Health / Public Health Expert Witnesses: 26

Tracy L. Skaer, PharmD, FASHP, FASCP is a Professor Emeritus of Pharmacotherapy with over 30 years of pharmaceutical experience; 10 years as an expert witness. She is a licensed pharmacist in California, Idaho, and Washington. Dr. Skaer is a Fellow of the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacist, and a Member of the American College of Clinical Pharmacist's (ACCP) Pain and Palliative Care Practice and Research Network (PRN).

Dr. Skaer's research interests include chronic pain, co-morbid mental illness in chronic disease, depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia, mindfulness, complementary and alternative medicine, and pharamcoeconomics and pharmacoepidemiology. Her research has been supported by over $3.2 million in grants from foundations and pharmaceutical industry.

Litigation Support - Dr. Skaer has completed several expert cases across the United States. Her services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant, including record review, written reports, deposition, and trial testimony. Dr. Skaer's cases involve:

View Dr. Skaer's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Michael L. Dourson has a PhD in Toxicology from the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, and is a board-certified toxicologist (i.e., DABT) with over 40 years of experience in Environmental Risk Assessment. 

Dr. Dourson serves as President/Director of the 501c3 nonprofit organization Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA). Prior to this, he was Senior Advisor in the Office of the Administrator at the US EPA. Before this, he was a Professor in the Risk Science Center at the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine and also worked at TERA and US EPA. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Dourson's specialized knowledge of the issues and pitfalls involved in the research and development of human health risk assessments along with his cutting-edge toxicology expertise allows him to provide state-of-the-art science assessments for attorneys representing plaintiff and defense. 

Services:

• Review toxicity data to assist in determining whether an exposure was the proximate cause of health effects;
• Perform literature searches and providing written critical analysis of literature;
• Provide services related to expert witness opinions and testimony;
• Review and analyzing environmental monitoring data;
• Assist with the development of exposure and medical monitoring programs; and
• Plan and manage peer review and peer consultation programs.

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Dourson has been awarded the Arnold J. Lehman award from the Society of Toxicology, the International Achievement Award by the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, and 4 bronze medals from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences (i.e., FATS) and as a Fellow for the Society for Risk Analysis (i.e., FSRA).

He is the co-author of 3 Patty’s Toxicology chapters on PFAS chemistries and the co-author of 6 research papers on PFOA, two of which have won paper of the year awards from the Society of Toxicology’s Regulatory and Safety Evaluation Specialty Section.

Stephen M. Raffle, M.D. is double Board-Certified in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Raffle has over 49 years as a clinical and forensic psychiatrist offering his expert opinion in Federal and State jurisdictions nationwide. In addition to serving as an expert witness, Dr. Raffle consults to attorneys, judges, insurers, and to employers regarding Fitness for Duty and Risk of Violence (Threat) Assessment:

• 5000+ psychiatric assessments
• Expert testimony in 700 depositions and trials
• Successful clinical practice

The job of an expert witness is to educate a jury, judge, attorney, and trier of fact about the forensic psychiatrist's conclusions and how those opinions were derived in a manner well-reasoned, skillful, and easily understood by every person, not only another forensic psychiatrist. In short, an educator. Dr. Raffle’s experience as an educator extends well beyond a forensic venue, yet underpins the key to his ability to explain his opinions.

• Prof. of Psychiatry, UCSF Medical School, 20 years
• U.C. Hastings College of the Law postgraduate course "Trial and Appellate Advocacy" instructing seasoned attorneys about the direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses, with special focus on mental health experts and licensed medical professionals, Psychiatrists (MDs), Psychologists (LCSWs / MFTs), and physicians in other medical specialties, 11 years

Stephen M. Raffle, M.D. & Associates' expertise is well-established in forensic assessment in the areas of:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Dementia and Competency
• Testamentary Capacity
• Undue Influence
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Malingering
• Emotional Distress: Intentional & Unintentional infliction
• Emotional Distress: Forensic Evaluation to render medical-legal opinion
• Diagnosis and Need for Treatment
• Fitness For Duty
• Risk/Threat Workplace Violence Assessment
• Wrongful Termination
• Discrimination (ADA, Title VII, EEOC)
• Harassment
• Employment Litigation
• Medical Malpractice
• Catastrophic Injury
• Temporary and Permanent Disability
• Medical Records Review
• Assist in Preparation for Direct and Cross-examination of Expert Witnesses and Deposition of expert witnesses

Licensed in California.

