Mental and Behavioral Health Care/Disorders Expert Witnesses

Dr. Adhia 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. 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 treatment and impact of drug and alcohol abuse on decision-making. Dr. Adhia has also treated severe psychosis (Schizophrenia, hallucinations) and psychopathology. Prior to his work at PACE, Dr. Adhia was formerly treating patients at a Maximum Security Prison and and prison psychiatric hospital.  

Dr. Adhia’s findings consider complicating factors, such as emotional distress worsened by other active physcial 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. Dr. Adhia 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 and administrative jurisdictions.

Violence Sexual abuse Malpractice and Standard of Care Alcohol and Drug Abuse Anxiety and Depression Psychopharmacology Competency

PTSD Suicide Psychiatric Injury Wrongful Death Correctional Fitness for Duty Brain Injury

Paul M. Adler, DO, FACEP, MBA, Medical Director for the Ventura County, California, Department of Corrections, has worked in Correctional / Jail/ Prison Medicine since 1995. He has overseen the care of inmates in Jails in California and New York, as well as Prison inmates who have been transferred to county facilities to serve their terms for years in county jails in California. He has also overseen Correctional health car in locked units in Hospitals .

Dr. Adler is the President-Elect of The American Correctional Health Services Association of California / Nevada, which represents all clinicians and administrators in Jails/Prisons in California and Nevada. He previously oversaw a County Hospital, County Nursing Home and ran a County Health Department and oversaw Correctional healthcare for the Westchester, New York Jail.

Litigation Support - Dr. Adler has defended Jails and Prisons in Southern California, Idaho, Texas, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, etc. He has been involved in Plaintiff litigation in many states including against Rikers Island, NY and Cook County Jail.

Dr. Adler still works as a full-time practicing physician and has helped attorneys and insurance companies in Emergency Medicine, Nursing Home Medicine, Public Health and Hospital Administration since 1985. Dr. Adler is available to review and consult on clinical Correctional/Jail/Prison cases for attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense.

Services:

• Screen Cases for Merit
• Review, Analyze and interpret Medical Records
• Provide Basic or Comprehensive Written Reports
• Interpret Standards of Care, Deviation and Adherences as they Relate to Correctional Health Care
• Develop Chronological Time Lines
• Policy and Procedure Development

Dr. Lars Davidsson, MRCPsych, FRSM, MEWI, is the Director of Psychiatry at the Anglo European Clinic. He applies an evidence-based, pragmatic approach to Psychiatric Health Care, combining Medication and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to treat client's quickly and efficiently.

During the last six years, Dr. Davidsson has been engaged with the local Criminal Justice Mental Health team. In addition, he has extensive experience appearing in court. Dr. Davidsson has appeared before Magistrates Courts, Crown Courts, County Courts and Military Tribunals. He is able to provide reports within most areas of General Adult Psychiatry but takes a special interest PTSD, Anxiety and Mood Disorders, and Transcultural Psychiatry.

Dr. Davidsson has undergone continuous formal training in Report Writing and Court Appearance and is a member of The Institute of Expert Witnesses. He has provided more than 600 reports in Civil and Criminal matters over the last nine years.

Services Include:

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

Garson M. Caruso, MD, MPH, PA, is a board certified Occupational Physician in private consulting practice with extensive clinical and administrative experience in emergency and occupational medicine, including:

• Case Review, Analysis, and Management
• Impairment Determination and Disability Rating
• Medical Direction
• Industrial Illness and Injury Care
• Medical Review Officer functions

Dr. Caruso has performed occupational health services and consulting for organizations including Lockheed Martin, Bechtel Aberdeen, PepsiCo, Dean Foods, The New York Transit Authority, and multiple Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. He has very broad and in-depth case management and file review experience involving complex disability and workers’ compensation claims. He is a Fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) and International Academy of Independent Medical Evaluators (IAIME); a Certified Independent Medical Examiner (CIME; 2009-2014); and a Certified Medical Review Officer. He has also held numerous leadership roles in ACOEM, and both published and presented at national, state, and local conferences in his areas of expertise. Dr. Caruso's primary professional interests are worker disability prevention and management, with a particular focus on the psychosocial aspects of occupational medicine and workers compensation, and prevention or minimization of unnecessary work disability.

Litigation Support - Dr. Caruso's expertise is available to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. His services include Independent Medical Evaluations, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony as needed. Dr. Caruso is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland, New York, Virginia, Louisiana, and North Carolina.

