Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Consultants: 19

Lawrence Amsel, MD, MPH, is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology. An Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and an Attending physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY, he specializes in:

Evidence Based Psychotherapy for Anxiety Disorders - PTSD - Psychological Sequelae of Terrorism

With an MD from Yale University and an MPH in Biostatistics from Columbia University, Dr. Amsel combined his clinical expertise with his analytic mathematics background to become one of the early champions of the application of Decision Science, Game Theory, and Behavioral Economics to Psychiatric Research. 

Dr. Amsel has published numerous articles and delivered presentations, symposia, and workshops on Behavioral Economics and Game Theory and other topics on Mathematical Psychiatry. His speaking services are in demand both nationally and internationally. Dr. Amsel will contribute to the proposed study, “Adolescent and Family Decision Making In Time of Disaster,” as Co-Principal Investigator and will serve as the team expert on decision tasks, helping to incorporate the selected tasks into the overall study design. He will be involved in supervising the collection of data related to these tasks and will help guide study design, data collection and analysis, and assist in the interpretation and publication of research findings. 

In 2003, Dr. Amsel organized the first ever American Psychiatric Association symposium on applications of Game Theory to psychiatry. He has published articles and presented posters on Game Theory modeling of suicide, OCD, and PTSD. After 9/11, Dr. Amsel joined the Trauma Studies and Services division at the New York Psychiatric Institute, and has been involved in treating victims of 9/11 and their families, in training community clinicians in cutting edge treatments for PTSD and Complicated (Traumatic) Grief, as well as in doing research on optimal methods of disseminating this training. 

Over the last several years, Dr. Amsel has been collaborating with Dr. Hoven at the Child Psychiatric Epidemiology Group (CPEG) working on understanding the connection between decision deficits, trauma and psychiatric disorders in the developing brain of children/adolescents. He has extensive clinical expertise within psychiatric research, as well as expertise in applying decision science tasks in psychiatric research settings.

View Dr. Amsel's Expert Witness Profile.

Dr. Kenneth J. Manges is a Vocational and Psychological Expert with over 30 years of experience. He is certified in Forensic Psychology, Emotional Trauma, Wage Loss, Disability, and Crisis Intervention and is recognized as an Expert in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Dr. Manges is qualified to testify in both federal and state courts and has provided expert opinion testimony for plaintiff and defense.



Specialties Include:

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Evaluation & Treatment
• Forensic Testimony (Consultation, Evaluation Treatment Following Trauma or Injury)

Expert Testimony Experience:

Mental Health Evaluations Mental Health Malpractice Damages Personal Injury Consultation Wrongful Death Damages Medical Malpractice Damages Diminished Capacity Defense Chronic Pain Syndrome

Insanity Defense Vocational Evaluation Family Law / Spousal Support Railroad / FELA Maritime / Jones Act Fitness for Duty Evaluations Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Linnda Durre', Ph.D., Licensed Psychotherapist, (FL License #MH6058) is an expert witness, psychotherapist, family counselor, intern supervisor, international speaker, corporate trainer, author, business consultant, adjunct college professor, and a magazine, Internet, and newspaper columnist. Her four areas of court expertise are Family Law, Personal Injury Law, Employment Law, and Criminal Law. 

Litigation Support: With over 46 years of experience, she consults to attorneys and has been qualified as an expert witness in nine (9) states - Florida. Alabama, California, Arkansas, Georgia, Connecticut, Washington, Tennessee, and Iowa - in the areas of Personal Injury, PTSD, Family and Couples Counseling, Divorce, Child Custody, Relocation, Drug and Alcohol Counseling, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Abuse by Psychotherapists, as well as Age, Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Discrimination. Her 400-page doctoral dissertation and research in the latter area was cited to pass legislation in several states. 

Dr. Durre' has hosted and produced four radio shows, two of which were call-in advice shows and two are interview shows. Her current show "Linnda Durre' Interviews" airs daily for one hour on www.VegeRadio.com. at 4 PM ET, 3 PM CT, 2 PM MT & 1 PM PT.  Dr. Linnda Durre' has hosted and produced two call-in advice TV shows, including being selected in a national search of 200 applicants, to host, "Ask The Family Therapist," on America's Health Network (AHN), which was associated with Mayo Clinic and each show aired daily for two hours from Universal Studios Orlando.

She has appeared on Oprah, 60 Minutes, O'Reilly (twice), Today Show, Good Morning America, Canada AM, Daytime, Donahue (twice), Sally Jessy Raphael, People Are Talking, Home Show, Hour Magazine, Home and Family Show, Disney Channel, and the local and/or national news on NPR, PBS, CBS, ABC, NBC, CW, and Fox.

