Tracy L. Skaer, PharmD, FASHP, FASCP is a Professor Emeritus of Pharmacotherapy with over 30 years of pharmaceutical experience; 5 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, comorbid 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 and include record review, written reports, deposition, and trial testimony. Dr. Skaer's cases involve:
Michael J. Canaan, CPP CFLC is a Forensic Premises Liability Expert Witness with over 42 years of experience in military and civil law enforcement, as well as, corporate and private sector security and investigative positions.
Mr. Canaan is Board Certified in Security Management by the American Society for Industrial Security, International. ASIS is the largest professional security practitioner association with over 38,000 members worldwide, of which only 2200 have received this prestigious certification. Mr. Canaan is also a Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant with the Forensic Expert Witness Association.
Mr. Canaan has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Washington State University.
Assignments have taken him from the Bering Sea to Southeast Alaska, across Canada and the United States, to countries in Central and South American in case venues ranging from educational settings, amphitheaters and stadiums, nightclubs and sports bars, ships, casinos, retail environments, food processing facilities, malls, and shopping centers.
Those assignments typically have involved evaluating failure to meet best practices, duty or standard of care in areas such as hiring, training, supervision, policies and procedures, staffing, and technology in cases ranging from allegations of voyeurism, violation of privacy, improper installation of security infrastructure or systems, inadequate security, excessive force, threats, intimidation, harassment, assaults, rape, robbery, shootings, and homicide.
Of the 25+ expert cases worked, 80 percent have been for the defense, with testimony experience in deposition and at trial.
Since 1991, Mr. Canaan has served as President of Trident Investigative Service, Inc. He is a former Washington Certified Police Officer and Narcotics Detector Dog Handler. Mr. Canaan is a certified instructor in related disciplines and maintains active membership in numerous professional associations. View Michael Canaan's Consulting Profile.
Dr. John P. Bederka, PhD, has over 30 years of experience as a Toxicologist with specialized knowledge of Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Neuropharmacology. Dr. Bederka served as Section Head of Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine at the University of Illinois Medical Center. His practice covers Occupational Exposure, Residential Exposure, Adverse Health Effects, and Chemical Substances of Abuse.
Dr. Bederka is frequently called upon to provide Expert Testimony in Forensic Pathology and Toxicology in traffic accidents, medical malpractice, worker's compensation, and other diverse matters. As an independent contractor, Dr. Bederka has been retained for his services over 100 times in 25 states across the nation and Guam. Noted for his case-work on the Exxon Valdez matter, his recent work involves chemicals in Hydrofracking Fluids in Shale Gas extraction.
The Title of this publication as "Drug Injury", allows a wide range of sub-topics and an almost endless level of health related information. Thus, the inclusion of this Chapter is a de facto statement that Marijuana/Cannabinoids are an integral part of our Drug Lexicon. Historically, the Medical/Drug aspect of Marijuana is well documented in the On-Line entity at ProCon.org as recently as 08/13/2013. And, lest the reader retain some skepticism as to the Drug categorization of Marijuana/Cannabinoids, our U.S. Government was issued a Patent # 6630507 in Oct. 2003 for Marinol. This synthetic Cannabinoid Drug had a recommendation as "cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants". This Patent stands not withstanding the statement of "no medical use" for Marijuana in the 1970 placement as a Schedule 1 substance in the Controlled Substance Act. And, even more incredulous, given the 1937 Marijuana Stamp Act that established Marijuana as an Illegal Substance.
To be, or not to be, intoxicated! The expert witness-consultant is frequently confronted with this question in litigation matters relative to alcohol in the human body under diverse circumstances. Even given a diverse range of circumstances, the basic information can be encompassed as follows:
The currently most frequently requested tests, or, analytes in the Drugs of Abuse category are listed below. However, as will be discussed later in this report, there are other designations that refer the these same drugs or drug classes. Furthermore, if one were to make an exhaustive listing of all of the many "Street Names" for these available drug products, the listing would have several hundred entries.
William Santoro, MD is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine and Family Medicine. In addition to being the Chief of the Section of Addiciotn Medicine at Tower Health and Medical Director at the Reading Hospital & Medical Center detoxification/rehabilitation program, Dr. Santoro is also the Medical Director at New Directions, Methadone Treatment center where he is responsible for all admission physical exams and for prescribing methadone to approximately 950 opiate dependant patients. Dr. Santoro is the Addictionist on staff at The Reading Hospital & Medical Center within the Department of Psychiatry. He is consulted by hospitalists to care for patients admitted to the hospital with addiction complicating their condition. Dr. Santoro runs a Medication Assisted Recovery Clinic, an outpatient program treating over 200 patients with buprenorphine (Suboxone) 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 pharmacuetical industry.
