the objective truth of each case. When you reach out, anticipate a prompt, transparent, and unbiased review. Do call or email for an assessment grounded in integrity and expertise.

Emergency Medicine - personal injury, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, failure to diagnose, standard of care, trauma, traumatic injury, cerebral vascular accident, stroke, heart attack, aortic dissection, emergency department, in hospital fall, causation, negligence, compartment syndrome

Hello! I am Dr. Andrew Tisser, a board-certified emergency physician. With a clinical footprint in over 13 diverse hospitals, I've been at the forefront of patient care, ranging from small critical access facilities to huge level 1 trauma centers, spanning both rural and urban settings. My leadership journey has taken me to pivotal roles as Medical Director for both an urgent care facility and a high-volume urban emergency department. As a medicolegal consultant, I’ve been retained by both plaintiff and defense firms in a variety of personal injury and medical malpractice cases. My emphasis? Offering rigorous, evidence-based expert insights on failure to diagnose, standard of care, causation, and all emergency medicine-related concerns. Please understand, that my commitment is to the objective truth of each case. When you reach out, anticipate a prompt, transparent, and unbiased review. Do call or email for an assessment grounded in integrity and expertise.

Psychiatry - Traumatic Injury, PTSD, Institutional Care, Standard of Care, IIED, ECT, Inpatient Care, Mental Impairment, Disability, Suicide Risk, Fitness for Duty, Adjustment Disorders, Anxiety, Depression, Athletic Performance Enhancement, NP Supervision, Telehealth, Somatic Disorders

MaryEllen Eller, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is also certified as a master psychopharmacologist by the Neuroscience Education Institute. Dr. Eller completed her undergraduate studies at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biology. She earned her medical degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at the Loma Linda University Department of Psychiatry, where she focused on general adult psychiatry, with a special emphasis in leadership and performance optimization. Dr. Eller served in a variety of capacities at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California. She was a resident physician in the university’s department of psychiatry for three years, followed by a year as the department’s chief resident. She also served as a per diem psychiatrist in the inpatient chemical dependency unit at the university’s Behavio...