Pediatrics Expert Witnesses in California
The SEAK Expert Witness Directory contains a comprehensive list of pediatrics expert witnesses who testify, consult and provide litigation support on pediatrics and related issues. Pediatrics expert witnesses and consultants on this page may form expert opinions, draft expert witness reports, and provide expert witness testimony at deposition and trial. The issues and subjects these pediatrics expert witnesses testify regarding may include: Pediatrics, Trauma, Stroke, Asthma, Child Abuse, Developmental Delay, Medication Error, Newborn Care, Obesity, Primary Care, Sepsis, Telemedicine, Urgent Care, Vaccines, and Wrongful Death.
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Santa J. Bartholomew, M.D., FAAP, FCCM
PME Consulting, LLC
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatrics
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Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), Abusive Head Trauma (AHT), TBI, Child Abuse, Munchausen (MSP), Respiratory Failure, Burn Care, Sepsis, Shock, Post-Op Care, Congenital Heart Disease, COVID, Meningitis, Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), Craniofacial Disorders, Cardiac Arrest, ECMO, Pediatric Asthma, Poisoning
Dr. Santa J. Bartholomew (formerly Santa J. Johnston, M.D.) is an award-winning Pediatrician with more than 30 years of clinical experience, and is a distinguished medical educator serving as a Professor of Pediatrics at two esteemed medical universities. She is double-boarded by the American Board of Pediatrics in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care medicine.
Her primary specialty has been Pediatric Critical Care medicine since 1990, and Dr. Bartholomew has practiced for decades in nearly every conceivable setting from state-of-the-art quaternary care centers, to large academic centers and level I trauma centers with very busy Pediatric Emergency Departments and Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). She has worked in many small and medium-sized community hospitals throughout the nation including Alaska, and has traveled around the world to serve patients in remote areas.
Practice roles have consisted of Pediatric Intensivist, Pediatric Hospitalist, Pediatric Emergency C...
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Stuart C Silverstein, MD, FAAP
Board Certified Pediatrician/ Author
Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine
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General Pediatrics, Child Abuse & neglect, Newborn Care, Foster Care, Pediatric Standard of Care, Pediatrics, Pediatric Urgent / Emergency Care, Sexual Abuse, Child Neglect, Custody Evaluation, Lead exposure, Lead toxicity, Lead Poisoning, Age assessment, Florida Expert Witness Certificate
Dr. Silverstein is an award-winning, Board-Certified pediatrician with over 30 years experience as a clinician and medical educator. His current practice includes providing pediatric emergency and urgent care in a highly populated urban setting. Dr. Silverstein has also supervised medical students, residents, and physician assistants in the pediatric emergency room. Served as a Preceptor for the Sacred Heart University Clinical APRN program and Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at the New York Medical College.
Dr. Silverstein is the author of several books including a Board Review Study Guide used by Pediatric Residents preparing for their specialty certification.
Dr. Silverstein has experience providing medical consultation for plaintiffs, prosecutors, and defendants in civil, military and criminal cases. He is experienced in distinguishing between accidental and non – accidental injury, evaluating potential evidence of child neglect, and opining on the pediat...
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Richard J. Auerbach, MD, FAAP
Standard of Care Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
MD Consult Services
Pediatrics
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Board Certified Pediatrician, Lyme tick disease, Newborn, Development, Behavior, Asthma, ADHD, Pediatrics, Sexual / Child Abuse / Neglect, Vaccines, Custody, Meningitis Serious Bacterial Infections, Trauma, SIDS, RSV, GERD, dehydration, breastfeeding, weight loss, jaundice
Richard Auerbach, MD has been a general pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics since 1998. He completed a chief residency and hospitalist year following training at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. He remains active on staff at Danbury Hospital / Western CT Health Network. As an Associate Professor of clinical pediatrics through the Universities of CT and VT, and Ross University, he has taught countless medical students and residents, as well as participating in weekly CME activities.
Recently, he and his wife, Julia Auerbach, MD JD, established MD Consult Services. The goal of this endeavor is to provide comprehensive medical opinions for case reviews and legal proceedings in the areas of Pediatrics (Richard) and Family Medicine (Julia). Both are Board certified in their respective fields and highly regarded in the communities in which they work. MDConsult Services has provided numerous comprehensive case reviews for attorneys. Both physicians are available fo...
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Rofida Nofal
Pediatrician licensed in California and Michigan
Sunnyvale, California
Pediatrics
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Children, Newborns, Adolescents, Out-patient, In-patient, Vaccines, Primary care, Antibiotics, Pain, Well and Sick Child, Nutrition Failure to Thrive, Trauma, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Evidence-Based , Standard of Care, Asthma , Infection , Obesity , Development
I am board certified in Pediatrics with over 14 years of clinical experience. I have trained and practiced in multiple settings in different states.
