Medical Record Review Expert Witnesses: 78

Dr. Ronnie I. Mimran, a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon, and former Oakland Raiders NFL Team Neurosurgeon, specializes in Spinal Cord Injuries, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Complex Spinal Surgeries. He is the Medical Director of Neurosurgery and the Neuroscience Department Chair at Sutter Medical Center where he maintains an active clinical practice. 

Litigation Support - As an award-winning teacher, Dr. Mimran brings the capacity to effectively and succinctly communicate complex neurological concepts to his medical-legal practice. He provides Forensic Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Malpractice / Standard of Care services to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant, including medical record review, thorough reporting, depositons, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Selected Background Experience

• Neurosurgeon Sutter West Bay Medical Group, San Francisco, CA December 2020 – present
• Chairman, Department of Neuroscience Sutter Eden Medical Center, Castro Valley, CA December 2021 – present
• Medical Director, Neurosurgery Sutter Eden Medical Center, Castro Valley, CA 2015 -- present
• Adjunct Clinical Professor UCSF Department of Neurosurgery 2006 – present
• Vice Chairman, Department of Neuroscience Sutter Eden Medical Center, Castro Valley, CA December 2019 – December 2021
• Neurosurgeon Pacific Brain and Spine, Danville, CA July 2005 – December 2020
• NFL Team Neurosurgeon Oakland Raiders, Alameda, CA 2009 – 2020

Dr. Mimran completed medical school at the University of Southern California. He subsequently completed a General Surgery Internship, Residency in Neurological Surgery, and Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, at the University of Florida. During residency and fellowship, Dr. Mimran received the Charles Shank Award for Excellence in Neurosurgery, was a Delegate Fellow for the Council of Neurosurgical Societies, and was honored as the Outstanding Resident Educator in 2002. 

Between 2016-2018, Dr. Mimran completed an MBA at Cornell University. Dr. Mimran has published chapters and peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques, Clinical Intervention Aging and the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. He has successfully patented two neurosurgical devices.

Brent Moelleken, MD, FACS is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon practicing in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara. Double board certified, he received his training at Harvard University, Yale University, UCSF, and UCLA. Dr. Moelleken is one of three specialty-trained surgeons in the world to complete the year-long Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at UCLA. He is an Attending Surgeon and Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at UCLA, where he often performs surgeries and teaches residents. Here, he specializes in patients diagnosed with skin cancers in the facial area who require complex, artful reconstructions. 

Dr. Moelleken has innovated various procedures including LiveFill®, autologous fat-fascial grafts; the USIC® & LUSIC® cheeklifts, short incision cheeklifts; the 360 Facelift®, a comprehensive natural appearing facelift procedure; and the Hybrid Tummy Tuck®, a short incision tummy tuck for fit moms. He believes in publishing the results of his innovations in peer-reviewed journals. Results of Dr. Moelleken’s studies have been published in books, articles, and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal. Dr. Moelleken provides free surgical services to Veterans at the West Los Angeles Veteran's Hospital through his UCLA affiliation, and has his own charity, the About Face Foundation ™, helping children and victims of violence or crime who might otherwise be unable to afford reconstructive services. Several of his charity patients have been featured in local and national television and print segments.

Litigation Support - Dr. Brent Moelleken provides expert witness support for insurance companies and counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. His services include medical case review, depositions, and trial testimony when necessary. Dr. Moelleken has trial experience with the following issues:

View Dr. Moelleken's Consulting Profile.

MRK Medical Consultants provides Medical-Legal Evaluations to help legal and insurance professionals reach appropriate conclusions about their client's situations. MRK provides a wide array of medical experts that offer objective review and analysis of personal injuries. Each stage of the process—research to review, analysis to opinion—is addressed in a comprehensive manner in order to help legal and insurance professionals reach appropriate conclusions about their client’s situations. MRK's prestigious list of more than forty consultants are active clinicians and surgeons, who are all board-certified or eligible in one or more specialties. MRK provides physician experts to the entire State of California, the Reno/Lake Tahoe area, and Las Vegas, and we travel to many areas of the United States. Physical therapy, registered nurses, physician assistant, and billing review consultants are available services MRK provides. Our office physicians are available for telephone review of the merits of your case before you decide to proceed.  

