Life Care Planning Expert Witnesses

Dianne Simmons-Grab, MA, CCM, CDMS, CLCP, is Life Care Planning and Vocational Rehabilitation specialist with over 30 years of experience. She is a Certified Case Manager, Certified Disability Manager, and a Certified Life Care Planner.

Professional Associations and Experience - Ms. Simmons-Grab has taken an active role in the rehabilitation industry on a national level by serving on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) for six years (1997-2004), and on the state level by serving on the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Brain Injury Association (2000-2004). She also served on several committees and taskforces including the IARP Annual Conference as chair (2000-2006), TBI Medicaid Waiver Taskforce, New Jersey Brain Injury Association Conference Planning Committee for over 11 years serving as co-chair (2001-2005), the NARPPS ethics committee, the NJ CMSA ethics committee, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for Padula Institute of Vision and Sage Rehab, Inc.

Litigation Support - Dianne Simmons-Grab is routinely retained by plaintiffs and defendants due to her unbiased opinion and thorough review. Her primary focus is on individuals with Brain Injuries and their secondary injuries including orthopedic, amputations, burns, and mental health issues. Her expertise is called upon for Workers’ Compensation, Catastrophic Injury, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, and Motor Vehicle Accidents. Ms. Simmons-Grab's services include:

Life Care Planning:

• Future Medical Costs & Services - comprehensive assessment, data analysis and research which provides an organized concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs
• Medical Record Review & Analysis - to determine the level of function in the workplace and the subjects' ultimate employability and recovery

Vocational Services:

• Labor Market Analysis - identify potential occupations, geographical feasibility, and pay scale
• Earning Capacity Evaluation - establish reasonable damages, or refute exaggerated claims

View Dianne Simmons-Grab's Consulting Profile.

François Sestier, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FACC, DBIM, CIME, is a Cardiologist and Life Expectancy Calculation expert. He has over 40 years of experience in the field of medicine, 29 years as an Adult Cardiologist in the cath lab and 30 years as an Insurance Medical Officer.

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).

Experience - Dr. Sestier has been a staff cardiologist at CHUM, Montreal, medical director of Quebec Blue Cross since 1985 and medical director of PartnerRe since 20219. He received certifications from the American Board of Insurance Medicine (1995) and the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (2011). As a medical officer for various insurance companies, he has reviewed thousands of applications for life Insurance, giving advice on the Mortality and Life Expectancy associated with the applicant's medical conditions.

Dr. Sestier - Life Expectancy Calculation

Litigation Support - Dr. Sestier's medico-legal advice is available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense. He has performed life expectancy calculations for litigation purposes on topics as diverse as traumatology, traumatic brain injury, cognitive impairment, spinal cord injury, morbid obesity, diabetes, many different cardio-vascular pathologies, sudden death, stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, sleep apnea, liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B and C, and all kinds of cancers. He follows the actuarial methodology proposed by the American Academy of Insurance Medicine for his LE calculations. 

Areas of Litigation Expertise:

Disability Assessment Permanent Disability Eligibility Medical Liability Insurance Médicine Life Insurance

Health Insurance Travel Insurance Critical Illness Insurance Life Expectancy Calculations Work-Life Expectancy calculation

Book chapter: Vachon P and Sestier F: Life expectancy calculation. In Life Care Planning, PMR clinics of North America, M. Lacerte and C. Johnson, ed., Elsevier publ. New York, August 2013, pp 539-551.

Recent publication: https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/news/opinion/ethical-issues-are-too-often-ignored-by-medical-experts/275898

View Dr. Sestier's Consulting Profile.

Mr. John F. Schulte, is an accomplished Orthotic and Prosthetic practitioner with 40 plus years of experience consulting and treating Body and External powered upper and lower extremity prosthetics for all age groups.

Mr. Schulte has vast knowledge and experience in clinical practice prosthetic and orthotic component development, design, and manufacturing. A Clinician, Patient Care Consultant, and Senior Manager of 27 offices throughout 5 states, he is considered an expert in his field. Mr. Schulte continues to be asked to consult on Clinical ‘Best Practices’ by physicians, third party payors, peers, and patient users on the most appropriate component utilization and outcome measurements.