Ray S. Kim, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Forensic Psychologist. Dr. Kim is also a Board Registered Mental Illness / Substance Abuse Provider, Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association, Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties, Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, and Fellow of the American College of Advanced Practice Psychologists. 

Dr. Kim is currently the Director of Chicago Metropolitan Forensic Services at the Illinois Department of Human Services where he supervises a team of clinical psychologists and social workers who evaluate the placement of individuals into forensic facilities. He also serves as the Director of Clinical Training at Chicago Metropolitan Forensic Services where he developed and supervises a forensic practicum program which provides opportunities for specialized clinical training in the area of forensic psychology. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Kim has testified in over 50 cases in both criminal and civil court proceedings. He is sensitive to the nature of legal matters, and provides comprehensive, timely, and professional services. Dr. Kim's services are available to attorneys or defendants seeking a qualified evaluator to help support a case, or wishing to obtain a second opinion on a legal matter already in progress. He is skilled in utilizing the field of psychology's most up-to-date assessments to provide recommendations for prosecution or defense teams. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Psychological Evaluations
• Pre-Sentence Evaluations
• Sex Offender Evaluations
• Violence Risk Assessments
• Competency to Waive Miranda Rights
• Diminished Capacity
• Fitness for Duty Evaluations
• Substance Abuse Assessments
• Independent Medical Examinations (personal injury, workers' compensation, disability determination, malpractice)
• Detection of Malingering
• Federal Evaluations (competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility)

View Dr. Kim's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Pia Quimson-Guevarra is Board-Certified in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She opines about psychiatric issues in civil litigation, employment matters, and criminal cases. She has extensive experience with diagnosis and treatment of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD and other factors of emotional distress, both as a treating physician and in medical-legal cases. She serves as a forensic consultant, and/or disclosed Expert Witness. She assesses competency and undue influence,  standard of care, and mental status re judgment and clarity of thinking. Applies to civil, probate and CTST criminal matters including criminal responsibility. She is also experienced in treatment of psychotic disorders,  hallucinations, and delusions.

She opines about medication or drug impact on behavior.

Dr. Quimson-Guevarra conducts IMEs and review of medical and legal records. Her assessments are thorough and inform thoughtful and objective expert opinions issued by verbal and written report and testimony. She conducts Independent Medical Evaluations face-to-face in person and by video.

She is a Certified Forensic Evaluator in Oregon.

Dr. Quimson-Guevarra's clinical practice in Portland is Quimson Behavioral Health, providing psychiatric patient care, medication management, and psychotherapy, for patients who suffer from mental disorders, e.g., Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disord & PTSD and medication management. She continues to use her expertise in psychopharmacology to treat mental health conditions in the context of medicolegal medically complex cases.

Prior to expanding her private practice, she was a psychiatrist at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, in an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team, a method to deliver an intensive level of services to patients in the local community. Her patients consisted of individuals who suffer from severe and persistent mental illness.  At Cascadia, she also treated patients with a history that includes forensic medical-legal issues.

Previously, Dr. Quimson-Guevarra treated patients who suffered from anxiety, mood, and psychotic disorders at Cedar Hills Hospital, Multnomah County Detention Center, Washington County Jail, Snake River Correctional Institute, and the Portland Veteran's Administration. 

Dr. Quimson-Guevarra has served as a forensic consultant for the Washington County Mental Health Court in Oregon. She also has worked in the forensic evaluation service department at the Oregon State Hospital where she performed forensic evaluations.

Dr. Patricia J. Bartzak, DNP, RN, CMSRN, TCRN, CNRN is a skilled hospital nurse clinician with 22 years of direct nursing care of patients with infectious diseases and trauma patients, including injuries and diseases related to neurologic, cardiac, renal, renal transplant, spinal, orthopedic and acute and chronic pain and oncologic diagnoses.  Located on the east coast with current nursing licenses both in Massachusetts and California. Has reviewed more than 80 cases in 8 years, written several reports, and been deposed about a dozen times in person and video. Currently working in a hospital designated as level-1 trauma center.

Continued active contributions to the field of nursing as staff nurse, nurse researcher, professional journal column editor and leadership initiatives through active participation in professional nursing organizations.  Served 2 terms as an elected Regional Coordinator for Sigma Theta Tau, the nursing honor society. Currently, serving on the Board of Directors for the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses. 

Direct care experience with complex airways, cervical instability, multi-drain management, invasive monitoring, complex wounds, pain management and surgical interventions from many services: orthopedics, neurology, general surgery, thoracic, infectious disease and gastrointestinal medicine. 