Dr. Durre' has been interviewed, cited, and/or quoted by the NY Times, LA Times, Forbes, WSJ, IBD, Business Week, SF Chronicle & Examiner, Toronto Globe & Mail, Albany Times Union, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Orlando Business Journal, Orlando Sentinel, Parade Magazine, Alternative Medicine Magazine, CNN Online, Washington Parent Magazine, Screen Actor Magazine, Florida Magazine, Pasadena Star News, Orlando Magazine, Women's Health Magazine, and others.

View Linnda Durre's Expert Witness Profile.

Teo Ernst, PsyD, ABPP, is a Clinical Psychologist licensed in California. He is board certified in forensic psychology, a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and an Assistant Clinical Professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Ernst received a PsyD (Doctor of Clinical Psychology) from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He completed his doctoral internship at Napa State Hospital and his postdoctoral fellowship at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs/UCSF Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Abuse Program. Clinical Experience - Dr. Ernst has experience working with a rich and diverse range of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, religions, and sexual orientations. Past clinical experiences include college counseling, community mental health, inpatient psychiatric treatment, crisis work, and VA treatment. In addition to private practice, he currently teaches family therapy part-time at UCSF, as a voluntary clinical faculty member.

Areas of Interest and Experience:

• Trauma, neglect, and posttraumatic stress disorder
• Couples’ difficulties (e.g. poor communication, arguments, infidelity, difficulties with intimacy, trouble negotiating needs, jealousy)
• Mood issues (e.g. depression, bipolar disorder, sadness, lack of pleasure)
• Anxiety issues (e.g. fear of public speaking, excessive worrying, panic attacks.)
• Challenges in relationships and intimacy (e.g. trust issues, divorce, difficulty becoming close, fear of rejection, sexual issues)
• Work difficulties (e.g. procrastination, anxiety with colleagues and seniors, lack of direction, difficulty presenting)
• Personal growth (e.g. resolving childhood issues, increasing self-awareness, improving self-esteem, defining values)

Presentations and Seminars - Dr. Ernst provides delivers presentations for organizations including the San Francisco Bar Association, UCSF, the First District Court of Appeals, and many others. Selected topics include:

• Coping with the Emotional Toll of Legal Practice
• Managing Challenging Personalities: A Fiduciaries’ Practice GuideManaging Challenging Personalities: A Fiduciaries’ Practice Guide
• Strategies for Working Effectively in Legal Practice with Mental Illness
• Client Control, Family Dynamics, and Competency in Estate Planning

Alameda Office 1402 Park St., Suite C Alameda, CA 94501 Telephone: 415-913-8096

View Dr. Ernst's Expert Witness Profile.

Forensic Psychiatric Associates, LP's (fpamed) mission is to provide the legal profession with the highest quality evidence-based forensic psychiatric and psychological opinion and testimony. To accomplish this, they have built a specialty practice of highly trained forensic psychiatrists and psychologists. 

The psychiatrists at fpamed are multiply boarded by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. In addition to multiple board certifications, each has additional subspecialty expertise relevant to forensic psychiatric and psychological practice.

fpamed offers Forensic Psychiatric and Psychological Expert Assessment and Testimony about traumatic and non-traumatic psychological injuries including the following:

Motor Vehicle Accident Death of Parent Parental Loss Loss of Consortium Burn Injuries Suicide Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Forensic Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Child Sexual Abuse Child Abuse Child Custody Disputes Spousal Abuse Elder Abuse Employee Harassment Employee Discrimination Race Discrimination Gender Discrimination Ethnic Discrimination Accommodation ADA FEHA Wrongful Termination Effects of Stress Standard of Care Psychiatric Malpractice Boundary Violations Wrongful Death Prescribing Psychiatric Medication Stress

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Class Action Mass Torts Toxic Torts Asbestos Mold Damp Buildings TCE Exposure Malingering Factitious Disorder Somatization Disorders Subjective Disorders Stalking Competency Testamentary Capacity Undue Influence Will Contest Psychological Testing Neuropsychological Testing Psychology Psychologist Neuropsychology Neuropsychologist Neuropsychiatrist Head Injury Traumatic Brain Injury Cognitive Impairment Neurocognitive Assessment

Dr. Mark I. Levy, MD, DLFAPA, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, has been practicing Clinical Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis full time for over 30 years. During the past fifteen years he has devoted a substantial portion of his clinical practice to Forensic Psychiatry, providing independent medical evaluations (IME's) and expert forensic psychiatric opinion and Consultation nationally for plaintiff and defense trial attorneys, major insurance carriers and the courts.