Background and Expertise: A grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds, Patrick Reynolds first spoke out publicly at a 1986 Congressional hearing in favor of a ban on all cigarette advertising.
Since then, his advocacy work and appearances in the national press have made him a well known champion of a smokefree society.
Mr. Reynolds is a frequent guest speaker at universities and health conferences, and also middle and high schools. His talks are often sponsored by health departments and hospitals, as a bridge builder to local communities. He is frequently invited to debate on Fox News Channel, CNBC, CNN and other networks, and has been profiled by most of the world's major newspapers and US TV networks.
Dr. Ernst specializes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Competency/Capacity evaluations, and employment evaluations. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and one of fewer than 35 psychologists in California who have undergone the rigorous examination process necessary to obtain Board Certification in Forensic Psychology. As a trauma expert, Dr. Ernst chose to complete an additional year of fellowship training in PTSD at the San Francisco Veterans Hospital. Having completed over 350 forensic evaluations, Dr. Ernst is frequently retained to conduct a diverse range of civil and criminal evaluations including, but not limited to, mitigation evaluations (juvenile & adult), competency/capacity evaluations, personal injury evaluations, mental state at the time of the offense evaluations, violence risk assessment, and employment evaluations. He is currently a Qualified Medical Evaluator for the California Department of Industrial Relations and serves as a member of the Criminal Panel for Psychological and Psychiatric Experts for multiple Superior Courts. Dr. Ernst's past professional experiences including providing treatment and expert testimony as a member of the medical staff of Napa State Hospital and completing VA forensic evaluations on veteran's alleging psychiatric injury from military trauma. Areas of Expertise:
Assessment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Personal Injury Evaluations
Employment Evaluations
Assessment of Civil and Criminal Competencies
Violence Risk Assessment / Threat Assessment
Mitigation Evaluations
Capital Sentencing Evaluations
MSO Evaluations
Assessment of Neuropsychological Functioning
Assessment of Malingering
Independent Medical Exams (IME)
Trial Consultation
Disability Evaluations
Drug Abuse / Drug Addictions
Anxiety Disorders
Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)
Depressive Disorders
Panic Disorders
Schizophrenia Assessments
Violence Evaluations
Alameda Office 1402 Park St., Suite C Alameda, CA 94501 Telephone: 415-913-8096
Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, is a licensed, practicing, quadruple-board certified general, Child / Adolescent and Addiction Psychiatrist with 20 years of practice experience. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Taylor received his medical degree from the Howard University College of Medicine, and completed a "Triple Board" residency in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Bronx Municipal Hospital Center in The Bronx, New York.
Dr. Taylor has treated numerous children, adolescents, and adults for a variety of psychiatric and substance use disorders, including Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. He has also served as a Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Huntsville campus of the University of Alabama School of Medicine.
Litigation Support -With a wealth of hospital and private practice experience treating adolescents and adults with alcoholism and other drug addictions, Dr. Taylor is amply qualified to serve as an expert witness for plaintiff and defendant in cases involving addiction disorders, including alcoholism. Accordingly, he has served as an expert witness, reviewing records, providing depositions, and/or appearing and testifying in court in more than 10 cases over the past 8 years.
Susan Streeter, PhD, QME, is a Licensed Psychologist with over 30 years of professional experience. Dr. Streeter has provided psychological services to individuals, families, and couples in private practice and also in psychiatric clinics and hospitals. She has taught graduate-level classes and developed an alternative eating disorder treatment program.
Litigation Services - Dr. Streeter has testified in court approximately 40 times over the past three decades. Her psychological assessments are available to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. Dr. Streeter provides forensic evaluations and expert witness testimony in the following areas:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder related to a wrongful death event medical expert witness
Qualified medical evaluations
Court-related evaluations
Adoption matters
DUI-based trauma and death of a relative
Dr. Streeter also provides expert testimony specifically related to the needs of children in areas such as:
Emotional, physical, and psychological trauma of young children, teenagers, and adults
Child abuse / Child sexual abuse
Evaluation and testimony for traumatized children
Trauma related to negligence & wrongful death events
Testimony regarding children as the primary witness of domestic violence and/or murder
Ted W. Simon, PhD, DABT, is an award winning Environmental Toxicologist and Scientist. His expertise is in toxicology, risk assessment, mathematical modeling, statistics, neuroscience, and environmental / ecological health issues.