Co-chaired the American Nurse's Association (ANA) Scope & Standards of Practice (4th edition, 2021), a document that guides nursing practice for the country's 4 million nurses, Chair of Nursing Research in a level-1 trauma center and Med-Surg Nurses Scope and Standards of Practice.

Nurse educator for several years from undergraduate through the doctoral level including clinical rotations.

Column writer for Nursing Evidence-Based Practice column, having published dozens of articles on safe bedside nursing care. Peer reviewer for the Journal of Trauma Nursing.

Served as a nurse voting members of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) with current Collaborative Institutional Training (CITI) certification.

Professional nursing certifications in medical-surgical nursing, trauma nursing, neuroscience nursing and telemetry. 

View Dr. Bartzak's Consulting Profile.

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

Michael Levittan, Ph.D. is an Expert Witness, Psychotherapist, Media Consultant, and Lecturer at UCLA Extension and California Graduate Institute. Dr. Levittan works as an expert witness on cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, post-traumatic stress, anger issues, child custody, school violence. He is director of a certified Domestic Violence/Anger Management program and has numerous articles published on violence and abuse.

Dr. Levittan presents at UCLA, National Alliance on Mental Illness, L.A. Superior Court, U.S. Marines, Hillsides Children's Home, Loyola Marymount Univ, International Conference on Violence, Abuse, Trauma, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, Grief & Loss Conference, The Maple Center, Womens Shelters.

Dr. Levittan's website: www.michaellevittan.com.

Bankole A. Johnson, DSc, MD, MBChB, MPhil, FRCPsych, DFAPA, Dip-ABAM, Dip-ABDA, FACFEI, is a leading Neuroscientist and respected global authority in both Psychiatry and Neuroscience. His considerable education and expertise date to the 1970s, when he received his first general studies diploma.

Dr. Johnson earned his Medicinae Baccalaureum et Chirurgiae Baccalaureum (an M.D. equivalent) from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He also received his UK Board Certification in Psychiatry from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, his Master of Philosophy in Neuropsychiatry at the University of London, and his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Glasgow (coursework at the University of Oxford). He also received a Doctor of Science from the University of Glasgow, the highest doctoral degree a British university can award.

In addition to these qualifications, Dr. Johnson has also received United States certifications from the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. 

Video Introduction: Neuroscience Expert Witness Dr. Bankole Johnson

Today, Bankole Johnson is a board-certified psychiatrist and physician throughout Europe and the United States. He is a respected collegiate authority in his field at a leading university in the United States. Dr. Johnson is a leading authority on the effects of abused drugs, including alcohol, on the brain and how this affects behavior, especially that related to the commission of a crime. He is a national expert on the treatment of opioid addiction as well as on assessing medical malpractice and insurance claims. Dr. Johnson is also a national expert on the effects of diseases of the brain, mental illness, mental disorders, and aberrant behaviors on testamentary capacity. He also is a national expert on assessing disability as a result of mental disorders, mental illness, and alcohol and drug abuse.

Litigation Support - Dr. Johnson provides expert witness services for cases involving all aspects of Addiction Medicine (e.g., alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and other opioid and substance abuse) as well as diseases of the brain and brain disorders that affect mental capacity. He is experienced as an expert witness for medical malpractice, capital cases, and major crimes. Dr. Johnson's services are available to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant and include medical record review, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony when needed.

Areas of Expertise:

View Dr. Johnson's Consulting Profile.

Jeffrey A. Sugar, MD has been a practicing Psychiatrist for over 20 years. Dr. Sugar is board certified both in Child and General Psychiatry. He is Past President of the Southern California Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Dr. Sugar  is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at USC, and has been an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA. Dr. Sugar is the Director of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trauma Program at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, CA where he sees patients, teaches psychiatry, and performs research. He is Attending Psychiatrist in both Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Adult Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics at USC. He teaches child and general psychiatrists-in-training and medical students on topics ranging from Trauma, Adversity, and Dissociation to Psychotherapy theory and methods.

Dr. Sugar was the founding director of the Hathaway Children’s Clinical Research Institute where he performed funded research on the effects of interpersonal child trauma. Dr. Sugar has presented at national and international meetings on child and adolescent Trauma and Dissociation. Director, Child Psychiatry Trauma Program at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine .. Dr. Sugar has been worked with the legal industry since 1988. Qualified in Superior court, he has been retained over 40 times as an expert in a broad range of child and general psychiatric cases, for both Plaintiff and Defense. His services include:

• Consultation Regarding Psychiatric Injury, Diagnosis, Treatment
• Record Review and Opinion
• Psychiatric Interview and Mental Status Evaluation
• Expert testimony

Dr. Sugar's litigation support is available to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense. His Areas of Expertise include:

Professional Training:

• MD: University of California, San Francisco
• General Psychiatry: Harbor-UCLA, Torrance, California
• Child Psychiatry: UCLA-Neuropsychiatric Institute
• Chief Fellow: UCLA

View Dr. Sugar's Consulting Profile.