A published author, consultant, and Clinical Board Examiner, Mr. Schulte has treated and been involved with the treatment of persons of all ages with congenital birth defects, limb weakness and loss, and spinal cord injury.

Litigation Support - John Schulte's intimate knowledge in prosthetic and orthotic clinical practice and management, component prescription recommendation, and selection and utilization for all patient ages and levels of function make him an excellent expert witness resource. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant and include medical record review, second opinions, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

• Appropriate Prosthetic / Orthotic Component Selection Recommendation
• Utilization and Failures Due to Improper Manufacturing Processes
• Prescription Appropriateness
• Clinical Applications and Negligence Directly Related to Limb Weakness and Loss
• Spinal Cord Injury and Treatment
• Wrongful Death Investigation and Determination
• Limb Damage and Loss in Diabetics as Related to Footwear
• LifeCare Plan Consultation and Preparation as Related to Orthotics and Prosthetics

Education:

• New York University Medical School Orthotics and Prosthetics Certificate Program, Certification as Certified Prosthetist, 1973
• Northwestern University Medical School Orthotics and Prosthetics Certificate Program, Certification as Certified Orthotist, 1973

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

Dr. John L. Merritt, MD, FACP is board certified in Internal Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, in Spinal Cord Medicine, and in Brain Injury Medicine. He has over 40 years of clinical experience and has served as a Professor at the Mayo Clinic, at University of California-Irvine, at Marquette University, at Medical College of Wisconsin, and the University of South Florida.

Dr. Merritt has served as an Expert Witness for over 25 years in complex, challenging, high award / value cases for Spinal Cord Injury, Brain Injury, Catastrophic Injuries and is experienced in developing and reviewing Life Care Plans. He provides Expert Witness services to attorneys for both plaintiff and defense and is available for medical record review and standard of case issues.

Research Interests:

• Neuro-regeneration, Olfactory Mucosal Autografts, Stem Cell Therapies Spinal Cord Injury Acute and Chronic, Outcomes
• Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections
• Prevention of Urinary Tract Infection in Spinal Cord Injury
• Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management; Respiratory Intervention in Quadriplegia
• Energy Expenditure in Paraplegia; Metabolic Changes in Chronic SCI
• Ethics, Beginning and End of Life Issues, Palliative Care
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Outcome Prediction and Management
• Life Expectancy and Outcomes in Spinal Cord Injury

University Center Office 10500 University Center Drive Tampa, FL 33612

Hidden River Office 8875 Hidden River Parkway, Suite 300 Tampa, Florida 33647

A. Chasby Sacks, MD, CIME, MB BCh, FAACS., FICS, is a Plastic Surgeon and is board certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and he is also a full Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He has been in private practice for 40 years. Dr. Sacks is a member of the American Society of Liposuction Surgery, the American Society of Cosmetic Breast Surgery, and is a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery where he also has served as Treasurer. Dr. Sacks has been a Trustee of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, has served as their Treasurer, and was anexaminer for this Board's examination process for many years

. Experience - Dr. Sacks has performed over 18,000 cosmetic procedures to-date and has an excellent reputation both nationally and internationally. He has lectured at international scientific Cosmetic Surgery meetings and has been published in a textbook on Body Contouring as well as in various national magazine articles on Cosmetic Surgery.

Dr. Sacks - Informational Video on Plastic Surgery

Litigation Support - Dr. Sacks specializes in pre-trial / pre-litigation medical consulting, medical record reviews and Depositions for attorneys. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners (ABIME), holds the prestigious CIME certification, and is also a member in good standing of the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians (AADEP), now called IAIME or International Academy of Independent Medical Examiners. Dr. Sacks has consulted on many legal cases covering a broad range of medical issues and questions. He has experience in personal injury, worker's compensation,  and many other kinds of cases. Services Include:

Medical records, Medical reports, Depositions and Trials. Disability Evaluation for Workmen's Compensation Interpretation of Meaning Medical Summary Reports IME Observation and Rebuttal Reports Medical Research Liaison to Treating Doctors

Assessment of Future Medical Costs Medical Case Coordination Independent Record Reviews Question Preparation for Depositions / Court Facilitation with Service / Government Agencies Tableside Deposition & Court Assistance

Mary C. Meinhard RN-BC, BS, JD, CLCP, MSC-C is a Nurse Attorney/ Legal Nurse Consultant, Certified Life Care Planner, Board-Certified Nurse Case Manager, and Medicare Set-Aside Consultant-Certified. She has offices in California and Nevada, and provides Medical/Legal Consulting services nationwide. She has over 35 years of experience working with catastrophically injured patients/clients as a Registered Nurse, in addition to 20+ years of experience as a California Attorney, and is retained by both Plaintiff and Defense as a consultant in Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Workers' Compensation cases.

Representative diagnoses include, but are not limited to:

Traumatic Brain Injury Acquired Brain Injury Spinal Cord Injuries / Paralysis Severe Burns Amputations Orthopedic Injuries Complications of Pregnancy, Premature Births and Birth Injuries Complications of Diabetes Chronic Pain / Illness

Organ Transplants Chronic Renal Failure End Stage Renal Disease AIDS Non-Healing Wounds Malignancies Toxic Exposure Mental Illness Addiction

Services Include:

• Legal Nurse Consulting
• Medical Record Review / Summary
• Case Merit Evaluation/Standards of Care
• Life Care Planning
• Mini / Preliminary Life Plans
• Medicare Set-Aside Allocations
• Expert Fact and Opinion Testimony
• Attendance at Independent Medical Exams
• Litigation Support - Formulation of Discovery Plans, Preparation of Deposition/Cross Examination Questions, Conducting Medical Expert/Opposing Life Care Planner Depositions

Ms. Meinhard also holds certification from the Pepperdine University School of Law Straus Institute for Alternative Dispute Resolution and is available as a Mediator for personal injury cases of all types - especially when competing Life Care Plans are at issue.

View Consulting Profile.

Dr. Christopher A. Lowery, DHSc, CLCP is a Clinical Health & Rehabilitation Consultant with a special interest in helping individuals and organizations with public health impairment issues.

Since 2002, Dr. Lowery passion is to educate, empower and provide hope to individuals that deal with catastrosphic health impairments by educating them on how to live a better quality of life due to poor health care conditions, which will address social, cultural and behavioral barriers across all diverse populations.

He currently hold the following degrees from University of North Texas, Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Studies (07); University of Oklahoma, Master of Arts in Human and Health Administration Services (10); Capital University Law School, Post-Speciality Certificate in Life Care Planning (12); University of Arkansas, Post-Master's Certificate in Rehabilitation Counseling (14); and Nova Southeastern University, Doctor of Health Science in Global Health (16).  

Due to the broad knowledge of education, he practice as an expert on the following topics: expert testimony, litigation support, vocational evaluations, employment support/job placement, earnings capacity evaluations, rehabilitation consulting, life care planning, provide reviews/opinions on independent medical examinations, disability case management, and a wide range of public health, medical, psychological and psychosocial aspect of disabilities. 

**If you have a case that needs Dr. Lowery's expertise, please feel free to give his office a call for a free consultation.

Note: Please see below or website for more expertise areas. Areas of Expertise:

Vocational Evaluations Employment Support/Job Placement Life Care Planning Personal Injury Medical Malpractice / Medical Negligence Counseling Independent Medical Examiniation Review

Family Law / Domestic Relations Worker’s Compensation Veteran’s Benefits Labor and Employment Discrimination Jones Act / Longshoreman Cases Matrimonial / Divorce Matters Health & Rehabilitation Education Expert Testimony on a variety of health related topics

View Christopher Lowery's Consulting Profile.

Lois Hawkins, RN, CLCP of Hawkins Forensic Consulting, Inc, specializes in Medical and Vocational Damage Assessment in personal injury and catastrophic injury cases throughout the United States. For over 10 years, Ms. Hawkins has been evaluating cases involving children and adults with complex, catastrophic injuries, as well as less serious injuries.

Areas of Expertise:

• Catastrophic Medical Case Management - Traumatic Brain Injury, Acquired Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Amputation, Soft Tissue Injury, Chronic Pain, Burns, Cerebral Palsy & Developmental Delay, Chronic Respiratory Conditions, Visual & Hearing Impaired
• Life Care Planning - Comprehensive Record Review and supportive documentation / Case Analysis, Case Summary Chronology, Clinical Interview and History with Patient, Medical-Legal Research, Assessment of Future Medical / Rehabilitation Needs
• Legal Nurse Consulting

Professional Memberships and Associations
International Academy of Life Care Planners (IALCP) - Present
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) - Present
American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) - Past
American Operating Room Nurse (AORN ) - Past

Erin O’Callaghan BS, MA, JD, CRC, NCC, LPC, CLCP, is a Life Care Planner, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, and Licensed Attorney with over 15 years of experience as a Rehabilitation Professional. Ms. O’Callaghan has consistently provided the highest standards of professional ethics while staying current with the needs of modern and complex litigation. Her experience and training gives a unique perspective as a forensic rehabilitation evaluator. She has an in depth understanding of the evidentiary requirements of an expert’s evaluation and conclusion, including the importance of following an accepted methodology in the process and preparation of an opinion. Ms. O’Callaghan is a member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, International Academy of Life Care Planners, Michigan Rehabilitation Association, and the Michigan Bar Association. She is also a qualified Vocational Expert by the Social Security Administration. Erin O’Callaghan has been providing Litigation Support to counsel for Plaintiff and Defense for 15 years. She has provided over 1,000 cost projections and has testified in both Federal and State cases. Ms. O’Callaghan has specialized knowledge of the Affordable Care Act, Social Security issues and Medicare Set Asides. Her services include case management, earning capacity evaluations, life care planning and lien disputes. Litigation Support Services for:

• Tortious Injury / Negligence
• Medical Malpractice
• Worker's Compensation
• Auto No Fault
• Wrongful Death
• Long Term Disability
• Divorce
• Lien dispute
• Special Education

View Erin O’Callaghan's Consulting Profile.

Vera Dolan is an epidemiologist with over 30 years of experience in the life and health insurance industries. She is one of the leading mortality experts in the life insurance industry. She writes underwriting manuals and policy and procedure manuals for life and health insurance companies.

Vera has testified in both state and federal court, and has been retained in over 150 cases since 2006 for plaintiffs and defense on an equal basis. She is very credible testifying in deposition and on the stand.

* Life expectancies that are personalized and accurate to the standards of the life insurance and life settlement industries. Addresses the cases when life expectancies that are simply taken from a life table or estimated by a doctor, actuary or biostatistician are too long, too short, insufficient or not credible. Addresses the cases when a complete insight into the individual's medical conditions and/or personal history of high-risk behaviors is needed to assist the judge or jury in their decision. This information often decides the case, see article for details.

* Expert in bad faith/wrongful denial of life/health insurance claims.

* Expert in life/health insurance underwriting material misrepresentation.

* Expert in medical risk assessment and underwriting issues.

* Expert in life insurance underwriting policies and procedures.

* Expert in epidemiology. Previous cases include infectious diseases, occupational and environmental exposures, pesticides and tobacco.

* Approved life expectancy expert with the U.S. Department of Justice.

* Active consultant to the life insurance industry conducting cohort mortality studies, and writing underwriting and policy and procedure manuals.

* Over 100 articles published on mortality research and underwriting.

* Friendly, clear, concise, objective and quantitative.

* There is no charge for the initial phone consultation.

* There is no charge for travel time.

David Gouiran, MBA, JD, is the Principal Economist at Delta Economics. A graduate of New York University-Stern School of Business, Columbia University Business School, and New York Law School, with concentrations in finance and economics, he has over 17 years of relevant experience in the global investment, banking, and financial services arena.

Background - From 2004-2013, Mr. Gouiran served as the Managing Member for Delta Capital Management's investment advisory company. His duties included real estate management consulting services, including lease negotiation, tenant management and collections, and tax and estate planning services.

Prior to Delta Capital, Mr. Gouiran acted as counsel to Deutsche Bank’s foreign exchange (“FX”) sales and trading desk, particularly FX Prime Brokerage.

Mr. Gouiran is a member of the Member of the National Association of Forensic Economics, Collegium of Pecuniary Damages Experts, American Academy of Economic and Financial Experts, and New York and New Jersey Bar Associations.

Litigation Support - Mr. Gouiran offers high quality, comprehensible, prompt, and reasonably priced calculation of Economic Losses for New Jersey and New York litigators. Retained for his expertise over 35 times, his services are available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant.

Areas of Expertise - David Gouiran delivers expert analysis and calculation of losses, reports, present value calculations, and testimony for the following cases:

Personal Injury Wrongful Death Wrongful Termination Commercial Litigation

Life Care Plans Lost Past and Future Earnings Benefits and Pensions Household Services and Companionship

Dawn Cook Consulting is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada but provides services nation wide. Services include life care plans, life care plan rebuttals, past medical bill reviews and future medical cost projections for plaintiff and defense attorneys. Life care plans are developed for individuals with injuries or chronic conditions requiring complex long-term healthcare intervention and management. The report provides an organized, concise plan that estimates the reasonable and necessary current and future healthcare needs with the associated costs.

Dawn Cook is licensed Registered Nurse (RN) who has worked with serious and catastrophic illness and injury for over 30 years including clinical settings and home care. Dawn is an experienced life care planner who holds the certified life care planner (CLCP) and certified nurse life care planner (CNLCP) designations.

Dawn has completed over 600 medical damage reports in 28 states in life care planning and has testified as an expert witness at deposition or trial over 70 times since 2012. Dawn has testified at Federal Court in Illinois and New Mexico and at State Court in California, Nevada and New Mexico as an expert in life care planning. Dawn has also testified in Nevada State Court as an expert in past medical bill reviews.

Dawn enjoys working both plaintiff and defense cases; from complex birth or brain injuries to trucking and motor vehicle accidents, each case requires attention to detail and consistent methodology.

View my CV.

Use a highly qualified advanced practice nurse with your Life Care Plans and legal cases.  Extensive experience in multiple, high acuity and outpatient settings.  

Dr. Kirsten Turkington is a Certified Nurse Life Care Planner and board certified Family Nurse Practitioner with multistate nursing licensure. Dr. Turkington provides life care plan construction and review, cost estimations, care coordination, case management services for Life Care Plans for plaintiff and defense clients.

Dr. Turkington's clinical background encompasses the continuum of clinical care.  Experience includes pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric care across Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Neurosurgical, Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing and outpatient disciplines. 

Dr. Turkington is a published author and experienced presenter as well as a National Registry certified EMT (NREMT).

Diagnoses (but not limited to):

• Catastrophic conditions (multiple trauma, firearms, birth related)
• Complex medical concerns (cardiac, transplants, multi-organ)
• Neurological injuries (Strokes, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury)
• Neurosurgical conditions (Chiari, Syringomyelia, Hydrocephalus, Shunts)
• Assault and interpersonal violence

Services:

• Expert testimony 
• Comprehensive Life Care Plans
• Preliminary Life Care Plans
• Life Care Plan Reviews
• Cost Estimation
• Billing Review
• Medical Record Review
• Medical Chronologies
• Special Need Trust Evaluation
• Medical Client Advocacy 
• Special Education
  • IEP Consultation and Advocacy
  • Section 504 Consulation and Advocacy
• Deposition Evaluation and Questions
• Trial Evaluation and Questions

Medical Record Review Standards of Care / Negligence Life Care Planning (Certified) Healthcare Cost Estimates Client and Staff Education Federal Written Reports

Record Tampering and Inconsistencies Medical Literature Research Medical Events Chronology

View Dr. Turkington's Consulting Profile.