Dr. Simon has over 10 years of experience as a toxicologist employed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He served as EPA’s senior toxicologist in the waste management division working on risk and soil cleanup.
Teaching Experience - Since 2001, Dr. Simon has served as an Instructor / Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Science, College of Public Health, at the University of Georgia.
Public Speaker - Well published, including the author of a textbook on toxicology and environmental risk assessment, Dr. Simon has extensive national and international public speaking experience. Since 1996, he has been delivering seminars and lectures to universities and national institutes on many subjects within his area of expertise. In 2016, he delivered a lectures on “Bayesian Methods for Application of Uncertainty Factors,” to the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, and “Quantitative Prediction of Phenotypic Change from High Throughput Assay Results,” to the EPA's Workshop on In Vitro to In Vivo Extrapolation, Research Triangle Park, NC.
Litigation Support - Dr. Simon has over 15 years of experience offering expert witness services to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. He has been retained over 20 times since 2000 for cases involving environmental risk, drug and alcohol cases, DUI, accidental poisoning, and intellectual property. Dr. Simon has particular expertise in dioxin-like chemicals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). His services include consulting, reports, deposition, and trial testimony when necessary.
The willingness to view risk as part of daily life has vanished. A risk-averse mindset among environmental regulators engenders confusion between the ethics of intention and the ethics of consequence, leading to the elevation of the precautionary principle with unintended and often unfortunate outcomes. Environmental risk assessment is conservative, but the actual level of conservatism cannot be determined. High-end exposure assumptions and current toxicity criteria from the USEPA, based on linear extrapolation for carcinogens and default uncertainty factors for systemic toxicants, obscure the degree of conservatism in risk assessments. Ideally, one could choose a percentile of the target population to include within environmental standards, but this choice is complicated by the food, pharmaceutical and advertising industries, whose activities, inadvertent or not, often promote maladaptive and unhealthy lifestyle choices.
David Rutecki's career spans 39 years of Restaurant and Hospitality related experience. Working in more than 20 restaurants and involved in the opening of more than a dozen, he has worked every position possible within this industry. Mr. Rutecki currently owns and operates Mountain Deli in Hendersonville, garnering the 2016, 2017 & 2018 Blue Ridge Growth Award. He is a Member of the North Carolina and National Restaurant Associations. Mr. Rutecki has been invloved in the following selected restaurants:
Fancy’s Food and Wine, Gourmet Shop, Coral Gables, South Miami & Grove Isle, Fl.
Susie’s Bagels, Breakfast Restaurant, South Miami, Fl.
Pizzaria Uno, Full Service Restaurant, Miami, Fl.
Baystreet, Full Service Seafood Restaurant, Miami, Fl.
Litigation Support - David Rutecki offers expert witness and litigation support for restaurant related issues in Western North Carolina. His services are available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. Areas of Expertise:
Restaurant and Kitchen Design, Menu Development
Food Safety and Sanitation
Bar Operations & Liquor Liability... Dram Shop
Safety & Security - Slips, Trips and Falls
Concept Development & Restaurant Start Up, Partnership Issues
Robert B. Sklaroff, MD, is medical specialist, Board-Certified in Internal Medicine since 1977 and in Medical Oncology since 1979. Currently a solo practitioner, Dr. Sklaroff has been an Independent Medical Examiner since 2009.
Dr. Sklaroff has testified on the issue of health care before nine governmental bodies including the National Cancer Advisory Board. He has also provided written testimony to the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means regarding FDA Reform and has delivered over 190 lectures on topics within his area of expertise including smoking cessation. A prolific author, Dr. Sklaroff has written numerous articles on issues involving cancer and smoking.
Robert B. Sklaroff, MD, is an Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine specialist who has been retained as an Expert over 500 times. Having worked with the legal industry for over 27 years, Dr. Sklaroff has been qualified by a court to give expert testimony more than 60 times and has given more than 1000 depositions.
Dr. Sklaroff, completed Fellowships at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and at Hahnemann University; he is currently a solo-practitioner, Board-Certified in Internal Medicine since 1977 and in Medical Oncology since 1979. He has been an Independent Medical Examiner since 2009.
Dr. Sklaroff offers Expert Witness services for both Plaintiff and Defense on issues involving Causation, Damages and Standards of Care.
