Plastic / Cosmetic / Reconstructive Surgery Expert Witnesses: 9

James Apesos, MD, FACS, is Board Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, General Surgery, and Hand Surgery, allowing him to deal with most any and all potential medical malpractice situations.

Dr. Apesos has decades of experience operating a busy private plastic surgery practice, training surgeons, managing emergency rooms, and hospital facilities. He has a wide experience dealing with both pediatric and adult surgery from congenital to reconstructive to cosmetic.

Education / Training:

• University of Pennsylvania, BS 
• Georgetown University School of Medicine, MD
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, General Surgery Chief Resident
• University of Virginia School of Medicine Chief Resident Plastic Surgery
• Certified Ohio State Police Officer 
• Certified Ohio State Firefighter

Litigation Support - Dr. Apesos is an expert witness for Medical Malpractice cases involving Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, including all cosmetic surgery, pediatric surgery, hand surgery, burn surgery, breast surgery, and cancer surgery. He has special skill in complications of surgery and post-surgery deaths.

Dr. Apesos has been providing services to the legal community for 30 years. He has been retained in 30 cases and been deposed over 25 times. A punctual strategist, he is adept at quickly assessing legal cases, cutting through medical jargon, and determining the merits of each case. Dr. Apesos' services include medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed for both plaintiff and defendant.

Areas of Expertise:

• Cosmetic Surgery - Face, Eyes, Brow, Nose, Ears, Lips, Neck, Breast, Body, Scalp, Extremities
• Liposuction, Breast-augmentation,lift,reduction, Body Contouring, Abdominoplasty, (Buttock,Arms,Thigh,Body lift), Vaginal Rejuvenation,Dermabrasion/Peels,Injectables
• Reconstructive Surgery - Post Traumatic, Burns, Cancer Removal, Wound Healing, Scars, Ulcers
• Breast Reconstruction

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc.
• American College of Surgeons
• American Medical Association
• Florida Medical Association
• Florida Society of Plastic Surgeons
• American College of Legal Medicine

Marwan R. Khalifeh, MD, is widely regarded as being among the most accomplished Washington, DC area Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons, board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He was educated at top-rated Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Plastic Surgery Program, ranked as the number one hospital year after year by U.S. News and World Report. He started the program as a surgical intern in 2000 and was selected to serve as Chief Resident in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery program.

Dr. Khalifeh’s achievements and technical skills led to him being selected to serve as an Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Cosmetic Surgery Education Program at Johns Hopkins University in the Department of Plastic Surgery. (Medical degree: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (2000); General Surgery Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2004); Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Residency: University of Maryland Baltimore (2006)

Litigation Support - Dr. Khalifeh provides expert witness opinions in matters involving Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Malpractice. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant and include medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

View DC Cosmetics' Consulting Profile.

William B. Rosenblatt, MD, is a doubly board-certified surgeon with over 35 years of experience in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is boarded by The American Board of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) as well as the American Board of Plastic Surgery. His practice is mostly elective cosmetic surgery, including eyelid, facial, nasal, as well as breast and body cosmetic surgery. 

Dr. Rosenblatt teaches residents at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, which are Dr. Rosenblatt’s two hospital affiliations. He was the Associate Director of the Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital. In addition, Dr. Rosenblatt is a certified inspector for the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, which certifies office-based surgical centers toward to goal of improving patient safety. 

Dr. Rosenblatt is listed in "Castle Connolly America's Top Doctors" and has been listed in "New York Magazine Best Doctors" and other publications. He is currently on the Executive Board of Directors of AAAASF the premier certifying agent of office-based surgical facilities and is an expert in that field. 

Meet Dr. Rosenblatt

Litigation Support - Dr. Rosenblatt has extensive experience doing Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) and has testified in court both for the defendant as well as the plaintiff. As a cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Rosenblatt uses his skills to evaluate victims of traumatic episodes, such a dog bites, facial trauma, and other issues, and can give testimony on the need for future treatment, costs, and prognosis. 