Edward W. Younger, III, M.D., Medical Director of MRK Medical Consultants, specializes in Orthopedic Surgery. He has extensive experience in total joint replacement, as well as reconstructive surgery of the knee, hip, and shoulder. He was instrumental in bringing computer navigation technology to his hospital. He served on the orthopedic trauma staff at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, California, for more than fifteen years and was instrumental in bringing computer navigation technology to that institution. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Society and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, a member of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the California Orthopedic Association.

Dr. Michael R. Klein, Jr., M.D., specializes in Orthopedic Surgery and is a founding member and the first Medical Director of Northern California Orthopedic Centers. He was involved with the development of the orthopedic section of the Level II Trauma Center at Mercy San Juan Medical Center. He served as a clinical professor at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center for more than thirty years. He has been a member of the North American Spine Society since 2009 and was awarded the David O. Selby Award in 2020 for his contributions. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and a member of the American Medical Association and the California Medical Association. He retired from the USAF in 1998 after being on active duty during the Vietnam War, and he was activated for Operation Desert Storm in 1991. 

MRK's Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Robert Evans, PhD,  is a Licensed School Psychologist with over 30 years of experience in the behavioral sciences, including completing over 100 Child Custody Evaluations. Dr. Evans serves as a consultant to the medical, legal, and law enforcement community in Florida on Psychological and Educational matters. He consulted with Orange County Public Defender with cases involving arrest and incarceration of children, including Competency Assessments and Insanity Determinations. He has also provided Critical Incident Stress Debriefings to victims of crime in the Central Florida area. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Evans specializes in Parental Alienation cases which are commonly among those classified as High Conflict Divorce cases and he has written a book on Parental Alienation. He provides litigation support to counsel for both Plaintiff and Defense. His services include support with hearing / trial preparations, review of current evaluations, and support during and after the litigation process. 

Dr. Evans has given sworn testimony as a Forensic Psychology expert witness in NY, IL, PA, GA, FL, IA, ID, CO, OH, TX, TN, LA, MA, MD, MO, NC, SC, WA, and OR. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Parental Alienation
• Child Custody Evaluations
• False Allegations of Abuse
• Treatment Considerations for Alienated Children

Dr. Farr Ajir, MD, MBA, FACS, CIME, is a Board Certified Neurosurgeon with more than 35 years of experience in the treatment of disorders of the Brain and Spine. He is also Certified by the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (CIME).

Dr. Ajir has been staff neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic and Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Systems.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and California Association of Neurological Surgeons. He is a Certified Physician Executive (CPE) with many years of leadership and administrative experience in healthcare delivery.

Litigation Support - As an expert neurosurgeon with decades of experience, Dr. Ajir offers services to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. He performs Independent Medical Examination, and provides expert reviews and medical-legal opinions. Dr. Ajir holds medical licenses in California, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin, and Utah. 

Areas of Expertise: 

Brain

Spine

Kent C. Sasse, MD, MPH, FACS, FASCRS, FASMBS, is a Bariatric surgery thought leader.  Performed over 5,000 primary bariatric surgical procedures and 500 revisional bariatric procedures. Medical Director of nationally accredited bariatric surgery center. Award-winning teacher. Widely published scientist. Author of the nine books. Inventor and patent holder of bariatric surgical device. 

Clinical Experience includes: bariatric surgery and endoscopy, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, duodenal switch, reoperative surgery, revisional surgery, hiatal hernia, wound care, Barrett's esophagus, hernia mesh, hernia mesh explantation, endoscopic stenting, leaks, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and solving complications. Prolific public speaker. University of Nevada School of Medicine faculty. Experienced expert witness at both deposition and trial. www.SasseSurgical.com/books. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Sasse has served as a medico-legal consultant to attorneys involved in complex litigation. He has provided extensive expert reviews of complex cases for the State of Nevada, for independent insurance and disability carriers, and for the United States Air Force. He brings to each and every case a level of experience and unparalleled dedication to preparation, excellent service, and insightful review. His expert testimony has proven highly valuable , serving both defense and plaintiff to reach the truth. 

