Medical Legal Consultants Expert Witnesses: 42

Dean A. Beers, CLI, CFDI-Expert, has been a legal investigator since October 1987 and a Medicolegal Death Investigator since 2002. His extensive experience in these areas is rare in the profession. Dean's clients benefit from a thorough methodology of reviewing official investigations conducted by law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner offices. This approach includes analyzing reports, records, and photographs to form detailed findings and opinions. 

As a deputy coroner investigator, Dean has personally investigated over 150 death scenes, assisted in over 400 autopsies, and participated in investigating nearly 600 non-autopsied cases.

Primary Areas of Expertise:

Medicolegal Death (or Bodily Injury & Catastrophic) Autopsy Reports & Photos Insurance Denial Appeals & Death Claims Firearms, Gunshot Wounds & Trajectories  Edged Weapons, Knives & Injuries

Mechanism of Death Cause of Death Manner of Death Homicide, Suicide & Accident Death & Dismemberment

Background Experience - From late 2002 to mid-2008, Dean worked as a deputy coroner and autopsy assistant in Colorado medical examiner offices, following an internship and training period. Since 2008, he has partnered with his wife, Karen, specializing in expert medicolegal consultations and legal investigations across the United States. Their focus is on personal injury, negligence, and death cases in civil, criminal, and probate litigation. Over the years, he has provided favorable expert consultations to public defenders and alternate defense attorneys, helping secure positive life insurance benefit appeals. His expert testimony has been recognized in multiple courts covering fatal and non-fatal events.

Death and Serious Bodily Injury Investigations

Dean's work has also included handling more than 1,100 cases that were not taken for jurisdiction, as well as cases requiring the collaboration of multiple investigators. Additionally, Dean's expertise covers forensic investigations, such as bridging crime scene evidence with autopsy findings.

Dean's background includes over 5,000 hours of full-time experience specific to death investigations, injuries, and negligence, not counting internships or part-time work. He has also received over 600 hours of law enforcement academy training and 1,200 hours of forensic investigative training. Since 2008, Dean has continued to enhance his skills and education beyond certification requirements, co-developing the Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) program with his wife.

Gerald W. Smetana, MD, Board Certified in Internal Medicine, is a General Internist with over 36 years of experience in an academic primary care practice at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is also a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School where he has taught internal medicine to medical house staff and also teaches extensively to practicing clinicians in continuing medical education settings. Dr. Smetana is a Master of the American College of Physicians.

Practicing in an outpatient setting, Dr. Smetana cares for a panel of patients that is weighted towards those with multiple chronic illnesses and high disease complexity. In addition to all aspects of office based general internal medicine, his areas of interest include Preoperative Medical Evaluation, Hypertension, and Headache.

Dr. Smetana has been repeatedly selected as a Best Doctor in a national survey and has received a national award for scholarship in medical education. He publishes in the peer reviewed medical literature and medical texts, has edited textbooks, and has helped to develop national guidelines on topics in internal medicine. He has been invited to deliver seminars and presentations on various topics within his area of expertise nationally and internationally.

Litigation Support - Dr. Smetana reviews cases for both plaintiffs and defendants and has testified at deposition and at trial as an expert on numerous occasions in most states in the eastern United States. He has reviewed medical malpractice cases over the past 20 years both for plaintiffs and doctors. Dr. Smetana also consults for risk management insurers. His record review and medicolegal consultation services are available throughout the United States.

Stanley C. Haimes, MD, MPH, CIH, FACOEM, is board certified in Occupational Medicine and has extensive experience in travel medicine, medical surveillance, drug testing, and wellness programs for companies of all sizes.

Dr. Haimes is also a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Medical Officer for OSHA, and Member of the national committee that determines safe exposure levels to chemicals in the workplace. He is highly qualified to analyze workplace conditions ranging from Air Quality and Bio-hazard Risks to Noise Pollution and Work Site Ergonomics.

Background - For 10 years, Dr. Haimes served as the medical director for Lockheed Martin, where he developed their travel medicine program, performed travel clearance and immunizations for 30 international destinations, and reduced their Workers’ Compensation costs by 75 percent. He also served as the medical director for the National Science Foundations’ Antarctic Program, providing medical clearance for destinations like the South Pole.

A high-profile member of the occupational medicine community, Dr. Haimes has written numerous medical surveillance guidelines for the OSHA. He also serves on a number of national committees responsible for establishing the medical criteria for emergency personnel on behalf of the National Fire Protection Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Litigation Support - Dr. Haimes provides expert witness services for Cases involving Occupational Medicine and Medical Toxicology. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant and include medical record review, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Occupational Medicine Toxicology Exposure Evaluation Disability Evaluation Return to Duty

Fit for Duty Worker's Compensation Complex Causation Firefighter Medical Employment Criteria Law Enforcement Medical Employment Criteria

Ernest N. Charlesworth, MD, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, the American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Allergy & Immunology, and the American Board of Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology. He has over 40 years of experience in his field of expertise.

Dr. Charlesworth is one of only a few United States physicians who is board certified in both Allergy / Immunology and Dermatology. Well-versed in his area of expertise, he has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, several textbook chapters, and two textbooks. He has been honored by the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology for both Distinguished Service and as a Distinguished Fellow.

Dr. Charlesworth offers litigation support, except independent medical examinations, to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense. He has been deposed and/or testified approximately 15 times since 2010. His services include issues of causation and standard of care. Dr. Charlesworth has completed the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics. He retired from active medical practice in May of 2014 but continues to be active in academic medicine.

Areas of Expertise:

Respiratory Diseases Asthma Immunologic and Allergic Disorders Dermatologic Diseases Allergic Skin Diseases

Allergic Drug Reactions Skin Cancers Health Effects from Toxic Mold Mycological Diseases Allergic Pulmonary Disease

Clive M. Segil, MD, FACS, FRCS is an internationally renowned Orthopedic Surgeon with 45 years of experience in the management of Musculoskeletal Disorders. He practices orthopedic surgery, treating all orthopedic conditions.

Dr. Segil is on the staff of Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, St Johns Hospital Medical Centre, Valley Presbyterian Hospital.

He is in active practice in the Los Angeles, with offices in Century City, Encino, Lawndale, Glendale, Lancaster, Pomona. He is a past assistant clinical professor of orthopedics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and a past Clinical Chief of Orthopedics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Dr. Segil completely understands the forensic system, is comfortable and confident in presentation and trial appearance, and is not intimidated by court proceedings. He has experience in all aspects of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is familiar with the new changes in the Workers' Compensation arena, including using the AMA guidelines, the ACOEM guidelines, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery guidelines for spine problems.

Dr. Segil testifies for defense and plaintiff cases with an unbiased, erudite, understandable, and logical argument to support the facts and evidence. He has provided unbiased, detailed, ratable, and credible reports concerning injured workers and has given an honest opinion as to their condition, causation, prognosis, disability, and apportionment in a precise organized manner.

View Dr. Segil's Consulting Profile.

Yolanda Anderson, RN, BSN, CEN, CLNC is a Registered Nurse and has been working in the Emergency Department for more than 25 years. A Certified Legal Nurse Consultant with a detail-oriented approach, Ms. Anderson is knowledgeable about all aspects of Hospital Care and Standards of Care for Physicians, Nurses and Ancillary Personnel.

Ms. Anderson's background experience includes work in the Emergency Department of Los Angeles County, USC Medical Center, a level I Trauma Center and in the Emergency Department at Saint Anthony Hospital Central in Denver, Colorado, a level I Trauma Center where she helped initiate the Hyperbaric Medicine program. For 15 years, she worked as a staff RN, Charge RN and Assistant Nurse Manager in the Emergency Department at Littleton Adventist Hospital - Littleton, Colorado, a level II Trauma Center. There, she helped with the expansion and reconstruction of the current Emergency Department facility.

Ms. Anderson has been retained as an Expert 27 times. Her litigation support services include chart review for merit, chronologies, medical care research, Independent Medical Assessments, and more. Ms. Anderson's services are available to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense.

Areas of Expertise:

Emergency Department Care Inpatient Hospital Care Trauma, Cardiac, Neurological Emergency Adult, Pediatric, and Infant Care

Triage & Documentation Nursing Home Care Electronic Medical Records Worker's Compensation

View Yolanda Anderson's Consulting Profile.

Lawrence Amsel, MD, MPH, specializes in Forensic Psychiatry, including personal injury and psychiatric malpractice. With an MD from Yale University and an MPH in Biostatistics from Columbia University, Dr. Amsel combines his academic credentials, including multileg publications, and clinical expertise including decades as an inpatient and emergency room psychiatrist. With this experience he serves as an expert witness to offer excellent evaluations, written reports and court testimony. 

Dr. Amsel provides Litigation Support services to attorneys representing Plaintiff and Defense. His services include serving as expert witness in psychiatric aspects of personal injury, psychiatric malpractice,  medical record review for causation and standard of care. He has expertise in trauma, PTSD, suicide, Prolonged Grief Disorder, competency issues and medical decision making. He was one of the early champions of the application of Decision Science, Game Theory, and Behavioral Economics to Psychiatric Research.

Areas of Expertise:

Psychiatric Personal Injury   Psychiatric Malpractice  Trauma  PTSD  Suicide Prolonged Grief Disorder  Competency

Psychiatric Practice Standards  Public Health Family Loss Neuropsychiatry Health Care Standards  Behavioral Economics in Health Care Health Care Game Theory

Background - Dr. Amsel serves as an expert witness in matters related to psychiatry, with a focus on  Malpractice, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Suicide, Grief, Medical Decision Making, Hospital Psychiatric Care, and appropriate Evidence-based Standards of Care. Excellent references from multiple law firms are available on request. 

Dr. Amsel's expertise in dealing with the interface of legal and psychiatric issues is based on 28 years of experience in clinical practice, academic psychiatry, research, and public health, as well as his experience as an expert witness.

As an expert on the effects of traumatic experiences, especially after 9/11, Dr. Amsel co-directed the Trauma Studies and Services Division at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. He has been extensively involved in treating victims of 9/11 and their families, in doing research on the effects of the 9/11 attacks on the survivors and First Responders, and in training clinicians in cutting edge treatments for PTSD and Complicated /Traumatic Grief. This has given him a strong foundation as an expert on PTSD and other psychological effects of various types of trauma. It has also made him an expert on malpractice cases in this area. 

Dr. Amsel studied mathematics at Columbia University before entering Yale University School of Medicine. After completing residency training he joined the Columbia faculty completing two prestigious National Institute of Mental Health research fellowships and obtained an Masters in Public Health (MPH) specializing in mental health statistics, and Child Psychiatry Research. 

View Dr. Amsel's Consulting Profile.

Lori S. Corley MD, FAAP, is Board Certified in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Also certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), she provides comprehensive medical care for infants, children, and adolescents, acting as their primary care physician. 

Employment Experience

• Consultant / Expert Witness for Medical Malpractice cases - Case list available on request (2004-present)
• Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Georgia Health Sciences University /Medical College of Georgia (2002-present)
• Adjunct Professor, MSN Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program, Kennesaw State University (2001-present)

Dr. Corley provides litigation support services to attorneys representing Plaintiff and Defense. She is available to review medical records, give depositions, and trial testimony for cases that include issues of causation, quality control, and standard of care. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Pediatric Medicine - General infections and illnesses (fevers, sore throats, ear infections, etc.) and minor injuries, as well as some diseases (septic shock), emotional stressors in children that may lead to psychiatric or mental health complications, including developmental and anxiety disorders, behavioral problems and functional complications
• Adolescent Medicine - Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), substance abuse, obesity, eating disorders, mental illnesses (ADHD), acne, pregnancy, birth control programs, menstrual disorders, problems with puberty, among many other conditions and disorders

Eugene Strasser, MD, JD , FACS, ACLM, is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with 35+ years of experience. Dr. Strasser is a graduate of the the University of Maryland School of Medicine & The Sheppard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University. He trained at the world renowned R. Adam Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland & finished General Surgery training at York Hospital in York, PA. He completed his Plastic Surgery residency at Albany Medical Center in New York and is board certified in Plastic Surgery. Dr. Strasser's work is published in multiple professional journals & magazines and is on staff at several local hospitals. He serves as Chief of Staff at The Outpatient Surgery Center in Coral Springs, Florida.

Areas of Expertise

• Cosmetic Surgery - Face, Eyes, Brow, Nose, Ears, Lips, Neck, Breast, Body, Scalp, Extremities
• Liposuction, Breast-augmentation,lift,reduction, Body Contouring, Abdominoplasty, (Buttock,Arms,Thigh,Body lift), Vaginal Rejuvenation,Dermabrasion/Peels,Injectables
• Reconstructive Surgery - Post Traumatic, Burns, Cancer Removal, Wound Healing, Scars, Ulcers
• Breast Reconstruction

Memberships and Affiliations:

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.
• American College of Surgeons
• American Medical Association
• Florida Medical Association
• Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons
• American College of Legal Medicine

Dr. Matthew Lee, MD, RPh, MS. is a Physician, Pharmacist, Pharmacologist and Toxicologist who also practices as an Expert Witness and Legal Strategy Consultant. Specific Benefits Include:

• Increased quality and integrity of written expert reports, based on an expanded knowledge base
• Time savings by only having to coordinate and discuss a case with one expert as opposed to two or more
• Since there is so much overlap between fields in the medical profession it is often hard to determine where one scope ends and another begins. This ambiguity is dramatically decreased , and scope increased by combining physician, pharmacist, and pharmacologist into one
• Communication skills of a pharmacist and experience dealing directly with the lay-public, in addition to the knowledge and background of a physician is extremely beneficial describing technical details to a jury
• Practicing in different realms within the healthcare field has allowed Dr. Lee to integrate the multiple facets giving him a unique and distinct perspective that no other expert has.

Case Experience Includes:

Criminal and Civil Cases Anaphylactic Reactions Overdose Wrongful Death Cardiac Arrest Respiratory Arrest Fentanyl Overdose Dilaudid Overdose Pharmacist Mis-Fills

Pharmacist Dispensing Errors Pharmacy Standard of Care Medication Adverse Effects Falls Related to Medications (in and out of hospital) Toxicology/Toxic Reactions Medical Marijuana Positive Drug Screens in the Workplace Workplace Safety Fit for Duty Testing

Robert A. Ertner, MD, is a Board Certified, fellowship-trained Cardiac Anesthesiologist in full-time clinical practice at a Northern California county hospital that serves as a level 2 trauma center. Dr. Ertner has been a certified Echocardiographer for 15 years. He specializes in Cardiac and Thoracic surgical procedures for which he is fellowship-trained.

Background: Dr. Ertner has previously served as an academic physician teaching residents in both MD and CRNA programs.  He has served as a locum tenens anesthesiologist performing direct care and both supervising and directing CRNAs, and presently provides care to over 700 patients each year. He provides Spinal, Epidural, Regional, and General Anesthesia for patients undergoing cardiovascular and thoracic procedures as well as general, orthopedic, bariatric, urologic, vascular, otorhinolaryngological (ENT), ophthalmologic, gynecologic, and neurologic surgery in both the hospital inpatient and outpatient surgery center settings.   He provides care for obstetric patients in the labor and delivery suites and operating rooms.  Additionally, he provides care for a variety of procedures performed “out-of-department,” such as in the cardiac catheterization suites, the interventional radiology suites, and CT and MRI cases.  

Dr. Ertner maintains licenses in California where his practice is located, as well as in Texas and Georgia, where he trained, and in Missouri and Oregon. He was awarded Diplomat status by the National Board of Echocardiography in 2007.

Litigation Support: Dr. Ertner has been involved in medical-legal work since 2014. He has reviewed cases for attorneys representing both plaintiff and defense. Dr. Ertner has consulted on over 85 cases, including preparation of affidavits, forensic report writing, and providing testimony at deposition and trial. He works with clients to offer both an understanding of the relevant medicine (anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, etc.) and how to think about what information they need to seek going forward as they pursue their cases.

Areas of Expertise:

Anesthesiology Cardiac Anesthesiology Thoracic Anesthesiology Peripheral Nerve Block Epidural Anesthesia Spinal Anesthesia Airway Management

Airway Trauma Intubation Transesophageal Echocardiography Nerve Injury Bronchospasm Laryngospasm Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation

EXPERTISE IN: 1. The pathobiology, clinico-pathologic correlation, and histopathologic diagnosis of: diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, anus, liver, and pancreas. 2. Human neoplasms (cancer) and preneoplastic conditions. 3. Establishing standard of care, causation and cause of death. 