Howard is one of America's most sought after Restaurant, Bar, Food, & Beverage Industry Experts in the country. With over 32 years of experience, Judges & Juries respect Howard's industry expertise in regard to his restaurant expert witness& restaurant litigation support services - having provided expert witness testimony, opinions, and reports in both State & Federal Cases for Plaintiffs & Defendants.
• Federal Certification with 29 CFR 1910 from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
• Certified Forensic Consultant (CFC)-the American College of Forensic Examiners
• Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points Manager Certification (HACCP)
• National Environmental Health Association Certification • ServSafe Food Safety
• On-Premise Alcohol - TIPs 2.0
Nationwide Services - NO CHARGE for Domestic Travel
230+ Litigation
300+ Pre-Litigation
State & Federal Cases - Plaintiffs & Defendants
Restaurant, Bar & Hospitality Industry Matters - Since 1987
Highly-recognizable books, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting A Restaurant" (1st & 2nd Ed) and "Restaurant OSHA Safety and Security: The Book of Restaurant Industry Standards & Best Practices", found in 76 countries around the globe.
Howard Cannon - Restaurant Expert Witness
With 230+ Litigation and 300+ Pre-Litigation cases as a Restaurant Expert Witness, Food Safety & Contamination Expert, and Restaurant & Bar Safety & Security Expert, Howard provides Credibility, Integrity, and Unbiased Analysis & Reports. Howard is well-spoken - having given hundreds of restaurant, food service & hospitality industry speeches and seminars, and is quite comfortable in any court of law. He is a published author/experienced writer with books & articles published in dozens of markets around the globe - delivering clear & concise expert reports with an effective and efficient opinion & basis. Howard NEVER misses a deadline – his expert witness reports & opinions are always on time.
Did you know that restaurants are more likely to experience workplace violence than any other industry in America? In this article we will help you find out why restaurants are so prone to violence, what leads to violence, the practical steps to help make restaurants safe, and the insider information that you need when dealing with one of these legal matters.
OSHA guidelines, standards and safety rules apply to nearly every restaurant industry legal matter and it is a whole lot more than the little bit of text on the OSHA wall poster. Your case will more likely than not depend on the standards applied and whether or not you know the standards and how best to apply them to your legal matter as it pertains specifically to restaurants.
If you have a pending lawsuit that pertains to a restaurant or bar industry legal matter, you need to know what "shared space" is, and how it applies to your underlying legal matter, and the role that OSHA guidelines, codes and safety rules will have. Shared space is an industry specific formula and will impact the standards that you apply and could be the difference between winning or losing your case.
Compiled from more than 1,000 hours of research and statistical analysis, Restaurant OSHA Safety and Security was written to help provide restaurant owners, managers, executives, employers, employees, and vendors what they need to know about OSHA and industry standards and best practices in simple language, so they can concentrate on being successful and making money.
In this revised edition, aspiring restaurateurs will find everything they need to know to open a successful restaurant, including choosing a concept and location, creating a business plan, finding the cash, and much more. New content includes information on tips, tip-outs, and reporting for the entire staff, choosing the best POS system, setting up a bar and managing the wine list, and making the bottom line look good long-term.
Ray S. Kim, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Board Certified Forensic Psychologist. Dr. Kim is also a Board Registered Mental Illness / Substance Abuse Provider, Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association, Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties, Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, and Fellow of the American College of Advanced Practice Psychologists. Dr. Kim is currently the Director of Chicago Metropolitan Forensic Services at the Illinois Department of Human Services where he supervises a team of clinical psychologists and social workers who evaluate the placement of individuals into forensic facilities. He also serves as the Director of Clinical Training at Chicago Metropolitan Forensic Services where he developed and supervises a forensic practicum program which provides opportunities for specialized clinical training in the area of forensic psychology. Litigation Support - Since 2010, Dr. Kim has testified in over 40 cases in both criminal and civil court proceedings. He is sensitive to the nature of legal matters, and provides comprehensive, timely, and professional services. Dr. Kim's services are available to attorneys or defendants seeking a qualified evaluator to help support a case, or wishing to obtain a second opinion on a legal matter already in progress. He is skilled in utilizing the field of psychology's most up-to-date assessments to provide recommendations for prosecution or defense teams. Areas of Expertise:
Psychological Evaluations
Pre-Sentencing Evaluations
Sex Offender Evaluations
Violence Risk Assessments
Competency to Waive Miranda Rights
Diminished Capacity
Fitness for Duty Evaluations
Substance Abuse Assessments
Independent Medical Examinations (personal injury, workers' compensation, disability determination, malpractice)
Detection of Malingering
Federal Evaluations (competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility)
Forensic psychological evaluations have become a valuable resource for the criminal justice system by addressing important forensic questions. For instance, assessing risk for violence can help courts make appropriate decisions on issues such as sentencing, granting privileges, and community reintegration. If an individual is assessed to be a high risk for future violence, a judge has grounds to order a more restrictive setting compared to someone who is a lower risk for recidivism. By tailoring court decisions based on accurate psychological evaluations, the community is safer while the defendant's rights are also protected.