Dr. Sasse is a sought after speaker and an experienced trial witness, having logged many hours on the witness stand in highly charged cases. He brings a commitment to objectivity and thoroughness to each and every case. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Dr. Sasse's Consulting Profile.

Arnold J. Weil, MD has over 33 years of experience specializing in Non-Surgical Orthopaedics and Pain Management. A Diplomat of the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Chief Executive Officer of Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, P.C., one of the premier orthopaedic practices in the metro Atlanta area. 

Dr. Weil's practice focuses on conservative, non-surgical care of orthopaedic injuries and pain management, including a variety of interventional injections, therapy and pharmacologic management. He treats patients with back and neck pain and a variety of other orthopaedic conditions and is one of the leading experts on Spine Care and Disability Management.

Video: Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, P.C. | The Overview

Litigation Support - Arnold J. Weil, MD provides litigation support services to attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants. He has maintained an unbiased reputation in the medical and legal community. Dr. Weil's experience includes over 300 depositions, medical-legal reviews, peer reviews, and trial appearances. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Dr. Weil's Consulting Profile.

• Thoracic Surgery
• Vascular, Endovascular surgery and Phlebology
• Non-invasive Vascular Testing
• Wound Care

Armond Kotikian, DDS, MD, FACS, is double board certified in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In the clinic setting, Dr. Kotikian routinely performs IV sedations for complex cases including impacted wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, bone grafting and tumor excisions. He specializes in:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma
• Infections
• Oral Pathology Resection and Reconstruction
• Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients (surgical and non-surgical)
• Craniofacial Anomalies (orthognathic surgery / corrective jaw surgery)

Litigation Support - A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Kotikian has extensive experience as an expert witness in the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry. His Dental law and Dentistry services have been requested all over the country. Dr. Kotikian has been an expert witness on over 125 malpractice cases, given depositions on over 65 cases and testified at court over the past six years. His cases have included a wide variety of issues related to the Oral and Maxillofacial region including

• Oral Pathology
• Nerve Injuries
• TMJ Issues
• Oral Trauma
• Oral and Facial Fractures and Lacerations
• Injuries related to Extraction of Teeth
• Injuries related to Dental Implant \ Surgery
• Orthognathic Surgery Complications
• Head and Neck Infections related to Teeth and Salivary Glands

More information at www.oralsurgeryexpertwitness.com

View Dr. Kotikian's Consulting Profile. 

Vicki Petropoulos, DMD, MS, FACP, holds a B.A. from Smith College, a D.M.D. from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, a Certificate in Prosthodontics as well as a M.S. in Oral Biology for her work in Implant Dentistry from Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry.

Dr. Vicki Petropoulos is a Board Certified Prosthodontist with over 32 years of experience in Dentistry and Prosthodontics.  She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics, a Fellow of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics, a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists and a member of the OKU Honorary Dental Society.  

Dr. Petropoulos has extensive teaching experience in her specialty having been a tenured faculty at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine for 20 years where she was engaged in private practice, and critical research projects. She currently holds the distinction of Emeritus Standing Faculty from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.  She has been widely published with over 33 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals in the areas of prosthodontics, implant dentistry and advanced restorative dentistry.   Additionally, she is a frequent lecturer at international, national and local dental conferences and dental societies.

During her career, Dr. Petropoulos  has received major Prosthodontic awards at both national and local levels in recognition for her excellence in patient care.  She is the recipient of the Charles E. English Award for her novel approach to delivering care for a patient.  In 2012, her treatment and passion for a complex reconstruction was showcased in the prestigious Journal of Prosthodontics’ special edition “Inspirational Cases in Prosthetic Dentistry” for her life changing treatment of a patient using implants which transformed their life.

Areas of Expertise: Dr. Petropoulos is experienced with over 20 years of providing opinion and testimony for the following areas:

Case Evaluation Screening Report and In Depth Report

Dr. Petropoulos has worked equally doing plaintiff work and defense work. She will review your case and determine its merit based on the applicable standard of care in dentistry and any deviations from those standards.  An opinion will be presented as to occurrence of malpractice / negligence.