Dr. Levy has lectured on a wide range of forensic topics including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the role in personal injury litigation of pre-existing Personality Disorders, patient confidentiality, “Eggshell” Plaintiffs, stress management for attorneys and other topics and much more at state and local bar associations and in various other Continuing Legal Education programs for attorneys. He has written and lectured to medical audiences and is a frequent media expert and commentator on psychiatric, forensic, and mental health issues.

Dr. Levy has consulted as a psychiatric medical expert in more than 450 legal cases, have been deposed approximately 400 times and has been qualified as an expert by various State and Federal District Court to testify at trial on 52 occasions. He is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry for the School of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, is on the Faculty at San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute and is Chairman of the San Francisco Foundation for Psychoanalysis.Licenses.

Charles E. Saldanha, MD, FAPA, graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and completed his Doctor of Medicine degree at the Duke University School of Medicine. After internship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, he completed residency in Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and a fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at Yale University. He is certified in Psychiatry with Added Qualifications in Forensic Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Saldanha has practiced in the areas of Emergency Psychiatry, Inpatient Psychiatry, and Community Psychiatry with a focus on persons with Serious Mental Illness. Over the course of his career, he served in medical leadership roles for several facilities, hospitals, and programs in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has served on the faculty of the UCSF Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program and has delivered educational presentations to a variety of professional and lay audiences.

Dr. Saldanha's areas of interest include administrative psychiatry, violence and suicide risk assessment, substance use disorders, medical malpractice, and civil and criminal competencies. He has performed over 60 forensic psychiatric evaluations and has testified over 25 times in court proceedings and depositions. Dr. Saldanha has been qualified as an expert in the field of psychiatry in courts in Connecticut, California and in the Federal Jurisdiction.

Anlee Kuo, JD, MD, received her B.A. degree from Dartmouth College. She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her M.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Psychiatry and subspecialty fellowship training in both Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco. She is certified in Adult, Child, Adolescent & Forensic Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Kuo's areas of interest include child forensic issues such as child custody evaluations, competency to stand trial assessments, diagnostic evaluations and risk assessments for the juvenile courts, parenting assessments in dependency cases, child sexual abuse allegations and child trauma assessments and diagnostic assessments in school consultation and child immigration cases. She currently maintains a clinical faculty appointment at the University of California, San Francisco and a private practice in San Francisco and San Mateo treating children, adolescents and adults. She has also worked in the child psychiatry division of the San Mateo County Mental Health Department.

Dr. Kuo has performed over 250 forensic psychiatric evaluations and qualified as an expert in the field of psychiatry in the San Francisco juvenile and adult courts and in the Federal Jurisdiction. She is a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association.

Gloria Kardong, MD, DLFAPA, DABPN is a Board Certified Psychiatrist with specialties in Psychotherapy and Psychomarmacology. He practice includes General, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry as well as Forensic Psychiatry. Dr. Kardong has a broad experience using a verity of different treatment modalities. She offers individualized care based on the client's specific problems, concerns and preferences. In full time private practice in Palo Alto, CA for the past 25 years, Dr. Kardong is a Psychiatric Consultant for Stanford University Schools of Law and Medicine, the California Medical Board, and private attorneys nationwide. She is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University Medical Center and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Kardong has been named a Top Doctor in Silicon Valley by San Jose Magazine for over a decade. Specialty Areas Include:

• OB-GYN and psychiatry - Pregnancy and post partum-related psychiatric problems; infertility; gynecology; menopause / hormonal issues; PTSD / childhood sexual abuse / adult consequences and relationship / sexuality issues
• Impaired Professionals - Physicians, nurses, mental health care providers, attorneys executives and other professionals and professional organizations

View Dr. kardong's Expert Witness Profile.

A senior clinical faculty member at Harvard Medical School, Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D., is active in patient care in medical, psychiatric and judicial education nationally. He is qualified in both state and federal courts and is nationally recognized as a distinguished impartial, clinical, ethical and forensic expert to P/D attorneys and institutions. Individual and multispecialty team consultations available.

• Informed Consent & Malpractice
• Employment Litigation: ADA, Disability, Sexual Misconduct Discrimination, Worker's Compensation
• Emotional & Physical Damages: Conscious Pain & Suffering, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Neuropsychiatry & Pain Imaging
• Standards For Experts
• Product Liability: Medical Devices & Pharmaceuticals, Toxic Tort
• Criminal Justice & Public Safety: Diminished Capacity, Drug Addiction, Competency to Confess, Death Penalty Mitigation, Workplace Safety
• Family & Custody Issues
• Testamentary & Contractual Capacity
• Professional & Organizational Ethics: Patient Care, Managed Care, Privacy
• Psychoanalysis & Cultural Perspectives

Charles H. Heller, PhD, is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with over 35 years of experience in his field. Dr. Heller offers consultative expert evaluations to assess children and adults for intellectual, emotional, and mental abnormalities as defined by federal regulations. He is experienced in psychotherapy and psychological testing and provides psychological services to a broad spectrum of clients. Dr. Heller is currently on staff at Rutgers University Biomedical Health service, specializing in criminal behavior and risk assessment. He also serves as a forensic psychologist consultant for the Rockland County (NY) court evaluation service, where he has performed hundreds of child custody, as well as criminal competency and child abuse/neglect evaluations.

Areas of Specialization:

Bi-polar and other Depressive Disorders Personality / Borderline Personality Disorders Anxiety Disorders Pain Disorders Sexual Problems

Victims of Child Sexual Abuse Alcohol and Drug Problems Family / Marital Issues Mental Health Issues Organic and Brain Dysfunction

Agency Consultation - Dr. Heller also offers consultation to agencies to improve team effort and communication and reduce conflict. He facilitates executive and leadership committee meetings, goal setting, and staff training and clinical supervision of other therapists. Dr. Heller is a Forensic Consultant and custody evaluator for the Rockland County (NY) Department of Mental Health and a Child Custody evaluator for the Bergen Family Center, Court Services Program. He is a Consultant to agencies that include: outpatient and inpatient alcoholism and drug abuse treatment centers, schools, foster care agencies as well as a variety of group homes for emotionally handicapped, children with special needs, adolescents, developmentally delayed, and dual-diagnosed people.

Law Enforcement Personnel Consultation - Dr. Heller offer his services regarding treatment for alcohol and emotional problems as well as fitness for duty evaluations. Member of the Rockland County De-briefing team for police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians who have been involved in traumatic situations and the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Serve as a clinician for the member assistance program of the New York City Patrolman's Benevolent Association. Serve as an EAP clinician for agents and staff of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Speaking Engagements - Dr. Heller has delivered numerous professional speeches and seminars. His volunteer clinical supervisory and professional activities have been recognized by agencies he has helped.

Manhattan: (Mailing Address) Two Park Avenue, 20th Floor New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212-880-3789 - Alt. Phone: 845-354-0535 Fax: 845-354-1287

New Jersey: (Alternate Mailing Address) 140 East Ridgewood Avenue South Tower, Suite 415 Paramus, NJ 07652 Phone: 201-262-0331 Fax: 845-354-1287

Westchester County: (Not for Mail Service) 520 White Plains Road, Suite 500 Tarrytown, NY 10591 Phone: 845-354-0535 Fax: 845-354-1287

View Dr. Heller's Expert Witness Profile.

Dr. Jane K. McNaught, PhD is a locally and nationally recognized Psychological Forensic Expert with an extensive background in Clinical Psychological issues. Dr. McNaught works with both adults and children. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Divorce related issues.

Dr. McNaught has treated numerous adult and child victims of sexual and physical abuse. She has also consulted on cases for both the plaintiff and defense regarding the reliability of child and adult statements about sexual assault. She also consults on cases involving delayed reports of sexual assault as well as standard of care regarding interviewing alleged victims of sexual assault. Dr. McNaught also specializes in criminal cases where sexual assault is alleged as well as mental health issues that may impact sentencing. In the area of Family Law, Dr. McNaught has a long history of providing custody evaluations in high conflict cases that involve personaltiy disordered parents, allegations of physical and sexual abuse, allegations of Factitious Disorder of Self and Others, and cases involving Parental Alienation. Dr. McNaught also works with adults who are experiencing depression, anxiety, and going through life transitions. Throughout her career, she has also treated children who are experiencing behavioral, academic, and social difficulties.

Clinical Areas of Expertise:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Anxiety / Depression Psychological Factors Involved in Chronic Pain Anger Management Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder

Parent Counseling Following Trauma Divorce Adjustment Counseling Sexually Abused Children Parent Child Reunification Therapy Parent Child Counseling

Dr. McNaught has presented her work at national conferences for psychologists, social workers, physicians, attorneys and judges. Her presentations and workshops have been requested by such organizations as the Criminal Justice Institute, International Symposium on Child Custody Evaluation, Trial Lawyers Association, and many others. Dr. McNaught was one of a few psychologists chosen to be an invited Expert on the Minnesota Supreme Court Task Force on Visitation. She has also been invited to participate in State and County Policy Making Boards related to sexual assault as well as divorce custody issues. She is highly regarded as a state and national expert in the areas of: Sexual Assault, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Parental Alienation, Factitious Disorder by Proxy, and Divorce related issues.

View Dr. McNaught's Expert Witness Profile.

James Tyler Carpenter, PhD, FAACP, is a Board Certified (Clinical) Licensed Psychologist Provider. He has over 30 years of professional practice to include assessment, treatment, teaching, supervision, consultation, and research.

Dr. Carpenter specializes in psychosis, character disorder, trauma, offending behavior, suicidal patients, personality, forensics, disability, and integrating the full spectrum of temporal and modality specific psychological treatments across inpatient, outpatient, milieu, residential, and correctional settings.


Specific Areas of Expertise:

Addiction Alcohol Abuse Anger Management Antisocial Personality Anxiety Bipolar Disorder Borderline Personality Codependency Coping Skills

Depression Drug Abuse Dual Diagnosis Emotional Disturbance Family Conflict Grief Men's Issues Narcissistic Personality Oppositional Defiance

Peer Relationships Relationship Issues Self Esteem Self-Harming Spirituality Suicidal Ideation Trauma and PTSD Mood Disorders Thinking Disorders

Dr. Carpenter has held academic, research, and teaching appointments at Harvard University, Medical School, and Extension Schools, as well as Boston, Lesley, Roger Williams Universities, Massachusetts School for Professional Psychology, and the China American Psychoanalytic Alliance. He has published, taught, supervised, served as an editorial consultant, and presented on the topics of subliminal stimulation, meditation based psychotherapies, group psychotherapy, integrating techniques, the use of translators in forensic assessments and treatment, group treatment of violent offenders, assessment of suicidal patients, psychopathology, theories of psychotherapy, personality, and the recidivism of released inmates.

In addition to his practice at Metis Psychological Associates, Dr. Carpenter is currently an In-House Medical Consultant for Disability Determination Services, he teaches and consults to clients through CAPA (Chinese American Psychoanalytic Alliance). He is a member of the Forensic Think Tank, PIPATL (Program in Psychiatry and the Law, and participates actively on various listserves, professional organizations, and a scientific advisory board. Dr. Carpenter writes and presents at conferences on his interests within his expertise.

View Dr. Carpenter's Expert Witness Profile.

Michael Levittan, Ph.D. is an Expert Witness, Psychotherapist, Media Consultant, and Lecturer at UCLA Extension and California Graduate Institute. Dr. Levittan works as an expert witness on cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, post-traumatic stress, anger issues, child custody, school violence. He is director of a certified Domestic Violence/Anger Management program and has numerous articles published on violence and abuse.

Dr. Levittan presents at UCLA, National Alliance on Mental Illness, L.A. Superior Court, U.S. Marines, Hillsides Children's Home, Loyola Marymount Univ, International Conference on Violence, Abuse, Trauma, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, Grief & Loss Conference, The Maple Center, Womens Shelters.

Dr. Levittan's website: www.michaellevittan.com.

Dr. Patricia J. Bartzak, DNP, RN, CMSRN is a doctorally prepared Registered Nurse, with active nursing licenses in both Massachusetts and California.  Dr. Bartzak provides direct patient care in the hospital setting.  In addition to nursing research and education positions. Dr. Bartzak demonstrates both a wide and deep involvement in the nursing field. Her clinical practice provides the relevance, skill set, and understanding of what’s needed to create an environment that finds the evidence to optimize patient outcomes and leads the next generation of nurses. Dr. Bartzak utilizes peer-reviewed journal databases and meticulously references her sources and synthesizes information on complex nursing and health-related subjects. Currently working in a hospital designated as level 1 trauma center. 

Dr. Bartzak has completed the Intensive Course on Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) at the Fuld Institute at Ohio State University (2019) and is co-leading the adoption of EBP for a national organization. Dr. Bartzak has demonstrated skill in data mining and concept simplification to provide background and context for complex healthcare matters. Dr. Bartzak has worked in both union and non-union environments, and has the background and experience to consult with hospital leadership to engage and strengthen nurse’s investment in the workplace. Dr. Bartzak has written policies and procedures so she can assist other organizations in policy review and recommendations to ensure broad coverage, while also maintaining a risk management balance. Dr. Bartzak is versed in core measures and patient safety initiatives, and can provide an independent evaluation of practice issues and outcomes.

Finally, Dr. Bartzak has taught at all levels in nursing education from associate to doctoral, and can provide recommendations related to student progress in the academic area, and issues related to new graduate nurses transitioning into practice.

View Dr. Bartzak's Expert Witness Profile.

Marcel O. Ponton, PhD, has over 25 years of experience in the field of Psychology. He specializes in the Neuropsychological Assessment and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury patients and patients with Psychological Trauma.

Dr. Ponton continues to treat brain injury and trauma survivors in his private practice. He has extensive expertise in the assessment of Spanish-speaking patients. He is a published author, Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA, and Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Counseling at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Litigation Support - Over the past 22 years he has served as an expert witness, Dr. Ponton has executed hundreds of evaluations and been retained for his expertise over 300 times. He has testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator over 40 times. Dr. Ponton's services include neuropsychological assessments, psychological assessments, report writing, medical records review, consulting, and assessment of children and adults.

Areas of Expertise:

Forensic Neuropsychology Traumatic Brain Injury Brain Injury Rehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury Trauma Malingering Personal Injury

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Psychology Dementia Sanity / Trial Competency Sexual Harassment Sexual Discrimination Handedness

Ms. Roughan is a Rehabilitation Nurse Specialist who functions in the capacity of case manager, life care planner and expert witness. Her company, Roughan & Associates at LINC, is a nationally recognized Case Management and Medical/Legal Consulting service. It has been in existence since 1987, providing coordination of patient care; construction of Life Care Plans; and, consultative services to both the defense and plaintiff bar on simple and complex cases alike. Ms. Roughan has experience with diagnoses involving both children and adults and are knowledgeable in current treatment philosophies, identification of appropriate resources.

Diagnoses include, but are not limited to:

• Neurological Injuries (Brain and Spinal Cord Injury)
• Burns
• Orthopedic Injures
• Amputation
• Chronic Pain
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Services Include:

• Expert Testimony
• Life Care Planning
• Mini/Preliminary Life Care Plan
• Video Services
• Medical Record Review
• RN Independent Medical Exam
• Medicare Set Aside Trust Analysis
• Medical Bill Auditing
• Questions: Deposition Cross Examining

Sanjay Adhia, MD, MRO, is triple-Board-Certified in Psychiatry, Brain Injury Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry. In addition to forensic/expert witness practice, Dr. Adhia has provided patient care in the Houston area. Currently, he is a neuropsychiatrist at Memorial Herman TIRR where he treats those with brain injury, stroke, and other neurological injuries. His forensic practice focuses on the psychiatric impact of personal injury, medical malpractice, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, competency, violence, and complicating mental illness, as well as psychiatric disability. 

Dr. Adhia is among one of the few Forensic Psychiatrists who is also Board-Certified in Brain Injury Medicine. Often, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be a major factor in litigation as it can result in psychiatric or neurocognitive impairments. He has expertise in psychopharmacology, the medicine of medication. 

In addition, Dr. Adhia works with Physicians for Human Rights to assess victims of kidnapping and false imprisonment, human trafficking, undue influence, physical and sexual abuse, rape, and fear of imminent death. In all populations, he assesses PTSD, Anxiety, Depressive Disorders, risk of suicide, and malingering. He is experienced in the treatment and impact of drug and alcohol abuse on decision-making. Dr. Adhia has also treated severe psychosis (Schizophrenia, hallucinations) and psychopathology. Dr. Adhia was formerly treating patients at a Maximum Security Prison and prison psychiatric hospital. He has treated Opioid Use Disorders. 

Dr. Adhia’s findings consider complicating factors, such as emotional distress worsened by other active physical and mental conditions. Other factors are pre-existing mental and physical illness, competency and capacity (e.g. dementia, Intellectual Disability.) As a physician, Dr. Adhia is uniquely qualified to review medical records and doctor reports. Institutional medicine, medical malpractice, and standard of care apply to both public and private facilities, including government, regulated correctional institutions, and psychiatric hospitals. Dr. Adhia is skilled in these med-legal issues. He conducts Independent Medical Examinations, review of records, and reports his med-legal findings and opinions. He is available to testify in civil, criminal, probate, Federal, Immigration, military, and administrative jurisdictions.