This manual was written to provide guidelines for restoring competency to defendants in a structured and efficient manner. Practical information is presented to assist forensic providers from their patient’s initial finding of incompetency to the final disposition of the case. In addition, instructional materials and other resources are provided, which include definitions of court terminology, educational activities, competency tests, court report templates, and a certificate of completion. Forensic providers are encouraged to customize the contents of this manual to comply with specific State statutes.
When minors violate a criminal statute, they enter the juvenile justice system rather than the adult criminal system. Although differences exist, both court systems recognize the competency to stand trial law. Just like adults, it would be unfair for juveniles to proceed in the legal process if they were deemed incompetent to stand trial because they did not understand the court proceedings against them or could not adequately assist in their defense. The purpose of this book is to educate minors about the juvenile justice system and prepare them for their day in court.
The correctional system has become the largest provider of mental health care in our society. Due to the prevalence of mental disabilities in the criminal justice system, many defendants are found Incompetent to Stand Trial. However, defendants do not usually understand what it means to be incompetent, let alone what to do about it. The purpose of this guidebook is to help defendants better understand why they were found incompetent, what they can do about it, and how to get the best possible outcomes.
Dr. James C. Norris, Ph.D., DABT, EURT is an Expert Witness in Toxicology and Pharmacology. He has Litigation and Arbitration experience in the United States, United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Dr. Norris has given testimony to government agencies, has acted as a consultant for the media (BBC) and is an Industrial Site Crisis Team Member. He is avaliable for both Plaintiff and Defense.
Areas Of Expertise:
Carcinogenicity and Chemicals
Combustion or Fire Toxicolog
General and Inhalation Toxicology
Pesticides, and Pharmaceuticals (pharmacology)
Professional Affiliations:
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
British Toxicology Society
Society of Toxicology
Editorial Boards of Inhalation Toxicology and Journal of Fire Sciences
James Patrick Murphy, MD, MMM, FASAM, is a fellowship trained (Mayo Clinic) board certified Anesthesiologist with subspecialty board certifications in Pain Medicine and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Murphy has a Master of Medical Management degree (MMM) from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business.
Background Experience: Dr. Murphy is the president and founder of a private practice in the specialties of Pain Medicine (since 1998) and Addiction Medicine (since 2004), and serves on the faculty in the Anesthesiology Department of the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He has served as a United States Naval Flight Surgeon, Anesthesiologist, Medical School faculty (Mayo Clinic and University of Louisville), Pain Medicine specialist (interventional pain procedures and medication management), and Addiction Medicine Specialist.
Dr. Murphy is a past president of the Greater Louisville Medical Society and is president elect of the Kentucky Society of Addiction Medicine. He currently serves as the American Society of Addiction Medicine's representative on the American Medical Association's Pain Care Task Force. Dr. Murphy is also on the board of the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition (i.e. Narcan distribution and training) and serves as a task force work group member of the Kentucky Department for Public Health's Displaced Opioid Patient Workgroup.
Litigation Support: Dr. Murphy provides expert witness services to attorneys representing both plaintiff and defendant. He is particularly adept at defining "legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice." His services include medical records review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.
Ted W. Simon, PhD, DABT, is an award winning Environmental Toxicologist and Scientist. His expertise is in toxicology, risk assessment, mathematical modeling, statistics, neuroscience, and environmental / ecological health issues.
Howard is one of America's most sought after Restaurant, Bar, Food, & Beverage Industry Experts in the country. With over 32 years of experience, Judges & Juries respect Howard's industry expertise in regard to his restaurant expert witness& restaurant litigation support services - having provided expert witness testimony, opinions, and reports in both State & Federal Cases for Plaintiffs & Defendants. 
