Surgery: Spine / Spinal Surgery Expert Witnesses: 10

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.

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.

Spine Surgery and Spine Medicine Consultant

The concepts of evidence-based medicine have been the cornerstone of Dr. Dillin’s education during his spine surgery fellowship in Neurosurgery and Orthopaedic Surgery and the format for decision-making in his subsequent practice. The critical analytic features inherent in the ‘best evidence’ approach to patients have permeated his writing and his lectures, allowing flexible adaptation as the science has changed. Since July 1985, Dr. Dillin has been exclusively devoted to clinical spine, interventional spine, and spine surgery practice. The combination of clinical critical thinking in conjunction with evidence-based medicine practice, allows spine specialty focus on any Independent Medical Evaluations or Medical-Legal Reviews. He is in clinical practice performing spine surgery, spine interventions, and evaluating patients with spine conditions. He is licensed in California, Texas, Arizona, Florida and Nevada. Dr. Dillin was a former partner at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. I spent 2022-2023 in clinical practice and at the Effective Writing in Health Care program sponsored by Harvard Medical School. The program encompassed online and onsite (Boston) attendance. My study subject was the history of the expert witness in general, and more specifically, the medical expert witness. My capstone project, from the ‘Writing for the Public’, division is attached. This is the narrative account of “The Trial of the Medical Expert Witness.”

Litigation Support - For over 35 years, Dr. Dillin has traveled to refine and acquire the technical skills invested in Spine Surgery and Spine Interventions. His expert witness activity is embodied in his Harvard Capstone, "The Trial of the Medical Expert Witness." Dr. Dillin offers Independent Medical Evaluations and/or Medical-Legal Review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Spine Surgery Spine Interventions Cervical Spine Surgery Thoracic Spine Surgery Lumbar Spine Surgery Failed Back Surgery Scoliosis Kyphosis Minimally Invasive Surgery

Spine Fusion Cervical Fusion Lumbar Fusion Artificial Disc Replacement Microsurgery Spinal Product Liability Spine Medical Malpractice Spine IMEs Spine IMRs

Kari F. Jerge, MD, FACS, is a General Surgeon, dual Board Certified in General Surgery and Trauma / Surgical Critical Care. She has additional subject matter expertise elective and Emergent General Surgery, Surgical Critical Care (ICU medicine), and Trauma Surgery. 

Dr. Jerge's background includes extensive experience in pre-hospital care of trauma patients, including care provided by Fire and EMS services before patient reaches hospital.  She has been in independent practice for over 10 years in a variety of settings including rural, private, and large academic practices. Dr. Jerge is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the premier professional society of surgeons. She is also a member of several national societies including EAST, NAEMT and AWS. Dr. Jerge has served as a regional, national, and international speaker on topics such as prehospital and in-hospital trauma care. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Jerge is passionate about providing timely, objective expert opinions on medical malpractice cases on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. She is known for a particular gift for translating complex surgical disease processes and surgical decisions into language understandable by legal teams and juries. She has solid experience with chart review, deposition, and expert witness testimony. 

Areas of Expertise:

Critical Care Medicine   Emergency Medicine  General Surgery Trauma Medicine Trauma Surgery Surgical Critical Care Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Traumatic Brain Injury Spinal Cord Injury Abdominal Pain

Sepsis Shock Laparoscopic Surgery Gallbladder Surgery Appendix Surgery Colon and Rectal Surgery Pre-Hospital Trauma Care Burn Injury Surgical Complications Chart Review

 CV and References available upon request.

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:

Orthopedics Neurosurgery / Neurology Anesthesiology / Pain Management Bariatric Surgery Cardiology Chiropractic Orthopedics Covid-19 Critical Care/ICU Chronic Pain  Dermatology Emergency Medicine Endocrinology Gastroenterology General Surgery / Trauma Geriatrics Family Practice IME Life Care Planning Medical Billing / Bill Auditing Medical Malpractice

Medical Record Review Metallurgical Engineering Neuropsychology Neuroradiology Obstetrics / Gynecology / OB/GYN Ophthalmology Optometry Orthopedic Implants Otolaryngology Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Podiatry Pulmonary Medicine Radiology Sports Medicine Thoracic Surgery  Traumatic Brain Injury Vascular Surgery Vocational Rehabilitation

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

Brain Abscesses & Infections Brain Concussions Brain Contusions Brain Edema Brain Hemorrhages Brain Injuries Brain Tumors Cerebral Aneurysms Cerebral Vascular Diseases Cranioplasty

Craniotomy Head Traumas Hydrocephalus Microneurosurgery Pituitary Tumors Skull Fractures Stereotactic Neurosurgery Vascular Malformations Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts

Spine

Back Pain & Injuries Back Pain & Injuries Cervical Disc Diseases Cervical & Lumbar Disc Surgeries Cervical & Lumbar Laminectomy Lumbar Disc Diseases Microdiscectomy

Neck Pain & Injuries Spinal Abscesses & Infections Spinal Cord Injuries Spinal Cord Tumors Spinal Stenosis & Spondylosis Spine Fractures Spine Injuries

             

Orthopedic Expert Services, LLC. provides exclusive consultative services for the legal profession, the insurance industry and the health care industry.

Principal, Neal C. Small, MD, is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon with over 35 years of clinical experience treating orthopedic injuries and spinal disorders. He has performed over 17,000 orthopedic and spine surgical procedures and has the experience and knowledge to be a credible expert in virtually any orthopedic or spine case.

Dr. Small is Certified by The American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and a Member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America. He has also served as a Past President of the Arthroscopy Association of North America. Dr. Small has published over twenty articles on various orthopedic topics in refereed orthopedic journals and textbooks.

Litigation Support - Dr. Small has extensive forensic experience, serving as an expert on hundreds of cases and having been deposed numerous times. He has never faced a Daubert challenge. Dr. Small is licensed to practice in Texas, Oklahoma, and Idaho. He has provided opinions within reasonable degrees of medical probability or medical certainty on issues concerning Causation, Usual and Customary Medical or Surgical Treatment, Usual and Customary Expenses, Future Medical or Surgical Needs, and Anticipated Expenses.

Areas of Expertise:

Arthroscopic Surgery Spine Care Disability Evaluations IMEs Fractures

Total Joint Replacement Spinal Trauma Sports Medicine Shoulder Knee / Lower Extremity

Dr. Peter-Brian Andersson, a Board Certified Neurologist and Associate Professor of Neurology at UCLA, specializes in Traumatic Brain Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Memory Disorders, Capacity, and Nursing Home Standard of Care. 

Between 1992 and 1997, Dr. Andersson completed an internal medicine internship and then neurology residency at the University of California, San Francisco where he also served as Chief Resident. He has completed fellowships in multiple sclerosis at UCSF and in neuromuscular disease at Stanford University. He served on the faculty at Stanford University in the neuromuscular division before moving to the Valley in 1999 and has served this community as both an outpatient and inpatient neurologist for over 20 years.

Dr. Andersson has been published in laboratory and clinical neurology. He has been an ad hoc reviewer for the journal Muscle & Nerve. He is the Medical Director of Stratus Neurodiagnostics, the leading outpatient EEG services company in the United States, and has served as a Principal and Co-Investigator for dementia trials at The National Research Institute.Epilepsy 

Litigation Support: Dr. Andersson has extensive experience providing expert testimony. His services include medical record review, IMEs, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Traumatic Brain Injury Neuromuscular Disease   Multiple Sclerosis Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Capacity Epilepsy

EMG & EEG Neuropathy Myopathy Headaches Dementia / Memory Disorders Nursing Home Standard of Care

Prior to beginning his residency, Dr. Andersson graduated cum laude in medicine from the University of Cape Town in 1986. In 1988, he earned an honors degree in medical biochemistry at the University of Cape Town. Between 1988 and 1991, Dr. Andersson obtained a D. Phil in neuroimmunology at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He was Yamanouchi Junior Research Fellow in Cell Biology at Wolfson 1991-2. Junior Research Fellowships are awarded to the top 2% of graduates at Oxford University.

Sina Rajamand, DO, is a General Neurosurgeon particularly skilled in minimally invasive and Complex Spine Surgery, Including percutaneous lumbar fusions, and minimally invasive brain and spine surgeries. He is affiliated with numerous prestigious medical societies such as the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American Osteopathic Association.

Dr. Rajamand started Carson Tahoe Medical Center’s Neurosurgery program. His duties and responsibilities include writing and revising procedures and protocols, educating other providers and nursing staff on neuro-critical care and neurosurgical pathologies. He coordinating and organizes capital expenditures for the neurosurgery service line and provides continuous consulting services to inpatient hospitalist service and Emergency Departments.

Dr. Rajamand founded Battle Born Brain and Spine to set a new standard in neurosurgical care for the Northern Nevada and Northern California community, by providing the right care at the right time for the right person in the right way.

Dr. Sina Rajamand on Brain, Spine, and Back Surgery

Litigation Support - Dr. Rajamand is uniquely equipped to provide medical expert testimony with his advanced medical training from Columbia University, Midwestern University and the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He specializes in microsurgery techniques for neurosurgical procedures and minimally invasive surgery.

In depositions and trials, Dr. Rajamand can serve as a medical expert witness on a wide range of spinal conditions and diseases, including:

• Brain and Spine Tumors
• Carpal Tunnel
• Compression Fractures
• Trigeminal Neuralgia
• Lumbar, Cervical, and Thoracic Spine Conditions

Tobias A. Mattei, MD, is a academic Neurosurgeon specialized in Complex Spine / Deformity Surgery. Dr. Mattei is currently practices as an Assistant Professor of the Division of Neurosurgery of St. Louis University. He has been an active member of the North American Spine Society, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, as well as many other international societies. 

Dr. Mattei is a member of the editorial board of The Spine Journal and Deputy Editor of the North American Spine Society Journal, the new open access initiative of the North American Spine Society. He is an active reviewer of several other neurosurgical journals including World Neurosurgery, Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery, Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, Osteoarthritis & Cartilage, Journal of Engineering in Medicine: Part H, British Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurological Sciences.

As a researcher, Dr. Mattei has published more than 130 original research articles, having been cited more than 1400 times. He holds an unrestricted medical license in the states of Ohio, Missouri, New York, and Maine, and has never been submitted to any sanction or disciplinary action by any medical boards.

Litigation Support: Dr. Mattei provides expert witness services in the field of Spinal Injuries, Spine Surgery, Spinal Care, and Neurosurgery. He has provided expert review services for several scientific funding agencies in the U.S. (including the NIH Panel for Clinical Neurophysiology, Devices, Neuroprosthetics, and Biosensors) as well as abroad (including the Innovation and Technology Commission/ Hong Kong SAR Government and The Brain Tumor Charity - New Ideas Award/UK). 

Dr. Mattei's  litigation support services are available to attorneys for plaintiff and defense and include review of hospital records, medical reports, imaging results, operative reports, patient's evolution, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

Lumbar Disc Herniation Cervical Disc Herniation Spinal Stenosis Laminectomy Spinal Fusion Spinal Fracture Spinal Injuries

Kyphoplasty Vertebroplasty Artificial Disc Spinal Cord Injury Spinal Tumors Scoliosis Back pain