Areas of Expertise:

Occupational Medicine Causation Analysis Disability Prevention and Evaluation Workers Compensation Impairment Evaluation and Rating

Fitness for Duty Return to Work Drug Testing Work Capacity Work Life Expectancy

Lawrence Amsel, MD, MPH, specializes in Family Loss and Forensic Psychiatry. 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 provides Litigation Support services to attorneys representing Plaintiff and Defense. His services include medical record review for causation and standard of care.

Areas of Expertise:

Medical Decision Making Health Care Behavioral Economics Health Care Game Theory Pediatric Psychiatry Public Health Suicide

OCD Family Loss Neuropsychiatry PTSD Psychiatry Grief

Background - 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.

Dr. Amsel was recently involved in preparing the training materials for the National VA PTSD CBT training program in conjunction with Edna Foa’s group at University of Pennsylvania. He has worked with Joy Hirsch at the Program in Imaging and Cognitive Science (PICS) and with Elke Weber and Eric Johnson at the related Decision Imaging Group (DIG) as Director of Mathematical Psychiatry, with the goal of creating innovative collaborations involving fMRI and Decision Science, as applied to psychiatric disorders.

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 Consulting Profile.

Roger W. Chappell, has over 25 years of experience in the Law Enforcement and Security industry. His experience allows him to assist attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense in determining whether or not minimum industry standards were met regarding premises liability. Additionally, he has a vast array of experience in criminal investigations.

Mr. Chappell has been summoned to testify as an Expert Witness in Texas District Courts on more than 20 occasions involving the following matters:

• Premises Security Adequacy
• Murder
• Capital Murder
• Felony Murder of a Police Officer
• Aggravated Robbery

Experience - Mr. Chappell is a 9 year Marine Corps Veteran and 22 year retired police supervisor in Houston, Texas. He is also a former corporate security manager, police crime prevention specialist, detective supervisor, police training manager, and internal affairs sergeant. Mr. Chappell coordinated numerous security related functions at hotels, bars and night clubs, and apartments. He has handled large events during the Super Bowl, MLB All Stars, and NCAA Final Four events. He was also a hostage negotiator for over 12 years responsible for the safe resolution to highly stressful and violent events.

Education / Training: Roger Chappell has a masters degree in Criminal Justice Management from Sam Houston State University. He has over 3,000 hours of training relating to active shooter, homicide investigations, kidnappings, interviewing and interrogation, crime scene process, and mental health issues.

Areas of Expertise:

Security Guards Negligence Bar & Nightclub Bouncers Issues Use of Force Investigations and Surveillance Detention and Arrest by Security / Non-Security Personnel

Premises Security Issues / Adequacy Security Management Police Policies and Procedures Workplace Violence Issues Unlicensed Security Activity State and Local Regulatory Compliance

View Roger Chappell's Consulting Profile.

Kimberly M. Pearson, MHA, MBA, RN, CCHP is a Correctional Healthcare Consultant with over 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including correctional healthcare (both medical and mental health), clinical nursing, management, and administration in a variety of healthcare venues. In her role as Deputy Agency Director for the Orange County Health Care Agency, Ms. Pearson was responsible for all medical and mental health care provided in the Orange County (California) adult and juvenile detention facilities. The adult jail system ranks in the "top ten" in the country in terms of size, with an average daily population of over 6,500 inmates. She has been honored as a National Award Recipient for Excellence in Executive Leadership at the 2016 Nurse.com Nursing Excellence GEM Awards (Giving Excellence Meaning). 

An expert in her field, Ms. Pearson delivers seminars and lectures on Correctional Healthcare topics around the country. In 2019, she  spoke on “The Art of Managing Regulatory Inspections,” to the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare in Fort Lauderdale, FL, on “Clinical Management for High-Risk Patients in this Litigious Environment,” to the American Correctional Health Services Association in San Jose, CA, and “Sticking Together: A Cohesive Correctional Healthcare Delivery System,” to the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare Leadership Institute in Las Vegas, NV. 

Litigation Support - Ms. Pearson previously provided Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death case reviews as an in-house consultant for two law firms in the Midwest. She is currently the CEO/President of KP Consulting LLC, consulting on policy and procedure development and comprehensive correctional health system review and recommendations. Ms. Pearson has served as a correctional healthcare expert witness in over 75 cases in the past five years. Her services are available to attorneys representing plaintiffs or defendants and includes comprehensive written reports for both federal and state cases, standard of care evaluation, and correctional health care deviation identification.

Lee D. Cranberg, MD, is a Neurologist and Behavioral Neurologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He has an active clinical practice combining patient care and teaching. He is past President of the Boston Society of Neurology and Psychiatry.

