Medical / Clinical Research Consultants

François Sestier, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FACC, CIME, is a Cardiologist and Life Expectancy Calculations consultant. An expert in his field, Dr. Sestier has delivered over 2,000 lectures around the world and authored over 45 publications. He has served as a Consultant and Medical Director for insurance companies for nearly 30 years.

Consulting - In his capacity as a medical officer for various insurance companies, including Quebec and Ontario Blue Cross since 1985 and Optimum Re Insurance Company since 2002, Dr. Sestier has reviewed over 1,000 applications for life Insurance, giving advice on the Mortality and Life Expectancy associated with the applicant's medical conditions.

He has performed calculations on such diverse conditions as traumatology, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, morbid obesity, diabetes, different cardiac pathologies, sudden death, stroke, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B and C, and all kinds of cancers, leukemias and lymphomas.

Dr. Sestier - Life Expectancy Calculation

Education - Dr. Sestier graduated from medical school in Nancy, France, 1967, where he obtained certification in Cardiology, Pneumology, Occupational Medicine, and Aeronautical Medicine. In Canada, since 1973, he obtained a Quebec certification in cardiology (CSPQ), and a fellowship in cardiology of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (FRCPc). Dr. Sestier also obtained a PhD in Experimental Medicine (McGill, 1977) and certifications from the American Board of Insurance Medicine (1995) and the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (2011).

Associations - Dr. Sestier is a past president of CLIMOA (1996-1997), the Canadian Life and health Medical Officer Association, past-president of CSME (2011-2013), the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators, and the past president (2010-2012) of AIDC, the world association of medical experts. He is also a Professor of Medicine at University of Montreal, and since 1999 director of the bilingual program of Insurance and Medicolegal Expertise at University of Montreal.

View Dr. Sestier's Expert Witness Profile.

Michael Armstrong, Jr, MD is the founder and president of Richmond ENT, a private medical practice specializing in Ear, Nose and Throat disorders in Richmond, Virginia.  He is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.  He has successfully completed the Fellowship program of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy.  Dr. Armstrong graduated with highest honors from Princeton University (1985) and from Duke University School of Medicine (1989), and then trained for 6 years at Johns Hopkins Hospital before returning to his home town in 1995.  

Richmond ENT is an academically oriented private practice with an active research and teaching program.  Dr. Armstrong is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and in the Department of Nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University–Medical College of Virginia.  His daily responsibilities include training family practice resident physicians and nurse practitioner students in the diagnosis and management of ear nose and throat disorders.  Dr. Armstrong has been the principal investigator in more than 20 clinical trials evaluating new treatment options for ear, sinus and throat infections.

IME support: Dr. Armstrong has provided expert medical review on more than 85 cases and testified at least 18 times.  He can generally review medical records and provide a verbal report within 7 days of record receipt.  Independent Medical Examinations can be scheduled within two weeks, and a written report provided within 48 hours after reciept of all information. Dr. Armstrong has been most commonly consulted for claims regarding

Motor vehicle accidents (whiplash, air bags) Occupational noise exposure Military noise exposure Missed cancer diagnosis Surgical complications

Hearing Loss Tinnitis (ringing ears) Vertigo (dizziness) Loss of smell Hoarseness

. View Dr. Armstrong's Expert Witness Profile.

Georgia J. Persky RN, MBA, PhD, CLNC, is a seasoned nurse with over 40 years of broad Clinical Nursing experience and 25 years of Senior Leadership in Healthcare Organizations. She has expertise in the micro issues in direct patient care and the broad Management, Quality, State, Federal, and Joint Commission regulatory issues in hospitals and long term care facilities. Dr. Persky provides private consulting for hospitals that want to improve patient care quality and satisfaction. A national speaker and author, her services are in demand for engagements on healthcare issues. 

Litigation Consulting Support - As a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant and Quality Reviewer, Dr. Persky has investigated hundreds of Malpractice and Injury cases as a quality reviewer and can assist in legal case review with chronologies, timelines, and evidence based reports. Dr. Persky's services are available to attorneys for plaintiff and defense seeking an expert in nursing and patient care with a strong understanding of how hospitals and nursing homes work. 

Facility Consulting Services:

• Provide hospital and nursing leadership and support in turnaround or acute regulatory situations
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate Patient Care Services structure, processes and patient satisfaction initiatives
• Mentor nursing leadership team or screen and recruit new leadership
• Recommend strategies and tactics to improve efficiency or effectiveness in nursing and hospital operations
• Assess Perioperative Services and improve volume and patient flow
• Provide focused plan and implementation to address regulatory and accreditation issues and prepare leaders and staff for regulatory visits
• Develop Nursing, Operational and Strategic plan for handoff to new leadership team

Background Experience - Dr. Persky has served as Vice-President of Nursing and Patient Care Services for 25 years and most recently, New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia University Medical Center. For nine years, she was responsible for Risk and Quality Management and Patient Satisfaction for a 750 bed academic hospital. She directed a $200 million budget with 33 patient services units and Care Management, Respiratory Therapy, Social Work and Admitting Departments with 9 direct reports and 2,000 patient care employees. 

View Dr. Persky's Expert Witness Profile.

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

Kirsten Turkington, DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CEN, CNLCP, AFN-BC is a highly experienced, board certified Family Nurse Practitioner, licensed to practice since 1998. She provides quality healthcare and clinical expertise to patients, families, and attorneys on a regular basis.

Dr. Turkington's clinical background encompasses adult, adolescent, pediatric, and geriatric cases across Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Neurosurgery and Hospice. She is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Forensic Medical Expert with over 20 years of active clinical experience as a Registered Professional Nurse and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.

Dr. Turkington provides the following services:

Medical Consultations Mobile Medical Care Medical Case Reviews Life Care Planning Medical Cost Estimates

Clinical Education / Staff Training Forensic Evidence Review Background Research and Legal Case Evaluations Independent Medical Examination Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Dr. Turkington received a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2014, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 1998, and dual Bachelor degrees (BS -- Psychology & BSN -- Nursing) in 1994. View Expert Dr. Turkington's Witness Profile.

Dr. Matthew Lee 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 Overdosel 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