BACKGROUND: 

1. Anatomic Pathology Residency: Washington Univ-Barnes Hospital 1991-94.
2. Oncologic Pathology Fellowship: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1994-95.
3. Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology Fellowship: Harvard-Brigham & Womens Hospital 1995-96.
4. Instructor at Harvard Medical School: 1996-1998.
5. Assistant Professor and Director of Gastrointestinal Pathology Division at UT-Health Science Center-Hermann Hospital, Houston Medical Center: 08/1998 - 12/2000.
6. Staff GI Pathologist and Quality Assurance Director at Caris/Miraca Life Sciences, Dallas TX: 01/2001 - 04/2012.
7. Staff Pathologist, Anatomic Pathology Division of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, Long Island NY: 05/2013 - 05/2015.
8. Staff Pathologist, Anatomic Pathology Division of Alliance Health Sciences, Dallas TX: 01/2016 - present.
9. Sole Proprietor of Expert Pathology Consultation Services Laboratory since 01/2001, which provides diagnostic pathology services to hundreds of clinicians of different subspecialties.         

Dr. Torres was instrumental in creating a unique model of Gastrointestinal Pathology subspecialty-focused laboratory, during his tenure at Caris/Miraca Life Sciences.

Larry Fishman, MD, PA, is a Board Certified Neurosurgeon with more than 22 years of experience. A Mayo Clinic-trained neurosurgeon, specializes in minimally invasive surgery, including carpal tunnel, spinal, and cranial procedures. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Fishman performs CME's and IME's, disability evaluation, permanent impairment rating, future care costs, and determines medical appropriateness of care to date. He performs medical record review, medical malpractice, as well as other medical legal issues. Dr. Fishman's services are available to counsel for both plaintiff and defendant.

Areas of Expertise:

Neurosurgery Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Disability Head & Neck Surgery Hydrocephalus

Spinal Procedures Health / Medical / Disability Insurance Neuroimaging Independent Medical Examinations (IME) Medical Malpractice Medical Record Review

View Dr. Fishman'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:

Abdominal aortic aneurysm Abdominal Compartment syndrome Abdominal Pain / Abdominal Trauma Acute Coronary Syndrome Aortic Dissection Appendicitis Assault  Asthma Back Injury Blunt Trauma Cardiac Arrest / CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Carotid Artery Dissection Cauda Equina Central Cord Syndrome Central Line Complication Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

Chest Pain Chest Trauma Chest Tube Complication Chest Tube Placement Cholecystitis Compartment Syndrome COPD Deep Vein Thrombosis Dept. of Transportation Exams Difficult Airway Difficult Intubation Diverticulitis Electrocardiogram Interpretation EKG Interpretation Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) violations Endocarditis Endotracheal Intubation SEE FULL LIST

Wayne H. Grant, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist with over 30 years of pharmacy experience working in or within various practice settings—retail, long-term care, home infusion, sterile products, corrections, hospice, specialty, and hospitals.  

Dr. Grant has prepared and delivered educational programs to physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals based on his extensive experience in multiple disease states. Programs include topics such as Pain Management, COPD, and Motor Neuron Diseases.

Serving as an integral member of multiple pharmacy and therapeutics committees, he has promoted evidence-based interventions while driving quality initiatives and building a highly collaborative consortium among healthcare professionals.  

Earning his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Florida, his Master of Business Administration for Kent State University, and his Bachelor of Science from Ohio Northern University highlights Dr. Grant's drive for education, understanding, and application of pharmacy services.  

Dr. Wayne Grant on Consulting with Attorneys

Litigation Support - Dr. Grant is an expert in pharmacy practice. His expertise in long-term, institutional, infusion, and retail practice allow for an extensive understanding of the various pharmacy sectors. He is responsible for pharmacotherapeutic management, medication safety and efficacy and drug information all which follow federal, state, and local laws. He has provided a variety of expert witness services on behalf of legal professionals, including attorney consultation, case review, case opinion, and written case opinion. 

Areas of Medication Expertise:

Adverse Drug Reactions Chronic Pain Drugs and Narcotics Geriatrics Hospice / Palliative Care Hospital Pharmacy Infusion Pharmacy

Long Term Care Medical-Legal Issues Nursing Homes Overdosages Pain Management Pharmaceutical Care Pharmacology

View Dr. Grant's Consulting Profile.