Medical Malpractice Expert Witnesses: 92

Megan M. Hamilton, MS, CCC-SLP earned her Master of Science degree from Marquette University and holds a lean six sigma green belt from Purdue University as well as a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).  Megan currently provides consultation to hospital speech language pathology and serves as a forensic medical SLP throughout the United States.  Megan has held positions as direct care provider, site manager, regional vice president, and division manager of clinical education for national rehabilitation providers in long term care, sub acute, and pediatric care.   She brings over 30 years of experience to her clients.  

Litigation Support - No healthcare provider can prevent aspiration and/or choking for all patients at all times, but all SLPs can be expected to practice within accepted standards of care.  Megan's exhaustive review of case materials can determine whether diagnosis, evaluation, recommendations and discharge determination were based upon sound clinical reasoning to mitigate adverse outcomes and facilitate improvement.  If standards of care were met, Megan provides evidence-based opinions of such.  When care failed to meet accepted standards, Megan can illustrate how the SLP provider deviated from standards.  She can assist in determining if substandard care contributed to negative outcomes including suspected choking event, aspiration, dehydration, health decline or death.  

Areas of Expertise:

Megan has been an instructor in the areas of cognition, dysphagia / swallowing, end of life nutrition, and Medicare regulatory compliance. She has presented at conferences for the American Occupational Therapy Association and local Speech Language Hearing Associations as an employee of national Rehab companies.

The Lios Manhe (pronounced LIZ munee) mission is to be a trusted partner to plaintiff or defense by providing thorough analysis and independent opinions supported by science and based upon evidence collected.  
   

John L. Lovecchio, MD, has over 35 years of experience specializing in Gynecology and Oncology.  He is one of the nation’s top clinicians and researchers in the field of uterine and ovarian cancers.

Dr. Lovecchio is currently Professor Emeritus of Gynecologic Oncology and Gynecology at Hofstra University School of Medicine, NY, and Attending Physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY. 

Prior to that, for 20 years, Dr. Lovecchio served as Professor and Chief of Gynecologic Oncology and Gynecology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at North Shore University Hospital-Long Island Jewish Medical Center (Northwell Health) while also working as an Investigator at the Center for Oncology & Cell Biology at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

Litigation Support - Dr. Lovecchio offers expert witness services to attorneys representing the plaintiff and defense, including medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. He has been deposed and testified over 10 times since 2020.

Areas of Expertise:

Victor L. Mandoff, BSc, MBBS, is a Board-Certified fully practicing Professor of Anesthesiology at a teaching hospital. With 17 years of experience in Anesthesiology and 10 years in Critical Care Medicine, his training keeps him current in the knowledge and practice of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM). Evidence Based Medicine is the integration of individual clinical expertise with the best available research evidence from systematic research and the patient's values and expectations.

UAMS Medical Center provides care to the highest acuity patients from the state and surrounding areas. It is the only level-one trauma center in Arkansas and the only one that does liver transplantations. Dr. Mandoff provides anesthesia for a variety of cases like liver transplants, kidney transplants, vascular surgery, thoracic, obstetric, neurosurgical, ENT, outpatient, GI, radiology, Cath Lab, Electroconvulsive therapy, etc. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Mandoff offers expert witness services to attorneys for plaintiff and defendant. Services include medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Dr. Mandoff is the director of MOCA Simulation for Anesthesiologists, the Assistant Medical Director of the Simulation Center, and the Director of Liver Transplant Team and Transplant Anesthesia at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science. He is an award-winning educator who feels privileged to teach medical students, nurses, residents, SRNAs and junior faculty, and other faculty using simulation training. Dr. Mandoff has won many teaching awards, including “Golden Apple Award,” “Red Sash Award,” and  “Educational Excellence Award,” presented by residents, students, and the College of Medicine.

Dr. Mandoff is a Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (FASA). The FASA designation is the “highest acknowledgment that recognizes years of dedication to exceptional education, leadership, and commitment to the specialty” as per the American Society of Anesthesiologists website. He is also Critical Care Fellowship trained at the Cleveland Clinic Medical Foundation, Critical Care Board Certified, and practiced Critical Care Medicine from 2006 to about 2016.

An Oral Board Examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology, Dr. Mandoff has been named in Arkansas Times Best Doctors in Arkansas list in both Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine.

Chinemerem Y. Ugorji, MD, is a board certified Internal Medicine doctor with over 10 years of experience as a Hospitalist and Nocturnist. She has knowledge  of Critical Access Care, Level 2 Trauma, and Telemedicine.

Litigation Support - Dr. Ugorji's mission is to provide accurate expert assessments of Medical Billing / Coding, Medical Fraud, and Medical Necessities. She helps attorneys for plaintiff and defense make informed decisions about their cases. Dr. Ugorji's services include medical record review, thorough reporting, interrogatories, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

William Santoro, MD is board certified in Addiction Medicine and board eligible in Family Medicine. He is the Chief of the Section of Addiction Medicine at Tower Health and was the Medical Director at the Reading Hospital & Medical Center detoxification/rehabilitation program. Dr. Santoro was also the Medical Director at a Methadone Treatment center  for 22 years, until 2021, where he is responsible for prescribing methadone to approximately 950 opiate dependent patients.

Dr. Santoro is the Addictionist on staff at The Reading Hospital & Medical Center within the Department of Family and Community Medicine. He is consulted by hospitalists to care for patients admitted to the hospital with addiction complicating their condition. Dr. Santoro runs an outpatient program treating over the 300 patients with buprenorphine (Suboxone/Sublocade) or Vivitrol maintenance. With an interest in Sports Medicine in 2001, he served as a volunteer physician for the U.S. Olympic Training Team in Lake Placid, New York.

Dr. Santoro has been deposed more than a dozen times in the past several years. He has testified in court numerous times on behalf of the plaintiff as well as for the defense. He has testified in Federal Court and been involved in cases concerning the pharmaceutical industry.

Areas of Expertise:

• All aspects of Addiction Medicine
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
  • Buprenorphine
  • Naltrexone
  • Methadone
• Dual Diagnosis Pain/Addiction

View Dr. Santoro's Consulting Profile.

Paul J. Michaels, MD, is a nationally renowned Anatomical and Clinical Pathologist with over 20 years of experience in his field. Dr. Michaels completed his medical residency and earned a Fellowship in Cytopathology from Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School.

Litigation Support - Dr. Michaels offers expert witness services to attorneys representing plaintiff and defense. He has written over 100 general causation reports focusing on pathology and providing an extensive differential diagnosis in order to provide an opinion with a reasonable degree of medical certainty. Dr. Michaels has participated in numerous MDLs, been deposed over 60 times, and testified in court 6 times.

Areas of Expertise:

Background Experience - Dr. Michaels is currently a member of a 10-pathologist group that operates the largest and most comprehensive anatomic pathology services laboratory within Central and Coastal Oregon. He is one of two pathologists responsible for covering Bay Area Hospital, the largest hospital on the Oregon Coast, which serves as a regional referral center.

Dr. Michaels' roles at Bay Area Hospital include: Chairman of Pathology; Member of the Hospital Medical Executive Committee; Medical Director for Transfusion Medicine, Hematology, and Cytopathology; Member of the Cancer Committee; and Member of the Trauma Committee.

At Southern Coos Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. Michaels serves as Laboratory Medical Director where his Anatomic Pathology responsibilities include frozen sections, gross evaluation and sign-out of complex surgical specimens, review of numerous outpatient biopsies, GYN and NON-GYN cytology, presentation at tumor board conferences, and performing hospital autopsies. Clinical pathology responsibilities include peripheral blood smear and body fluid review, crystal identification, and evaluation of blood transfusion reactions.

Speaking Engagements and Presentations - Dr. Michaels has delivered seminars and presentations in Canada, Japan, and throughout the United States. Topics have included cytopathology, breast cancer, acute cellular rejection, and many more. 

Milliman’s Tampa Office provides a variety of Health Insurance, Health Care services, and Pharma consulting services to law firms, health plans, insurance companies, HMO’s, Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, hospitals and other providers, employers and government agencies. Stuart Rachlin and other staff are experienced actuaries and related consultants.  

We provide support to our clients with all types of health related services including Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans (MAPD), Part D plans (PDP), ACA plans, medical, dental, long-term care, Medicare supplement & critical illness.

We assist clients nationwide with forensic actuarial work, rate filings, regulatory compliance, reserve projections, valuations, employee benefit analysis and design, mergers and acquisitions, claim cost analysis, and fee schedule analysis.

These health care services are used in litigation relating to:

• Life care planning
• Contract development and fee schedule analysis
• Pricing & Underwriting
• Senior Services
• New benefit plan design

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 Exammination, 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 29 years of experience specializing in Non-Surgical Orthopaedics and Pain Management. A Diplomat of the American Board of Physical Medicine and 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, including the spine and extremities, with emphasis on spine rehabilitation, functional restoration, pain management, and ergonomic modifications. He treats patients with back and neck pain and a variety of other orthopaedic conditions. Managing acute and chronic pain through an advanced Non-Surgical approach, Dr. Weil has become one of the leading experts on Spine Care and Disability Management.

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

Litigation Support - Arnold Weil 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