Litigation Support – Dr. Cranberg is available to review medical records, discuss and write up his opinions, and testify at deposition and trial. He has reviewed cases and served as an expert witness since 1986 for both plaintiff and defendant.

Dr. Cranberg has handled personal injury, medical malpractice, competency, testamentary capacity, and criminal cases.

Thorough in his reviews and precise in his opinions, Dr. Cranberg is skilled at explaining complex and technical issues to a lay audience.

Testimonial – "I found Dr. Cranberg to be very thorough, resourceful, and exceedingly well prepared. He was very precise at his deposition and stood up well against a very seasoned lawyer. He knew the medical records better than either the defense lawyer or I did. The case settled; so I cannot tell you how he did before a jury, but I had complete confidence that he would have presented well. He was very easy to work with and was very accessible. He bills fairly. I would not hesitate to use him again."

Areas of Expertise:

Neurology Behavioral Neurology Closed Head Injury Head Trauma Traumatic Brain Injury Brain Damage Nerve Injury Nerve Damage Testamentary Capacity

Competency Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Anoxic Encephalopathy Dementia Alzheimer’s Disease Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke) Brain Tumor Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Seizures / Epilepsy

David Friedler, MS, MPH, CNHA, LMHC, Is an expert in wrongful injury, abuse and neglect in health care. His experience is in the regulatory standard of care in Nursing Facilities, Psychiatric and Substance Use Rehabilitation as well as Adult Foster Care. He holds MPH and MS degrees and has worked clinical and administrative roles for four decades. He has extensive experience with survey compliance, Federal and State regulation, JCAHO and CARF accreditation, OSHA compliance and policy and procedure adherence. Areas of Expertise:

• Long Term Care
• Nursing Homes
• Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
• Behavioral Health / Psychiatric Care in Drug Treatment Facilities
• Psychiatric care in Nursing Homes, Group Homes

Dr. Danny Allen, Consultant Adult Psychiatrist is fully trained and experienced in report writing and regularly appears as an Expert Witness in Family Proceedings. Dr. Allen is an Approved Clinician, approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 and a Cardiff University accredited Expert Witness and a member of the Expert Witness Institute, the Academy of Experts and the Society of Expert Witnesses. He holds consultancies with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Workplace Health (Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust) The Maidenhead Clinic, Phoenix Mental Health Services/Cardinal Clinic and BMI The Shelburne Hospital.

Dr. Allen appears in court regularly in public law cases. He has undertaken a number of high profile cases for Customs and Excise and the Crown Prosecution Service, including alleged rapes and murders. Dr. Allen provides services for lawyers, social services and businesses. His reports are also available to Employment & Housing Tribunals and Employers and Licensing Authorities.

Type of Reports Prepared:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Depression

Drug & Alcohol

Specific Phobia

Sexual Offense

Adjustment Disorder

Family Proceedings

Personal Injury

Criminal Reports

Head Injury

Capacity

Linnda Durre', Ph.D., Licensed Psychotherapist, (FL License #MH6058) is an expert witness, psychotherapist, family counselor, intern supervisor, international speaker, author, business consultant, adjunct college professor, and a magazine, Internet, and newspaper columnist.

With over 44 years of experience, she consults to attorneys and has been qualified as an expert witness in six (6) states - Florida, California, Arkansas, Georgia, Connecticut, and Washington - in the areas of, Personal Injury, PTSD, Family and Couples Counseling, Divorce, Child Custody, Drug and Alcohol Counseling, Sexual Harassment and Discrimination, Relocation, and Sexual Abuse by Therapists. Her 400-page doctoral dissertation and research in the latter area was cited to pass legislation in several states.

Dr. Durre' hosted and produced three radio shows, two of which were call-in advice shows. She hosted and produced two call-in advice TV shows, including "Ask The Family Therapist," on America's Health Network, which was associated with Mayo Clinic and aired 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, Orlando Magazine, Women's Health Magazine, and others.

As a business consultant, Dr. Durre' consults and speaks to Fortune 500 companies, businesses, agencies, professional and trade associations, and non-profit organizations on customer service training, sales techniques, communication skills, stress and time management, conflict resolution, motivation, personality disputes, team building, job satisfaction, reducing turnover rates, diversity training, and sex discrimination and harassment.

Her book, "Surviving the Toxic Workplace - Protect Yourself Against Co-Workers, Bosses, and Work Environments that Poison Your Day" was published by McGraw Hill and can be ordered online.

Dr. Durre' has spoken to groups, associations, clubs, and corporations as a keynote and motivational speaker, trainer, and/or consultant, including Disney, Whole Foods, Paul Mitchell, Dollar Enterprises, Jacobson's, Girl Scouts, BICSI, American Psychological Association, National Speakers Association, American Management Association, National Association of Bank Women, Altrusa Service Club, and Naval Regional Medical Center.

William J. Holden, PhD, has over 30 years of experience in the field of Psychology, specializing in Neuropsychology.

Dr. Holden is currently in private practice providing psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for a broad range of clinical cases including children, adolescents, and adults ranging in age from preschool age children to elderly adults in nursing homes and geropsychiatric units.

Litigation Support - Dr. Holden has over 25 years of experience conducting neuropsychological evaluations, psychological evaluations, and IMEs. His records review and assessment services are available to counsel representing plaintiff and defense.

Areas of Expertise:

• Brain Related Disorders - stroke, head injury, dementia, developmental delays, ADHD / LD, anoxic / hypoxic events
• Neuropsychiatric Conditions - post-traumatic stress and personal injury sequela, symptom validity, malingering

View Dr. Holden's Consulting Profile.

Dr. John G. Looney is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Duke Medical Center. He is Board Certified in General Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry. He has more than 30 years of experience in psychiatric treatment of Adults, Children & Adolescents. He is experienced in Hospital Psychiatry and Residential Treatment of patients with psychiatric and addictive disease. He is designated a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

Through the American Psychiatric Association, he has published about treatment methods for children and adolescents. He describes methods of treating children and adolescents who have suffered serious and longstanding problems in his edited book, Chronic Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents.

Specialties:

• General Psychiatry for Adults
• General Psychiatry for Children
• Addiction Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Organizational Consultation for Schools and Universities

Dr. Robert Evans, PhD,  is a Licensed School Psychologist with over 30 years of experience in the behavioral sciences, including completing over 100 Child Custody Evaluations. Dr. Evans serves as a consultant to the medical, legal, and law enforcement community in Florida on Psychological and Educational matters. He consulted with Orange County Public Defender with cases involving arrest and incarceration of children, including Competency Assessments and Insanity Determinations. He has also provided Critical Incident Stress Debriefings to victims of crime in the Central Florida area. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Evans specializes in Parental Alienation cases which are commonly among those classified as High Conflict Divorce cases and he has written a book on Parental Alienation. He provides litigation support to counsel for both Plaintiff and Defense. His services include support with hearing / trial preparations, review of current evaluations, and support during and after the litigation process. 

Dr. Evans has given sworn testimony as a Forensic Psychology expert witness in NY, IL, PA, GA, FL, IA, ID, CO, OH, TX, TN, LA, MA, MD, MO, NC, SC, WA, and OR. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Parental Alienation
• Child Custody Evaluations
• False Allegations of Abuse
• Treatment Considerations for Alienated Children
• Workplace Violence

Bonny Forrest, JD, PhD is a Psychologist and Attorney with specialized training in Neuropsychology, with an emphasis on cognitive, intellectual, and social-emotional development and disabilities. With 25 years of experience, her specialty certifications are numerous, including infant preschool mental health, and a variety of evidence-based treatments.

Having practiced law for a decade in major national firms, Dr. Forrest supervised complex litigations, including death-penalty cases. As a psychologist, she has testified successfully both in court and in depositions (including surviving a Daubert challenge and testifying for eight days in Federal court), and has been appointed as a parent coordinator by the court in high-conflict divorce proceedings.

Dr. Forrest has represented a number of children and families in IEP meetings and related proceedings. She was one of the first mental health experts to be certified at the highest level in the state of California as a “mentor” in working with children under the age of six.

Dr. Forrest is a very active member of a number of professional organizations and non-profits, serving in a number of leadership positions, including the following: American Psychological Association, National Academy of Neuropsychology, San Diego Psychological Association, and the Immigration Justice Project of the American Bar Association. She is licensed to practice in California and New York but has traveled for work where appropriate under local law.

Areas of Focus

Risk of Institutionalization Child Psychology Autism IEP Parent Coordination Brain Development Developmental Disabilities

Cognition Child Development Infant Preschool Mental Health Law and Psychology Death Penalty High-conflict Parenting Criminal Defense

Education - Education: PhD, Psychology/Pediatric Neuropsychology, Columbia University; JD, Indiana University; BA, Criminal Justice/Sociology, Purdue University

View Dr. Forrest's Consulting Profile.