She will also provide a comprehensive report which will include the case’s merit and applicable standards of care and deviations if any, and for the likelihood or absence of negligence and dental malpractice.

Thomas J. Zaydon, MD, FACS,  is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with over 30 years of experience.. Dr. Zaydon is the founder of The Plastic Surgery Institute of Miami and is a recognized authority on Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. During his tenure, he continues to work in the emergency room, providing surgical evaluations and performing procedures on patients who need traumatic care.

Dr. Zaydon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has authored numerous articles and chapters on various aspects of plastic surgery. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Zaydon serves as a plastic surgery expert witness on liability cases around the country. He has had the opportunity to work both with defense and plaintiff attorneys. He is a certified expert witness in the field of plastic surgery for the State of Florida. He works for both plaintiff and defense attorneys.

Dr. Zaydon can provide factual synthesis regarding plastic surgery management. As part of his expertise, he navigates medical records and understands procedural terminology. On request, he has prepared numerous comprehensive plastic surgery examinations in conjunction with depositions, trial testimony, and legal documents.

Video: Plastic Surgeon As Expert Witness: How to Choose Your Expert Witness - A Guide for Lawyers

Areas of Expertise:

Neal C. Buddensiek, MD, DNBPAS, HMDC, CMD, WCC has over 17 years of experience practicing Internal Medicine, and over 11 years of experience practicing as an attending physician in Post Acute Care. 

Dr. Buddensiek is medical consultant for one of the largest Catholic Long-Term Care / Senior Living companies in the United States (26 skilled nursing facilities comprising 2,100+ beds, 28 assisted living facilities comprising 2,100+ units, 5 Midwestern states). He holds active medical licenses in multiple Midwestern states. For 5 years, Dr. Buddensiek has taught Internal Medicine residents and nurse practitioners about nursing home and residential care.

Dr. Buddensiek is an Expert in:

• Long Term Medical Care and Administrative Oversight (8 skilled nursing facility medical directorships; 1000+ resident chart reviews for safety and quality control).
• Assisted Living Medical Care and Administrative Oversight (5 assisted living facility medical directorships; 500+ resident chart reviews for safety and quality control). 
•  Hospice Medical Care and Administrative Oversight (2 hospice agency medical directorships; average daily census 400+ hospice patients, 3 Midwestern states). 

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Yana Puckett, MD, MBA, MPH, MSc, FSSO, is a double board-certified Breast Surgical Oncologist specializing in the diagnosis and surgical management of breast cancer. Fellowship-trained in Complex General Surgical Oncology, she provides expert review of:

Dr. Puckett performs both breast cancer surgery and oncoplastic reconstruction, offering a unique dual perspective on surgical decision-making, technique, complication patterns, and causation. She evaluates adherence to national guidelines (NCCN, ASCO, SSO/ASTRO) and key trial data including Z0011, SOUND, and targeted axillary dissection principles.

Her expert services include medical record and imaging review, operative analysis, evaluation of diagnostic timelines, opinions on standard of care, written reports, affidavits, deposition testimony, and trial testimony. She also performs Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) for breast cancer–related disability questions.

Dr. Puckett is known for clear, concise, evidence-based opinions and strong communication with attorneys. She accepts select plaintiff and defense cases nationwide.

Research & Planning Consultants, LP (RPC) has been assisting clients with expert services for over 45 years, including consulting and expert witness testimony for personal injury, healthcare litigation, commercial litigation and Certificate of Need matters. RPC also offers a wide selection of health data. They have served clients across the U.S, from Alaska to Florida and from New England to California. 

A Complete Team of Damages Experts for Personal Injury Litigation

Research & Planning Consultants, LP provides the following services: 

• PERSONAL INJURY - RPC provides comprehensive damages analysis in personal injury litigation. Their expert team has life care planners, vocational evaluators, board-certified physicians, economists and neuropsychologists. 

