My areas of expertise are the evaluation of sequelae from head injuries, criminal cases of all types including post conviction death sentence evaluations and civil cases with psychiatric injuries. I am also an expert in the detection of malingering and embellishment.
I cut my teeth in forensic psychiatry in a 1st year elective course at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. I had the opportunity to work one-on-one with Phillip J. Resnick, M.D., former president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and probably the nation's leading expert on malingered mental illness. I was able to repeat and enhance the experience in a full time senior elective rotation.
I spent my residency first learning analytic theory, then working to become "hard wired," or having a focus on the medical and neurologic aspects of behavioral and psychiatric disorders. Through this approach, I was able to learn as much as I could about the signs and symptoms of serious psychiatric and neurologic disorders.
The learning and honing of these skills progressed through my stint as full time faculty at the University of Florida, my subsequent private practice and the medical directorship of a state forensic psychiatric hospital.
Now in my seventh year of practice as a board certified forensic psychiatrist, it is evident that all of my training has led to a point where I feel confident that I am able to reach opinions in medical/legal cases that are well thought out from all points of views. This keeps me on track for the goal of being viewed as a non-biased evaluator by the legal community, and one who has the ability to talk to a judge and jury in ways that present the essence of a case, minus the jargon.
My specialty area of head injury evaluation is based on the work of Heilman, Valenstein, Stewart, Hales and Yudovsky.
My work in the area of detection of malingering is only possible because of the wealth of pathology I have seen and treated. Only through the knowledge of the minute qualities of these illnesses can deviation from their real existence be discovered. Malingering, however, goes hand in hand with dissimulation or the feigning that symptoms are not present. Making these skills valuable for any case.
Imaging in the 21st century has become very popular in the legal arena. The limits and uses of P.E.T. and S.P.E.C.T. scanning has become an area of concern, where the trier of fact needs guidance as to legitimate uses versus sham uses. I can provide guidance in this area as well.
My areas of expertise are assets for civil plaintiff and defense cases as well as the gambit of criminal cases for the state and defense.Each of these cases needs someone to delineate the stregths and weaknesses that may go before a jury or judge.
I hope on your next case that involves psychiatric or neuropsychiatric injury, you will consider my broad range of training and skill, and allow me the privilege of assisting your client.