Areas of Expertise:

Brent Moelleken, MD, FACS is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon practicing in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara. Double board certified, he received his training at Harvard University, Yale University, UCSF, and UCLA. Dr. Moelleken is one of three specialty-trained surgeons in the world to complete the year-long Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship at UCLA. He is an Attending Surgeon and Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at UCLA, where he often performs surgeries and teaches residents. Here, he specializes in patients diagnosed with skin cancers in the facial area who require complex, artful reconstructions. 

Dr. Moelleken has innovated various procedures including LiveFill®, autologous fat-fascial grafts; the USIC® & LUSIC® cheeklifts, short incision cheeklifts; the 360 Facelift®, a comprehensive natural appearing facelift procedure; and the Hybrid Tummy Tuck®, a short incision tummy tuck for fit moms. He believes in publishing the results of his innovations in peer-reviewed journals. Results of Dr. Moelleken’s studies have been published in books, articles, and the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal. Dr. Moelleken provides free surgical services to Veterans at the West Los Angeles Veteran's Hospital through his UCLA affiliation, and has his own charity, the About Face Foundation ™, helping children and victims of violence or crime who might otherwise be unable to afford reconstructive services. Several of his charity patients have been featured in local and national television and print segments.

Litigation Support - Dr. Brent Moelleken provides expert witness support for insurance companies and counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. His services include medical case review, depositions, and trial testimony when necessary. Dr. Moelleken has trial experience with the following issues:

View Dr. Moelleken's Consulting 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:

Thomas J. Zaydon, MD, FACS,  is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with over 30 years of experience.. Dr. Zaydon is the founder of The Cosmetic Surgery Institute of Miami and is a recognized authority on Plastic and Reconstructive and Burn Surgery. During his tenure, he has worked in the medical field in the emergency room, providing surgical procedures and performing surgery on patients who need long term or short-term care.

Dr. Zaydon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a noted author of numerous articles and chapters on various aspects of plastic surgery. 

Video: Plastic Surgeon As Expert Witness: How to Choose Your Expert Witness - A Guide for Lawyers

Litigation Support - Dr. Zaydon serves as a plastic surgery expert witness on liability cases around the country. He has had the opportunity to work both with defense and plaintiff attorneys. Working in the emergency room at major hospitals has given him opportunities to work with all types of injuries from major reconstruction to minor revisions. He can provide factual synthesis of any issue regarding the medical care or not appropriate medical care rendered. He navigates medical records and understands procedural terminology and insight with professionals, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, as well as physician practices and attorneys.

Areas of Expertise:

Steven Burres has over 30 years of experience in the practice of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Burres provides all aspects of care including surgery, evaluation, treatment, and complications. He specializes in:

• Ear, Nose, and Throat
• Facial Plastic Surgery
• Liposuction
• Allergy

Dr. Burres has in-depth expertise in procedures such as cosmetic plastic surgery including hair, forehead, eyelids, nose, lip, facelift, neck lift, ear pinning and reshaping, cheek and chin implants, fillers, Botox, lasers, skin, scars, liposuction, and others except for breast implants and tummy tuck.

Dr. Burres' ear nose and throat experience includes broken noses and other facial fractures, hearing loss, vertigo, dizziness, smell, taste, nasal obstruction, sinusitis, tinnitus, hoarseness, GERD, sleep apnea, cancer, headaches, TMJ, skin disorders, facial nerve, and allergy.

Dr. Burres also has expertise in medical manufacturing having creative from concept-to-sales two medical businesses, one an injectable filler and the second a set of ear cleaning tools sold at major retailers.

Litigation Support - Dr. Burres has 20 years of experience serving as an expert witness and evaluator. He is a licensed QME/IME in California. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant for any medical legal matter including personal injury, workman's compensation, QME, IME, medical malpractice, or other medical manufacturing issues.

Education / Training:

• BA - University of Chicago, 1975
• MD -University of Chicago-Pritzker School of Medicine, 1979
• Residency Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery, 1983
• Fellowship Facial Plastic surgery - Stanford University, 1985