Areas of Expertise include: Life Care Plans, Loss of Earning Capacity or Support, Present Value of Damages, Medical Bill Analysis, Chargemaster Analysis, Neuropsychological Testing & Traumatic Brain Injury, Vocational Evaluations, IMEs, Section 18.001, Prestanding ED Chargemaster Analysis

• COMMERCIAL LITIGATION- RPC has provided expert analysis on commercial litigation concerning many industries: chemicals, refining, forestry, waste management, pipelines, water resources, oil and gas EDP, fisheries, agriculture, electrical generating plants, transmission lines, telecommunications, and real estate development. Our special expertise in the healthcare industry has proven valuable to business litigators unfamiliar with this complex industry.

Areas of Expertise: Breach of Contract / Commercial Economic Damages, Construction Disputes, Litigation over Non-Competitive Agreements, Environmental Torts and Toxic Torts, Commercial Disparagement, Wrongful Termination

• HEALTHCARE LITIGATION - RPC offers economic, statistical, data and clinical analysis in a wide range of healthcare litigation. They have experience with payment disputes, qui tam litigation, physician-hospital disputes, practice valuations and construction litigation. 

Areas of Expertise: Qui Tam Healthcare Litigation, Medical Staff Disputes, Professional Liability, Payment Disputes, Health Facility Construction Disputes, Freestanding ED Chargemester Analysis

• CERTIFICATE OF NEED - RPC provides Certificate of Need (CON) planning services nationwide. We have over 35 years of experience developing regulatory strategy, preparing applications and testifying in public and administrative hearings.

Areas of Expertise: Satellite Hospitals, New Hospitals, Relocation and Transfer of Beds, Observation Beds, Geriatric Psychiatric Units, Children’s Hospitals, Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Units, Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Open Heart Surgery Services, Long Term Acute Care Units, Projects that exceed CON Capital Threshold Limits, Projects for Specifically Listed Services, Programs Requiring CON, Hospices, Senior Living Facilities

Ronald T. Luke, JD, PhD, is a principal consultant and President of RPC, LP. Ron joined RPC in 1976 and became its president and principal owner in 1979. He has consulted on projects for health care providers, managed care plans and public agencies in more than 25 states. He also serves as an expert witness in trials, administrative proceedings and legislative hearings.

Active in the Health Policy Arena, Dr. Luke has been accepted as an expert in Economics, Socioeconomic Impact Analysis, and Policy Analysis by state and federal courts, and state administrative agencies. The types of cases in which he has provided expert testimony include personal injury, contractual disputes, health care payment disputes, construction defects, utility construction permitting, and certificate of need. He has testified on health care matters including market structure, billing fraud and abuse, reasonableness of charges, medical staff credentialing, workers’ compensation fee guidelines, utilization review, physician contracts, and managed care contracts.

Kacy L. Turner, MS, CRC, CVE, CLCP, is a Certified Life Care Planner and Vocational Consultant with RPC. She has over 20 years of experience in Rehabilitation. Ms. Turner has experience writing life care plans for both plaintiff and defense clients. She has experience as a rehabilitation consultant in three states and has been qualified as a testifying expert in state and federal court.  

Ms. Turner has worked on cases in several states as well as the country of Trinidad. To determine the pre-injury and post-injury employability in personal injury cases, she provides vocational testing, transferable skills analysis, job requirements analysis, rehabilitation plans, and definition of reasonable accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act. She is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, the Texas Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and Providers of Services, and Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment Professionals.

Brian Piper, PhD,  is an Economist with RPC specializing in Quantitative Analysis and Modelling. He works on a variety of cases including personal injury and certificate of need. He is experienced in data extraction, management, simulation, and analysis using STATA, SQL, ARC GIS and a variety of other programs. Dr. Piper has taught graduate classes in statistics and econometrics in both MBA and Ph.D. programs.

Dr. Piper is an experienced expert, providing testimony, reports, and affidavits on the issues of economic damages in personal injury litigation, healthcare litigation, False Claims Act litigation, and other commercial litigation. He has testified on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. 

Dr. Piper specializes in the economics of healthcare. He has been retained by healthcare providers and insurers in payment disputes. He has analyzed the reasonableness of charges and expected payment for past and future medical services for providers, insurers, plaintiffs, and defendants. Besides work in litigation, Dr. Piper has provided analysis of Certificate of Need applications and the economic impacts of proposed legislation.