Medical Causation Analysis Expert Witnesses: 63

Dr. Jeffrey Stone, DO, MPH, FCCWS, specializing in Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, served as Medical and Fellowship Director for the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at the Institute for Exercise & Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Dallas from 1992- May 2016. Dr. Stone received his medical degree from Western States University and received a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University. Dr. Stone completed a residency in aerospace medicine at Brooks Air Force Base and a fellowship in hyperbaric medicine and Wound care at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. Dr. Stone started visiting nursing facilities in the Dallas Metroplex  in the early 1990's teaching, educating and caring for individuals with chronic wounds. He is one of the first 60 physicians in the U.S. to receive his certification in Wound Care. Dr. Stone currently provides care to patients in acute care, LTAC, long term care facilities SNF and Nursing Home) and outpatient care.

Dr. Stone has been widely published in many medical journals regarding his expertise in Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine. He serves as an Expert Witness for Peer Reviews, Legal Reviews, and Medical Malpractice Cases.

Areas of Expertise: Wound Care and Hyperbaric Oxygen-

• Pressure Sores
• Arterial Ulcers
• Diabetic Foot Wounds
• Acute Traumatic Ischemias
• Decubitus Ulcers
• Non-Healing Wounds, Venous or Arterial or Pressure Related

View Consulting Profile.

Andrew Wittenberg, MD, MPH, FACEP, is the medical director of his Emergency Department and a practicing Emergency Medicine Physician with over 15 years of experience. He is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).  

Dr. Wittenberg currently works in a tertiary care center in southern California that is a stroke center, trauma center, STEMI-receiving center, and Pediatric Medical Center.  Dr. Wittenberg also has significant experience working in a smaller, single-coverage community emergency department.  Dr. Wittenberg graduated from Temple University School of Medicine and completed his residency at LA County-USC Medical Center. He has been recognized for excellence in teaching with awards from two residency programs. He also a national board examiner for ABEM.   

Litigation Support - Dr. Wittenberg offers expert witness services in medical malpractice cases involving Emergency Medicine. He provides consultation for chart reviews, expert witness depositions, and testimony. Dr. Wittenberg's services are available to both plaintiff and defense attorneys.  

Areas of Expertise:

Trauma Stroke Myocardial Infarction / STEMI /NSTEMI / ACS Pregnancy / Ectopic Pregnancy Sepsis Pulmonary Embolism (PE) Aortic Dissection Endocarditis Cauda Equina Spinal Epidural Abscess Meningitis

Aneurysm Pneumonia Appendicitis Intubation Ischemia Testicular Torsion and Ovarian Torsion Airway Management Fracture  Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Merrill S. Wise, MD, is a  a Board-Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology with special qualifications in Child Neurology, and special qualifications in Sleep Medicine. Involved in the full-time practice of sleep medicine, Dr. Wise has evaluated and managed the full range of Sleep Disorders since 1991.

Dr. Wise evaluates children, adolescents, and adults with the full range of sleep problems and disorders. He is involved with supervision and interpretation of polysomnography (sleep studies), Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (MSLT), Maintenance of Wakefulness Tests (MWT), and integration of these findings with the clinical history in order to develop a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Because of the population served in Memphis, Dr. Wise evaluates a large number of pilots (FedEx world hub), air traffic controllers, commercial drivers and barge pilots, rail engineers, and shift workers. He is experienced in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), narcolepsy, and other disorders of excessive sleepiness, insomnia, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, restless legs syndrome, and parasomnias.

Litigation Support - Dr. Wise has reviewed a wide variety of cases involving both neurology and sleep medicine for greater than 20 years including report generation, testimony at deposition, and at trial. He has served on numerous national task forces and committees, as well as the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). These experiences have exposed him to the full range of sleep disorders, as well as healthcare systems, best practices and evidence-based standards of care, policies, and the legal aspects of sleep problems and disorders. 

Special Interest and Expertise:  

• Individuals with Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
• Downstream Effects of Sleepiness on
  • Cognitive Function
  • Driving
  • Safety
  • Work
  • Behavioral Regulation

James M. Wheeler, MD, MPH, JD, magna cum laude in Biology / Psychology from Harvard, is an OB/GYN trained at Baylor, with subspecialty training in Reproductive Endocrinology / Infertility at Yale. He is also a graduate of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at Yale, focusing upon clinical epidemiology and biostatistics and health policy. He also earned his MPH at Yale majoring in Biostatistics, minoring in Maternal/Child Health. He graduated from the University of Houston Law Center with a JD in 2005, and was invited to join the Health Law division there. He has completed ADR training, having completed training programs separately in mediation, and arbitration.

Dr. Wheeler is a former national officer of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and served on several of their health policy committees including the Health Care Commission and the Hysterectomy Committee. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers on a wide array of topics in ob/gyn, with a particular emphasis on methodology. He has given over 200 invited lectures to ob/gyns, reproductive endocrinologists, radiologists, midwives, nurses, surgical technologists, law students et al. He sees himself first and foremost as a caregiver, and second to only that, as a teacher.

Dr. Wheeler has consulted in several hundred medicolegal matters for over 20 years, mostly in ob/gyn, but including family practice, internal medicine and several of its subspecialties, general surgery and several of its subspecialties, and dermatology. He has been a testifying expert before the FDA for drugs and devices, and has testified before U.S. Congressional staffers on health policy issues. He reviews for attorneys from both plaintiff and defense bars, as well as insurance companies (e.g. Pro-Assurance), and health plans (e.g. Harvard Community Health Plan). He has helped with Board of Medicine reviews, and constructing/defending class action suits. The combination of his training in medicine, basic and clinical research, clinical epidemiology, biostatistics and law make him a uniquely qualified person to review the complex issues of medicolegal cases.

Dr. Wheeler is a qualified first-reviewer, and a convincing expert during testimony. He has never been excused from a case as insufficiently expert.

Areas of expertise:

Gynecologic surgery Forceps / Vacuum Uses/ Complications Fetal Stress vs. Distress Cesarean vs. Vaginal Birth Shoulder Dystocia Pregnancy induced Hypertension / HELLP Syndrome Hysterectomy: Indications and Complications

Preterm Labor Incompetent Cervix Endometriosis Pelvic Adhesions Leiomyomata Uteri Infertility Advanced Reproductive Technology (IVF)

Clinton F. Merrill, Jr., MD, has over 35 years of experience in clinical Internal Medicine and 28 years of experience in Medical Oncology and Hematology. Dr. Merrill is experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of all solid tumors as well as the full range of hematologic malignancies. He has special expertise in benign hematology including: anemias, low blood cell counts, iron overload disorders, bleeding and clotting disorders. Litigation Support - Dr. Merrill offers expert witness services to counsel representing Plaintiff and Defendant. His services include medical record review, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony. Dr. Merrill takes pride in providing thorough record review, meticulously researched reports reflecting unbiased opinions, and excellent communication skills with the ability to make the complex understandable. Areas of Expertise:

Breast Cancer Colon Cancer Lung Cancer Tumors Leukemias Lymphomas

Myeloma Myeloproliferative Disorders Myelodysplastic Syndromes Benign Hematology Anemia Bleeding and Clotting Disorders

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:

Chronic Pain Narcotic Use Opioid Pill Mills Illicit Substance Abuse Opioid Overdose Wrongful Death

Urine Drug Testing Medication-Related Suicide Medication Reactions and Interactions FDA Controlled Substances Act Opioid Prescribing Opioid Dispensing Regulations

View Dr. Skaer's Consulting Profile.

Matthew E. Karlovsky, M.D. F.A.C.S. is double board certified in Urology and Urogynecology, by the American Board of Urology, and fellowship trained in Urogynecology, and an expert in Neurourology & Prosthetics. He has testified in over 50 depositions and 15 trials since 2014 and has reviewed over 300 cases for both Plaintiffs and Defense counsels. 

His specialty work involves pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, neurogenic bladder, device injury, surgical negligence, genital or sexual injury. He is also experienced in the care and treatment of all matters in General Urology including Cancers of the Prostate, Kidney, Bladder, Testis, Penis, Erectile Dysfunction, Bladder and Pelvic Surgery in Women, Stone disease, Recurrent UTIs, device malfunction and sex crimes. 

In addition to malpractice cases for Plaintiff and Defense, he has reviewed many cases for national Insurance carriers, pelvic mesh and MDL cases, sexual/genital injury, personal injury/MVA, criminal, catheter and device complications, in nearly all the states, Puerto Rico, federal courts and Indian tribes. He is known for attention to detail, timely reviews and well supported opinions and reports. 

Please see my CV for all credentials. 30 minute case review by phone to assess for merit. Contact me directly: call/text 480-272-0499. KarlovskyM@Yahoo.com >300 cases reviewed since 2014, >50 dispositions, 15 trials. Plaintiff or Defense. Attention to Detail. Prompt review. Honoring deadlines.

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.

Steven Burres has over 30 years of experience in the practice of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Burres provides all aspects of care including surgery, evaluation, treatment, and complications. He specializes in:

• Ear, Nose, and Throat
• Facial Plastic Surgery
• Liposuction
• Allergy

Dr. Burres has in-depth expertise in procedures such as cosmetic plastic surgery including hair, forehead, eyelids, nose, lip, facelift, neck lift, ear pinning and reshaping, cheek and chin implants, fillers, Botox, lasers, skin, scars, liposuction, and others except for breast implants and tummy tuck.

Dr. Burres' ear nose and throat experience includes broken noses and other facial fractures, hearing loss, vertigo, dizziness, smell, taste, nasal obstruction, sinusitis, tinnitus, hoarseness, GERD, sleep apnea, cancer, headaches, TMJ, skin disorders, facial nerve, and allergy.

Dr. Burres also has expertise in medical manufacturing having creative from concept-to-sales two medical businesses, one an injectable filler and the second a set of ear cleaning tools sold at major retailers.

Litigation Support - Dr. Burres has 20 years of experience serving as an expert witness and evaluator. He is a licensed QME/IME in California. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant for any medical legal matter including personal injury, workman's compensation, QME, IME, medical malpractice, or other medical manufacturing issues.

Education / Training:

• BA - University of Chicago, 1975
• MD -University of Chicago-Pritzker School of Medicine, 1979
• Residency Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery, 1983
• Fellowship Facial Plastic surgery - Stanford University, 1985

William B. Stetson, MD is an Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in Sports Medicine with an expertise in Arthroscopic and Reconstructive Surgery of the shoulder, knee, elbow and ankle. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Dr. Stetson spends over 90% of his time in clinical practice and research and has over ten years experience as an expert witness and in reviewing complex medical-legal issues. He is the Team Physician for the USA Men's and Women's Olympic Indoor Volleyball Teams and accompanied both teams to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. He is a former athlete himself, a two time All-American volleyball player at the University of Southern California (USC). He is also a recipient of the NCAA's prestigious Silver Anniversary Award, given to former NCAA athletes who have gone on to distinguish themselves after graduation. 

Areas of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialization:

Knee Arthroscopy Shoulder Arthroscopy Rotator Cuff Repair ACL Reconstruction Treatment of Arthritis

Knee Ligament Reconstruction Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation Shoulder Impingement / Bursitis Meniscus Repair and Meniscectomy Elbow Arthroscopy

View Dr. Stetson's Consulting Profile.

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.

Dr. Richard K. Skala, DC, QME, has been a Doctor of Chiropractic since 1976, providing chiropractic manipulation and spinal manipulation, as well as related physiotherapy. Certified in Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA), he has been granted Hospital / Surgery Center privileges for MUA and has performed hundreds of MUA cases. He was one of the first chiropractors in California to train for and provide Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatments (EWST). He has post graduate certification in the performance and interpretation of neuro-electrodiagnostics. Consultation and Expert Witness Services for Attorneys regarding

• Personal Injury
• Industrial Medical-Legal Cases
• Standard of Care involving General Chiropractic, Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA), Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression, and Extracorporeal Shockwave (EWST)
• Chiropractic Licensure Compliance California
• Workers Compensation

One of the foremost experts in Workers’ Compensation in California, he has taught many doctors on the subject and testified at numerous WCAB trials and hearings. He has been declared an expert witness by the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. He has been a Qualified Medical Evaluator since 1992, an Independent Disability Evaluator since 1992, a certified AMA Impairment rater since 2003, a Fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Forensic Consultants (AFICC) since 2003, and a consultant to the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners since 2008.

Dr. Skala is a noted author in his field of expertise. He has written numerous published newsletter articles on Chiropractic and other topics related to that field.

Shishir V. Shah, DO, is an award-winning Wound Care Physician in active clinical practice. Dr. Shah has 20 years of wound care clinical, safety, and leadership experience in acute care, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and home health settings. A Certified Wound Specialist (CWS) with additional Board Certifications in Hyperbaric Medicine and Family Practice.

Dr. Shah is a National Key opinion leader, CMO for 9 outpatient wound clinics, and experienced as a Medical Director at several level 1 Hospital Programs. Dr. Shah is on faculty at Midwestern University Medical School where he trains students on skin and soft tissue procedures. He has significant private equity, medical device, startup, and consulting experience (with biomedical, consumer products, and device-related wounds.) He earned his undergraduate degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Litigation Support - Dr. Shah serves as a Hyperbaric Medicine / Wound Care Causation expert witness, with deposition and trial experience. His nationwide services are available to defense attorneys, device companies, physicians hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and for consumer product liability. Dr. Shah is timely, professional, articulate, and accessible.

Areas of Expertise:

Hyperbaric Medicine Hyperbaric Oxygen Supervision Wound Care Pressure Ulcers Diabetic Foot Ulcers Venous Ulcers

Infections Medical Devices Soft Tissue Injuries Surgical Wounds Traumatic Wounds Burns

Anthony Scarcella, MD, JD, FAAEM, FACEP, is a full-time practicing, Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician who specializes in providing expert testimony and consultation services for plaintiff and defense attorneys involved in medical malpractice lawsuits. As an emergency medicine expert witness, Dr. Scarcella has reviewed hundreds of cases over the last 25 years. He provides an honest, unbiased assessment of emergency medicine issues. As a board certified emergency medicine physician with a law degree, he is uniquely qualified to provide case review and expert witness services in medical malpractice cases. Concentration in all areas of emergency medicine including the following Areas:

• Misdiagnosis of Chest Pain, including Myocardial Infarction and Pulmonary Embolism
• Testicular Torsion
• Missed Meningitis and Fractures
• Leaving against Medical Advice

Dr. Scarcella has also served as a medical consultant to attorneys, assisting them in preparing for deposition and trial cross-examination. He can provide case strategic planning for medical malpractice suits with regard to the examination of medical experts and medical defendants. If needed, Dr. Scarcella will also attend the deposition of the opposing side's expert or defendant physician. Dr. Scarcella speaks both Spanish and English and has full-time privileges as an Attending Physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, CA.  He is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.  He previously served as an expert reviewer for the Florida Board of Medicine and currently is an expert reviewer for the California Board of Medicine.

California Office  78-365 Highway 111, #135 La Quinta, CA 92253

View Dr. Scarcella's Consulting Profile.

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