Adult Care Medical-Medicine Expert Witnesses: 9

Gregory T. Whitman MD is a board-certified neurologist, author, speaker and formerly on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He practices Neurology in California and is available to consult and testify in other states.

Dr. Whitman is an expert in Neurology, Otoneurology, dizziness, vertigo, BPPV, gait, balance, falls, inner ear and vestibular disorders, vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, Meniere's disease, vestibular tests, VNG, labyrinthine concussion, orthostatic intolerance, syncope, loss of consciousness, neurological effects of medications, head trauma, concussion, traumatic brain injury, TBI, construction injuries, stroke, brain hemorrhage, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, cognitive impairment, dementia, carbon monoxide, encephalopathy, brain injury, seizure, sleep apnea, neuropathy, spinal disorders, disability, and other areas of Neurology.

Formerly on medical faculty at Harvard, UCLA and UC Irvine. Previous Neurology Residency Program Director, Neurology Clerkship Director. Contributor to multiple medical books. Co-author of "Dizziness Why You Feel Dizzy and What Will Help You Feel Better" (Johns Hopkins Univ. Press). Experienced public speaker. Over 10 years’ forensic experience, including depositions and testimony in state and federal court.

Neal C. Buddensiek, MD, HMDC, CMD, has over 14 years of experience practicing Internal Medicine, and over 10 years of experience practicing as an attending physician in Post Acute Care. 

Dr. Buddensiek is Chief Medical Officer for one of the largest Catholic Long-Term Care / Senior Living companies in the United States (26 skilled nursing facilities comprising 2,100+ beds, 28 assisted living facilities comprising 2,100+ units, 5 Midwestern states). He holds active medical licenses in multiple Midwestern states. For 5 years, Dr. Buddensiek has taught Internal Medicine residents and nurse practitioners about nursing home and residential care.

Dr. Buddensiek is an Expert in:

• Long Term Medical Care and Administrative Oversight (8 skilled nursing facility medical directorships; 1000+ resident chart reviews for safety and quality control).
• Assisted Living Medical Care and Administrative Oversight (5 assisted living facility medical directorships; 500+ resident chart reviews for safety and quality control). 
•  Hospice Medical Care and Administrative Oversight (2 hospice agency medical directorships; average daily census 400+ hospice patients, 3 Midwestern states). 

Areas of Expertise:

Grace T. Mondina, DNP, MSN, RN, PHN, has 14 years of experience as a Nurse in Skilled Nursing Facility / Long-Term Care and 6 years as a Case Manager and Post-Acute Care Management. 

Ms. Mondina has served as an Expert Practice Consultant for the California Board of Registered Nursing. She is currently an Expert Witness for the Department of Justice, where she reviews investigative case materials and prepares written opinions and assists investigators, prosecutors, and administrative law judges in understanding the nursing aspects of a case.

 Ms. Mondina also serves as a mentor for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students from the University of San Francisco.

Litigation Support: Ms. Mondina is available to review medical records, medical facts, and other medical situations for standard of care. She is licensed in California, Arizona, and Colorado.

Areas of Expertise:

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. 

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 delivers speaks and delivers seminars throughout the nation on topics including dementia, exercise for aging adults, falls and fall risk mitigation, and Person-Centered Care.

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
• Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association Award

Litigation Support - Dr. Ciolek is available as an expert witness for attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. Her services include medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

View Dr. Cathy Ciolek's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Matthew Lee, MD, RPh, MS. 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:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Depression

Drug & Alcohol

Specific Phobia

Sexual Offense

Adjustment Disorder

Family Proceedings

Personal Injury

Criminal Reports

Head Injury

Capacity

Gerald W. Smetana, MD, Board Certified in Internal Medicine, is a General Internist with over 33 years of experience in an academic primary care practice at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He is also a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School where he teaches internal medicine to medical house staff and also extensively to practicing clinicians in continuing medical education settings. Practicing in an outpatient setting, Dr. Smetana cares for a panel of patients that is weighted towards those with multiple chronic illnesses and high disease complexity. In addition to all aspects of office based general internal medicine, his areas of interest include Preoperative Medical Evaluation, Hypertension, and Headache. Dr. Smetana has been repeatedly selected as a Best Doctor in a national survey and has received a national award for scholarship in medical education. He publishes in the peer reviewed medical literature and medical texts, has edited textbooks, and has helped to develop national guidelines on topics in internal medicine. He has been invited to deliver seminars and presentations on various topics within his area of expertise nationally and internationally. Litigation Support - Dr. Smetana reviews cases for both plaintiffs and defendants, and has testified at deposition and trial as an expert more than 45 times. He has reviewed several hundred medical malpractice cases over the past 10 years both for plaintiffs and doctors. Dr. Smetana also consults for risk management insurers. His primary care, record review, and medicolegal consultation services are available throughout the United States.

Anger Problems / Anger Management

Anxiety - Generalised Anxiety Disorder with or without Panic Attacks

Health Anxiety / Hypochondriasis

Simple and Complex Phobias - Dental, Driving, Social, etc.

Bipolar Disorder

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Depression and Recurrent Depression

Excessive Drinking

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Adult ADHD

Eating Disorders - Overeating / Bulemia

John B. Everlove, Paramedic, BA has over 25 years of experience providing Emergency Medical Services. Currently licensed and practicing in California, Mr. Everlove has the following licenses and credentials:

• State of California Paramedic License P03889
• Ventura County Paramedic Certificate of Accreditation
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support Provider
• Basic Life Support Healthcare Instructor
• Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider
• Drug Abuse Recognition Evaluator
• Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Response Team Member
• National Association of Emergency Medical Services Association of Education Instructor
• National Incident Management Systems Provider
• Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Instructor

Litigation Support - Mr. Everlove provides dependable and professional litigation and support services for both plaintiffs and defendants. As a Supervisor and Clinical Manager for an organization of 150 employees, he conducted numerous investigations related to all aspects of Pre-Hospital Emergency Care from inception, to final review and root cause analysis. Mr. Everlove has participated in the research, development and implementation of clinical care equipment, policy and procedure design and implementation, as well as clinical educational services for Paramedics and EMTs. Areas of Expertise:

View John Everlove's Consulting Profile.