A few highlights from my CV:
- Expert Witness for multiple state boards
- Reviewer for medical journals
- Strong research and academic background. I authored a book chapter, many research articles and case studies.
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Hilal S Abu-Zahra, MD
Loma Linda, California
Pediatrics, Hospitalist
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Pediatric Hospitalist, outpatient general pediatrics, Newborn care, jaundice, kernicterus, Newborn resuscitation, Inpatient pediatrics, respiratory distress, viral infections, sepsis, pneumonia, obesity
Dr. Abu-Zahra has 8+ years of experience as a practicing pediatric hospitalist in the Inland Empire in both community and academic hospital settings. Dr. Abu-Zahra provides consultation for chart reviews, expert witness depositions, and testimony. Dr. Abu-Zahra is double board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) in general pediatrics and pediatric hospitalist medicine and is a fellow of the American Association of Pediatrics (FAAP). Dr. Abu-Zahra graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and completed his residency at University of Maryland in Baltimore. He works in an academic children's hospital and a community hospital with newborn nursery, inpatient pediatrics and ER consults. Furthermore, Dr. Abu-Zahra works full time as a hospitalist in a tertiary care academic center and half time as an outpatient pediatrician in a clinic affiliated with a family residency program.
Dr. Abu-Zahra is the former chair of pediatrics at two of the community hospitals. H...
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Rhonda S. Renteria, BSN, RN, CLNC, CLCP, CMCPS
TBI, SCI, Amp, Catastrophic, Med Mal, Autism, CP
Quality Life Care Plans, Inc.
Brea, California
Life Care Planning, Legal Nurse Consulting
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Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Wrongful Life, Worker's Compensation, TBI, SCI, Birth Injury, Catastrophic Injury/Illness, Neonatal, Pediatrics, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Developmental Delay, Transplant, Geriatrics, Case Management, Wound Care, Amputation, Orthopedics
Rhonda has over 40 years experience as a registered nurse and currently is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, a Certified Life Care Planner and a Certified Medical Cost Projection Specialist with a myriad of extensive experience as a nurse, as well, 13 years as an expert witness. Rhonda provides consultative, expert witness and testimony services, nationally and internationally, for life care planning, future care needs, medical cost projections and rebuttals for both Plaintiff and Defense cases.
Rhonda's registered nursing experience includes Neonatal Intensive Care, Pediatric Intensive Care, Pediatric and Adult Home Health Nursing, Wound Care and Consulting, Air Flight Nursing, Post-Anesthesia Recovery Room, Case Management, Certified Faculty for the Accredited Continued Education, Global Affairs Dept. and Hospice Care.
Rhonda has extensive experience with litigation cases involving TBI, SCI, Catastrophic Injury/Illness, Medical Malpractice, Amputation, Personal Injury, Pedia...
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Juliana Gomez Arostegui, MD, MPH, FAAP
Double Board-Certified Pediatric Heart Expert
Cajon, California
Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatrics
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Pediatrics, Cardiology, MD, FAAP, General Pediatrics, Congenital heart disease, Pediatric heart failure, Pediatric echocardiography, Pediatric hospitalist, Neonatal and pediatric inpatient care, Pediatric infectious disease, Pediatric malpractice, Myocarditis, Pericarditis, Arrhythmias, Post-operative cardiac complications
Dr. Juliana Gomez-Arostegui is a dedicated and accomplished medical professional who specializes in pediatric cardiology and pediatrics. Having a diverse background in clinical practice, medical education, and patient care, Dr. Gomez-Arostegui has made significant contributions to the field of healthcare.
She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Cardiology at the Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, UCSD, where she brings her expertise to a dynamic academic environment. She cares for patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
Between 2004 and 2011, Dr. Juliana Gomez-Arostegui served as a pediatric hospitalist in the San Francisco Bay Area, working in two county hospitals. At Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), she held the position of inpatient attending, overseeing patients in the pediatric ward and the level III neonatal intensive care unit in collaboration with Stanford University pediatric residents. Concurrently, she also worked at ...
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Karen R Doyle, RNC, LNC, ALS, ACN
Nurse-Neonatal/Pediatric Legal Nurse Expert
Expert Medical Review
San Diego, California
Neonatal - Perinatal Medicine, Nurse
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Neonatal ICU/NICU, Pediatrics, birth injury, malpractice, prematurity, Critical Care (CC), wrongful death, sepsis/infection, medication error, neonatal transport, Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), necrotizing fasciitis, vacuum assist, meconium, PICC, Central Venous lines, hemorrhage, hypoxemia (HIE), ETT, brain injury
Karen Doyle is an actively working Certified Advanced Life Support Neonatal Nurse with 39+ years in-hospital Nursing. She has served as a Neonatal/Pediatric Legal Nurse Expert for 27+ years with extensive experience in Legal Medical Review, Depositions, and Trials. Her primary responsibility in the hospital setting is providing the most advanced, complex, and comprehensive care and resuscitation of the critically-ill neonate both in the NICU and Labor & Delivery setting. She is a Nurse Expert skilled in all Neonatal Advanced Life Support Procedures, critical neonatal care, and also serves as an Expert regarding the Neonatal Standards of Care, Policies and Procedures. Karen's expertise encompasses the Pediatric population as well with 16 years in-hospital experience in the Acute Pediatric Care Unit and Pediatric ICU. Her reviews are thorough yet efficient, her reports and timelines serve as excellent resources, her vast Nursing experience enables her to apply the most current Standar...
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Meghna D Patel
Pediatric Cardiology & Critical Care -Stanford Fac
Belmont, California
Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
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Pediatrics
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Darcy B Denning, RN
24 years of Emergency and Correctional Nursing
Camarillo, California
Emergency Medical Services, Correctional Healthcare
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Registered Nurse, Correctional nursing, Emergency nursing, CPR, Prehospital care, ACLS, PALS, TNCC, MICN, EDAP, telephonic triage, Sepsis care, Pediatrics, Critical care transport, Stroke, jail, Incarcerated persons, medication assisted treatment, Trauma, Fall prevention
Darcy Denning RN has 24 years of expertise in bedside Emergency, Telephonic Triage and Correctional nursing care. 22 years expertise in Prehospital Emergency medical services as a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN).
Darcy Dennings current Licensure and certifications: Registered nurse with the state of California, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation certified (CPR), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum (TNCC), Mobile Intensive Care nurse (MICN), Emergency Approved for Pediatrics (EDAP). National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).
Teaches Classes on Emergency response in the correctional setting to correctional and medical staff.
She is able to Provide medical case review, expert witness consultation and testimony to law firms.
CV upon request
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Marilyn E McCullum, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN TCRN
ED Nurse Expert – Triage & Documentation
McCullum Legal Nurse Consulting
SANTA ROSA, California
Emergency Medicine, Nurse
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ER Nurse, Nursing standard of care, critical care, trauma, emergency nurse, triage, ultrasound IV, Stroke, sepsis recognition and delays, pediatrics, stroke, cardiac, Ed flow and timeline, Failure to escalate, Documentation gaps and inconsistencies , Delays in care, fall, Emergency department triage (ESI) , catheter
Emergency department nurse expert focused on triage decisions, delays in care, and documentation gaps.
I assist attorneys in determining what likely occurred during an ED visit, where care may have broken down, and whether a case warrants further investment. My reviews are structured to provide early clarity around standard of care, timeline of events, and clinical decision-making.
I am a US-trained emergency nurse, dually licensed in California and New Zealand, and work with US attorneys remotely.
I remain clinically active, working approximately 32 hours per week in the emergency department. My current practice informs case review with real-time understanding of ED workflow, triage systems, and evolving standards.
I have provided expert analysis and testimony in depositions and legal proceedings. My work includes detailed chart review, identification of delays in care, triage accuracy, escalation decisions, and documentation integrity.
I have published on emergency department...
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Walter E. B. Sipe, MD
Walter E B Sipe MD
Oakland, California
Psychiatry, Pediatrics
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Traumatic Stress Disorders, PTSD, Neurobiology of Trauma, Memory, Child Development, Somatic Symptom Disorders, Functional Pain, Psychological Impact of Medical Illness, Capacity, Mitigation, Sentencing, Sex Abuse, Medical Complications
Holds a joint appointment as an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Francisco in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics. Board Certified in general psychiatry and pediatrics, with additional training in pediatric gastroenterology. Teaching physician at Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, with specific interests in somatic manifestations of stress and long-term impacts of traumatic events on basic brain processes.
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Jennie W Gary, MD, MPH, FAAP
Standard of Care Outpatient General Pediatrics
Pasadena, California
Pediatrics, General Practice
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Infants, Children, Teens, General Pediatrics, Primary Care, Outpatient, Newborns, Standard of Care, Evidence-Based Medicine, Development, Behavior, Failure to Thrive, Nutrition, Vaccines, child abuse, neglect, Allergies, Asthma, Obesity, Infections
Dr. Jennie W. Gary is board-certified in Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has 9 years of experience as a Pediatrician, and 4 years experience as an expert witness. She works at a busy outpatient community pediatrics clinic as a general pediatrician, where she sees thousands of patients annually. She also has experience precepting and teaching pediatric residents. She is well-versed in the practice of standard of care, evidence-based medicine according to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines.
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Yolanda Lau, MD
Board-Certified Pediatrician| Multi-state Licenses
Alameda, California
Pediatrics, General Practice
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pediatrics, infant, adolescent, child, child neglect, child abuse, teenager, outpatient, newborn, primary care, Asthma, developmental delay, telemedicine, neonatal jaundice, infant formula, behavior, routine health check, urgent care, circumcision, vaccines
Dr. Lau is a board-certified pediatrician with over 10 years of clinical experience in outpatient general primary care pediatrics, inpatient newborn care, urgent care, and telemedicine. Her expertise includes care for children from birth through age 18 with a focus on growth and development, behavior, preventative care, vaccines, asthma, nutrition and formula guidance, developmental delays, and common pediatric medical conditions. Dr. Lau also has procedural experience in newborn plastibell circumcisions.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Lau has experience in physician review and utilization management, including medical necessity determinations, level-of-care assessments, and application of evidence-based guidelines. She has served in consulting roles supporting healthcare organizations, contributing to clinical policy interpretation, quality review, and healthcare technology initiatives.
Dr. Lau completed her medical training in California. She matriculated from UCSF Schoo...
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Francisco Alvarez, MD, FAAP
Pediatric Inpatient Standard of Care
Stanford School of Medicine
Palo Alto, California
Pediatric Hospitalist, Pediatrics
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Standard of Care, Case Management, Newborn Care, Hospital Safety, Medication Safety, Physician Billing, Clincal Care Guidelines, Standard of Care, Joint Commission, Hospital Finance, Healthcare Insurance, Physician Group Practice, Pediatric Best Practice
Dr. Francisco Javier Alvarez is a nationally recognized leader in pediatric hospital medicine, with more than two decades of experience in inpatient pediatrics, medical education, healthcare quality improvement, and clinical leadership. His multifaceted career spans academic teaching, hospital leadership, policy development, and medical consulting.
He currently serves as Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine and as Associate Chief of the Stanford Regional Pediatric Hospital Medicine Programs. In addition, he is the Medical Director of Case Management at Stanford Children's Health | Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Dr. Alvarez provides oversight and care in high-acuity inpatient settings, where he integrates clinical excellence with evidence-based approaches to patient management.
Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Alvarez held multiple leadership roles at Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., including Medical Director for multi...
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Rishi Bhargava, MD FAAP FACEP
Rolling Hills Estates, California
Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine
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Pediatrics, Airway management, Appendicitis, Trauma, Transport Medicine, Sedation, Febrile illness, Sepsis, Asthma, Newborn Care, Allergic Reaction, Tele-medicine, Meningitis, Dehydration, Abdominal pain, Fractures, Head Injury, Chest pain, Pain management, Resident Supervision
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Naomi E Lawrence-Reid, MD
Board-certified Pediatrician | Newborn Hospitalist
Doctoring Differently®
San Diego, California
Pediatrics, Child Abuse
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Pediatrician, Pediatrics, Child Abuse, Children, Newborn, Neonate, Neonatal, Nursery, Telemedicine, Emergency, Urgent care, Infant, Teen, Hospitalist, Child Injury, Developmental Delay
Dr. Naomi Lawrence-Reid is a board-certified pediatrician and Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics with more than 15 years of post-graduate clinical experience across academic and community hospital settings in California.
Her clinical expertise spans the full pediatric age range — from premature newborns through adolescence. Areas of specialty include: Neonatal & Newborn Medicine, Prematurity, hyperbilirubinemia, birth injury, hypoglycemia, prenatal substance exposure, respiratory distress syndrome, newborn screening abnormalities, Infectious disease, gastrointestinal, respiratory, allergic, and dermatologic conditions; sepsis; dehydration; routine preventive care, child Abuse & Neglect, Diagnosis, reporting obligations, and standard of care in civil and criminal matters.
Dr. Lawrence-Reid has served on hospital quality improvement committees with direct responsibility for adverse event review and patient safety initiatives, giving her firsthand familiarity with institut...
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Anneli Barrios, Ph.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychology Expert Witness
California
Neuropsychology, Pediatrics
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Child, Forensic, Evaluation, Munchausen by Proxy, Second Opinion, Developmental Disabilities, Bilingual, Learning Disabilities, Autism, Record Review, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Multilingual, PTSD, Custody, Finnish, Trauma, Mandarin, Lead Poisoning, Adolescent, Film / Movie Industry
Certified Forensic Examiner
Multilingual / Bilingual Mandarin / Cantonese Neuropsychology Evaluations offered.
Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE) offered.
Independent Neuropsychological / Medical Evaluations (INME) offered.
Specialty areas: TBI, PTSD, various other medical conditions & injuries, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Extensive experience in evaluating and diagnosing all conditions included in the DSM.
Over 20 years of experience.
Never lost a case.
Evaluations available for the following populations: pediatric, adolescents, and adults.
Willingness and extensive experience traveling to various states.
Extensive experience in servicing international clients.
Extensive experience servicing Film / Movie industry clients & other clients requiring high levels of privacy and / or discretion.
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David Zohrabian, M.D.
Emergency & Urgent Care Standard of Care
Calabasas, California
Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care Medicine
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chest pain, critical care, STEMI, trauma, failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis, urgent care, triage, standard of care, medication error, missed fracture, personal injury, radiology, stroke, abdominal pain, ultrasound, overdose, elder abuse, psychiatric hold, pediatrics
Board-certified Emergency Medicine physician with extensive experience in high-acuity emergency and urgent care settings. I currently serve as the founder, owner, and medical director of a high-volume urgent care center in Southern California, where I am actively involved in patient care, clinical operations, and physician supervision. My clinical experience spans both emergency departments and urgent care environments, providing a comprehensive understanding of real-world triage, risk stratification, diagnostic decision-making, and disposition practices.
My expertise includes evaluation and management of chest pain, stroke, sepsis, trauma, abdominal pain, orthopedic injuries, respiratory complaints, and infectious diseases. I have particular insight into urgent care standards of care, including appropriate patient selection, escalation to higher levels of care, and common pitfalls in outpatient and emergency settings. I am experienced in identifying deviations from accepted standa...
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Georgine Nanos, MD, MPH
Experienced Family Medicine Expert
Encinitas, California
Family Medicine, Mental Health
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Women's Health, Depression, Back Pain, Failure to Diagnose, Failure to Refer, Cancer Screening, Cancer Detection, Heart attack, Stroke, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Supervision of Physician Assistants, Trauma, Pneumonia, Wound Care, Diabetes, Hypertension, Covid-19 Expert, Telemedicine Expert, Med Spa
Dr. Georgine Nanos is a board-certified Family Physician and medical director with more than twenty-two years of clinical practice across primary care, women’s health, hormone therapy, obesity medicine, mental-health care, TMS and neuromodulation, and aesthetic medicine. She has managed thousands of patients across all age groups and brings deep expertise in diagnostic decision-making, cancer and cardiovascular screening, GLP-1 and hormone therapy safety, aesthetic-procedure standards, and complex medication management.
She is known for producing clear, well-supported, and highly defensible expert reports, along with confident and credible deposition and trial testimony. Her ability to translate complex medical issues into clear, understandable explanations makes her an effective expert for both plaintiff and defense counsel. Dr. Nanos maintains prompt communication, a reasonable fee schedule, and a professional, organized approach to every case.
PRIMARY CARE AND DIAGNOSTIC ERROR
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Abdallah Ajani, MD, FACEP
Emergency Medicine Expert (Adult & Pediatrics)
Ajani Medical Consulting PLLC
California
Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine
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Airway management, resuscitation, trauma, myocardial infarct, criminal defense, heart attack, stroke, pediatrics, child abuse/neglect, obstetrics, sepsis, septic shock, pulmonary embolism, delay in diagnosis, wrongful death, vascular access, sedation, elderly care, medication error, nursing home
Dr. Abdallah Ajani is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician currently practicing in Texas. He has experience working with both plaintiff and defense attorneys in medical malpractice and criminal cases throughout the United States. He can provide services involving affidavit of merit, chart review, written report, deposition, trial testimony, and cross-examination preparation. Dr. Ajani makes an intentional effort to provide my opinion in clear and understandable terms with the goal of educating the judge and jury about the medical basis for the facts of the case, as they relate to negligence, causation and damages.
As a clinician, Dr. Ajani attended medical school at Boston University and completed a residency program in Emergency Medicine in 2016. Since then, he has worked as a staff physician and instructor at large academic institutions as well as small community hospitals. He has an active state license TX in good standing.
Contact by email: abdallah.ajani.md@gmail.c...
You can also find Pediatrics Expert Witnesses in:
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District Of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington