Rehabilitation / Physical Medicine Consultants: 5

Kevin Kucko, MAPT, ATC is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 23 years of experience. His specialty areas include Work-injury Reduction, Outpatient Services Development, and Physical Rehabilitation. 

Background Experience - Mr. Kucko began his career as an athletic trainer working with athletes from college through the NFL. He quickly focused on accelerating recovery times while rehabilitating orthopedic injuries. In 1995, he completed his Masters’ degree in Physical Therapy. Since that time, he has served as Department Director at various rehabilitation facilities throughout the east. 

Litigation Support - With over 13 years of experience performing Functional Capacity Evaluations, Mr. Kucko has helped hundreds of clients resolve cases with the best possible outcome. He provides services to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense. Kevin Kucko offers meticulous review of medical records in preparation for trial and depositions. For cases where therapy and physical rehabilitation are involved, he sets the foundation by explaining medical conditions and interventions in a clear and concise manner that jurors understand. Mr. Kucko has been deposed and/or testified 14 times since 2010. 

Areas of Expertise:

Cathy Ciolek, DPT, FAPTA, Cathy Ciolek, DPT, FAPTA, President of Living Well With Dementia, LLC, has over 30 years of experience as a Geriatric Physical Therapist. Dr. Ciolek is board certified as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer (CADDCT) by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. 

Consulting Services: Consultation for individuals, care partners, and facilities to address challenging issues that impact well-being and quality of life for people with dementia.  Examples include:

• People with frequent Falls and developing Falls Assessment Process and Teams
• Behavioral Expressions of Unmet Needs
• Inappropriate Medications and Anti-psychotic Medication Reduction
• Unrecognized Pain
• Alarm Use Reduction
• Culture Change and Change Management

Background Experience: Dr. Ciolek previously served as Regional Director for the Pennsylvania Restraint Reduction Initiative (PARRI), providing education and consultation for issues related to well-being (falls, engagement, medication reduction) to nursing homes throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania via a CMS grant. 

Prior to that, Dr. Ciolek served as assistant professor and director of clinical education for the University of Delaware, Department of Physical Therapy. She has practiced as a physical therapist in outpatient, SNF, home health and CCRC facilities over the course of her career.  She is a former Instructor/ Guest Lecturer/Lab Instructor at multiple universities including: Drexel University, Temple University, AT Still University/Arizona School of Health Sciences, Widener University, and Rocky Mountain University.

Dr. Ciolek speaks and delivers seminars throughout the nation on topics including dementia, exercise for aging adults, falls and fall risk mitigation, and Person-Centered Care. She is also a noted author on geriatric issues with books entitled, “Cognitive Issues in the Older Adult," “Restraint Assessment,” and “The Older Adult With Multiple Comorbidities.”

Geriatric Physical Therapy Thought Leader

• President, Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy (APTA Geriatrics)
• Past President, Delaware Physical Therapy Association (APTA Delaware)
• American Physical Therapy Association
• APTA Geriatrics
• APTA Delaware 

Awards and Accolades

• Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association
• Marilyn Moffat Leadership Award (APTA)
• Joe Lucca Service Award (APTA Delaware)
• Lucy Blair Service Award (APTA)
• Joan Mills Award (APTA Geriatrics)
• Clinical Educators Award (APTA Geriatrics)

View Dr. Cathy Ciolek's Expert Witness 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:

Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, P.C. was established in 1993. Specializing in Spine Care and Pain Management, the practice has developed into one of the premier non-surgical orthopaedic practices in the southeast, and an industry leader for the non-invasive treatment of back and neck pain. Non-Surgical Orthopaedics P.C. offers a wide variety of Non-Surgical options to Treat Pain and Musculoskeletal Injuries. Their goal is to eliminate pain with a strong emphasis on injury prevention and rehabilitation. Services include:

• Pain Management
• Orthopaedic & Sports Injuries
• Workers’ Compensation
• Auto Injuries
• IME's & Disability Evaluations

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

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. Focusing on acute and chronic pain management through an advanced Non-Surgical approach, 

Dr. Weil has become one of the leading experts on Spine Care and Disability Management. Dr. Weil has been a Clinical Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. An active lecturer, Dr. Weil speaks nationally and internationally on the nonsurgical management of back and neck pain as well as new advances in pain management. He also provides practice management to small-medium sized medical practices.

View Dr. Weil's Expert Witness Profile.

Stokes & Associates specializes in Life Care Planning and Vocational Rehabilitation. Our team has a combined experience of over 20,000 case assignment engagements. As a result, they can quickly map out a plan to provide the right level of service for the task. Additionally, their detailed Request for Service interview is conducted before work begins to ensure roles and expectations are determined from the onset of their involvement. 

Areas of Experience:

Aaron M. Wolfson, PhD, LRC, CRC, CLCP, is a Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor, and Certified Life Care Planner who has testified as an expert witness in both state and federal jurisdictions.

Dr. Wolfson is a New Orleans native who earned his Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Colgate University, as well as a Master’s Degree and Doctoral degree in Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi. He completed a doctoral internship at the University of Washington, where he also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Rehabilitation Psychology.

Dr. Wolfson received specialized training at the University of Washington Multidisciplinary Pain Center, as well as multiple inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation departments, and has published in the areas of vocational rehabilitation and clinical decision making in rehabilitation populations.

Todd S. Capielano, M.Ed., LRC, CRC, LPC, CLCP, CCM, is a Licensed and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Life Care Planner who has practiced in the private sector of Vocational Rehabilitation for over 35 years. He has been in the field of vocational rehabilitation since 1985, specializing in vocational evaluations, labor market research, job placement, and working up future medical care costs for catastrophic and non-catastrophic injuries in life care plans.

Mr. Capielano has been accepted as a vocational expert since 1989 in various courts, including Federal, State, Civil District Courts, and before Administrative Law Judges for Longshore Harbor Workers Compensation Act claims. Additionally, he has served as a vocational expert for the Social Security Administration testifying in thousands of cases since 1992. 

Mr. Capielano is a member of professional organizations, including the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, the Louisiana Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, and the American Association of Christian Counselors. He has served as Board Member at Large, President, and Past-President of IARP-LA. He received his Master’s degree in Counseling in 1992 from the University of New Orleans and his Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Louisiana State University Medical Center, School of Allied Health Professions in 1986. Mr. Capielano holds national certifications as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Certified Case Manager, and Certified Life Care Planner.

Ashley G. Lastrapes, Ph.D., NCC, CRC, CCM, CLCP, LPC, LRC has over 9 years of experience in private vocational rehabilitation. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Holy Cross; she holds a Master of Health Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 2011; and her Bachelor of Science Degree in psychology from the University of New Orleans in 2009.  Dr. Lastrapes is a Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor, as well as a board approved supervisor in the state of Louisiana. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas.  In addition, she holds national certifications as a Certified Counselor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Certified Case Manager, and Certified Life Care Planner. Dr. Lastrapes is also a Vocational Expert with the Social Security Administration, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Dr. Lastrapes currently serves as the secretary of the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners. Dr. Lastrapes is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and served as a Board Member for the Louisiana chapter from 2014 to 2017. 

Dr. Lastrapes specializes in vocational rehabilitation assessment, testing, labor market research, wage and earning capacity analysis, worker’s compensation policy and procedure, case management, life care planning, and career and adjustment counseling. Aside from her work in private rehabilitation, Dr. Lastrapes also has experience providing individual and family therapy to individuals with behavioral, mental health, and substance abuse issues.

Brandy E. Bradley, MHS, CRC, LRC, CLCP is a Licensed and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor who has over 15 years of experience in private rehabilitation.  She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University in 1997 and her Master of Health Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in 1999. She also holds national certification as a Certified Life Care Planner. 

Brandy is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) and currently serves as President of the Louisiana Chapter. Brandy is also qualified as a Vocational Expert with the Social Security Administration, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Brandy’s areas of expertise include vocational rehabilitation assessment, testing, labor market research, wage and earning capacity analysis, life care planning, and counseling. Aside from her work in private rehabilitation, Brandy also has years of experience providing individual and family therapy to individuals and families with behavioral, mental health, and substance use issues.

Elizabeth Peralta, M.Ed., LRC, CRC, CLCP is a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, Life Care Plan Specialist, and Director of Case Management.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2005 and her Master of Education in Counseling from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2010. 

Elizabeth is a Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor through the LLPVRC Board of Examiners and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Certified Life Care Planner.   

Elizabeth’s areas of expertise include assessing future medical needs and life care planning, vocational assessment, wage and earning capacity analysis, and labor market research.

View Stokes & Associates' Consulting Profile.