James H. Reich, MD, MPH, is a board-certified Forensic Psychiatrist with extensive civil psychiatry experience who has done hundreds of evaluations.

After getting his MD from the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver, Dr. Reich earned his MPH at Yale University and did his psychiatric residency at UC Davis. Dr. Reich has held academic positions at Yale, Iowa, Harvard, and Brown Universities.  Currently, he has teaching appointments at the professor level at both UCSF and Stanford University. Throughout his career, he has published over a hundred peer-reviewed publications. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Reich’s services are available for civil and some criminal law cases. Clients are assured of his personal dedication to each case. He does high quality research, expert evaluations, writes a solid report, and will testify well. Dr. Reich has been deposed over 50 times.

Areas of Expertise:

Presentations - As faculty at the Stanford Forensic Fellowship program, Dr. Reich has given two talks to the group. On October 27, 2023, he presented, "What Gets Psychiatrists and other Medical Professionals into Problems with the Law or Regulators." On January 19, 2024, he presented a talk on Psychiatric Disability to the same group. Dr. Reich is also supervising a fellow on his project on competency issues in older physicians.

Dr. Eric N. Brown, CIH, CSP, is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), with both certifications in good standing with the issuing boards. Dr. Brown holds a Doctorate in Public Health with an Industrial Hygiene specialization from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a Master’s degree in Public Health with an Occupational Health specialization from the Medical College of Ohio. He has over 20 years of experience in:

• Mold
• Health and Safety
• Industrial Hygiene
• Indoor Air Quality Exposure Assessments

Litigation Support - Dr. Brown has been a designated expert in hundreds of cases, been and has testified in both trials and arbitrations. His expertise has never been successfully challenged. His services are available to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant. 

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Christopher A. Lowery, DHSc, CLCP, is an international Clinical Health & Rehabilitation Consultant with a special interest in global health initiatives. He is board-certified as a life care planner practitioner specializing in health promotion and prevention through the use of holistic, evidence-based approaches using a biopsychosocial health consultation model for all patients/clients that suffer from associated disabilities and health impairments.

Since 2002, Dr. Lowery passion has been to educate, empower, and provide hope to individuals with catastrophic health impairments. He focuses on educating and counseling patients/clients on improving their quality of life, addressing social, cultural, and behavioral barriers across diverse populations impacted by poor healthcare conditions. 

He currently holds the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation studies from University of North Texas (07), Master of Arts in human and health administration services from University of Oklahoma (10), Post-Specialty Certificate in life care planning from Capital University Law School (12), Post-Master's Certificate in rehabilitation counseling from University of Arkansas at Little Rock (14), and Doctor of Health Science in global health from Nova Southeastern University (16).

Dr. Lowery holds a board certification in life care planning as a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) from the International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC), which is accredited and recognized by the American National Standards Institute National Accreditation Board (ANAB). This prestigious certification attests to his qualifications and competence in healthcare delivery systems. ANAB’s accreditation ensures that the certification process meets rigorous international standards, confirming his aptitude and expertise for his role as a practitioner.

**If you have a case needing Dr. Lowery's expertise, please feel free to call his office for a free consultation.

Note: Please see below our website for more areas of expertise. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Christopher Lowery's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Joel L.Goldberg, MD, FACEP, is a Board-Certified Emergency Medicine Specialist with expertise in the fields of Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care, Occupational Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. He has more than 20 years of experience as a practicing emergency physician in academic, urban, community and rural hospital departments, as well as teaching hospitals. 

Dr. Goldberg is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Homer Stryker School of Medicine  He was a Major in the United States Air Force and has experience in Air Medical Transport.

Litigation Support - As an Expert Witness in Emergency Medicine,  Dr. Goldberg is qualified to address questions relating to standard of care, medical malpractice, negligence, personal injury, and wrongful death.  He has reviewed and given expert opinions and case reviews on malpractice cases since 2018, and has worked for both plaintiff and defense.  Dr. Goldberg provides credible and clearly understandable testimony for both plaintiff and defense that informs judges and jury on pertinent medical facts and science. 

Areas of Expertise: