Medical-Legal Experience
Since 1987, about one-third of my practice has been medical/legal work, in partnership with Nathan J. Zilberg, Ph.D.
I am certified as a QME (Qualified Medical Evaluator) in the California Workers’ Compensation system, and I have served as an AME or PQME on numerous occasions, for both the applicant and the defense. I have evaluated over 4,500 injured workers, and authored medical/legal reports in compliance with the labor codes legislated for Worker’s Compensation. Thirty years of experience treating patients in my general adult psychiatry practice has helped me to become expert at rapidly and comprehensively evaluating injured workers for preexisting psychiatric and psychological factors influencing injury claims, credibility, and maladaptive ways of coping with injury that effect a worker’s adaptation to and resilience with injury. Too, my experience as a psychiatrist treating patients has prevented me from adopting a formulaic approach in evaluating injured workers, and authoring “boiler-plate” reports. I have done work for all of the major applicant and defense firms in the Bay Area. I have enjoyed the process of writing applicant’s stories in plain language to clarify the always complex medical/legal conclusions necessary to satisfy Worker’s Compensation law.
I also provide evaluations of people involved in civil law suits and in disputes requiring evaluation by an IME (Independent Medical Evaluator). I have served as an expert witness, writing reports and testifying at deposition and at trial, for both plaintiff and defense. I enjoy the process of describing how I think about a case through written reports, and through speaking at deposition and trial to convey complex psychiatric/psychological information clearly and precisely. Because only a small portion of my practice involves being an expert witness in civil law suits, this mitigates the potential for any jury to perceive me as a biased professional. Also, I have been given feedback by attorneys (from both the plaintiff and defense) that I come across to juries as an earnest and concerned doctor who is intelligent and informed, but not a “pompous” expert or a “hired gun.”
Finally, I also evaluate people as an IME for Fitness for Duty and for Disability Retirement, and I testify at hearings. I have worked with several Bay Area county retirement systems, including the City and County of San Francisco, the County of Marin, and San Mateo County. I also have worked with Police Officers’ Associations.
All of these evaluations include psychological testing interpretation by Nathan J. Zilberg, Ph.D., my PsychServ Medical Corporation partner. Dr. Zilberg authors a Brief Psychological Report with psychological test data interpretation/results that are used by me as part of my data base in reaching medical/legal diagnoses and conclusions.
I am certified as a QME (Qualified Medical Evaluator) in the California Workers’ Compensation system, and I have served as an AME or PQME on numerous occasions, for both the applicant and the defense. I have evaluated over 4,500 injured workers, and authored medical/legal reports in compliance with the labor codes legislated for Worker’s Compensation. Thirty years of experience treating patients in my general adult psychiatry practice has helped me to become expert at rapidly and comprehensively evaluating injured workers for preexisting psychiatric and psychological factors influencing injury claims, credibility, and maladaptive ways of coping with injury that effect a worker’s adaptation to and resilience with injury. Too, my experience as a psychiatrist treating patients has prevented me from adopting a formulaic approach in evaluating injured workers, and authoring “boiler-plate” reports. I have done work for all of the major applicant and defense firms in the Bay Area. I have enjoyed the process of writing applicant’s stories in plain language to clarify the always complex medical/legal conclusions necessary to satisfy Worker’s Compensation law.
I also provide evaluations of people involved in civil law suits and in disputes requiring evaluation by an IME (Independent Medical Evaluator). I have served as an expert witness, writing reports and testifying at deposition and at trial, for both plaintiff and defense. I enjoy the process of describing how I think about a case through written reports, and through speaking at deposition and trial to convey complex psychiatric/psychological information clearly and precisely. Because only a small portion of my practice involves being an expert witness in civil law suits, this mitigates the potential for any jury to perceive me as a biased professional. Also, I have been given feedback by attorneys (from both the plaintiff and defense) that I come across to juries as an earnest and concerned doctor who is intelligent and informed, but not a “pompous” expert or a “hired gun.”
Finally, I also evaluate people as an IME for Fitness for Duty and for Disability Retirement, and I testify at hearings. I have worked with several Bay Area county retirement systems, including the City and County of San Francisco, the County of Marin, and San Mateo County. I also have worked with Police Officers’ Associations.
All of these evaluations include psychological testing interpretation by Nathan J. Zilberg, Ph.D., my PsychServ Medical Corporation partner. Dr. Zilberg authors a Brief Psychological Report with psychological test data interpretation/results that are used by me as part of my data base in reaching medical/legal diagnoses and conclusions.
I have expertise in cases involving:
- Excessive use of police force
- Discrimination, harassment and retaliation
- Sexual harassment
- Neighbor Disputes
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Psychosis
- Emotional distress/pain and suffering as a result of personal injury
- Depression and Anxiety
Practice Details for Civil cases, Fitness for Duty cases, and Disability Retirement cases:
Fees and Payment
My fee is $500/hour for psychiatric examination, medical record review, report preparation, deposition preparation and testimony, trial preparation and testimony, and travel. All charges associated with travel, such as hotel and meals, will be submitted for reimbursement. I require a retainer and a signed contract for my services in some cases. I require payment for deposition and trial testimony two weeks prior to the scheduled date of my appearance.
Cancellation Policy
Because of the blocks of time necessary for evaluation; and deposition and trial testimony, I require two weeks notice of cancellation, either in writing, or by leaving a message on my voicemail at 1-415-927-7213. If I do not receive two weeks notice of cancellation, payment will be requested for the time period that I have reserved. Payment must be received by check payable to:
PsychServ Medical Corporation
Attention: Judith A. Keins M.D.
520 Tamalpais Dr., Suite 100
Corte Madera, CA 94925
My fee is $500/hour for psychiatric examination, medical record review, report preparation, deposition preparation and testimony, trial preparation and testimony, and travel. All charges associated with travel, such as hotel and meals, will be submitted for reimbursement. I require a retainer and a signed contract for my services in some cases. I require payment for deposition and trial testimony two weeks prior to the scheduled date of my appearance.
Cancellation Policy
Because of the blocks of time necessary for evaluation; and deposition and trial testimony, I require two weeks notice of cancellation, either in writing, or by leaving a message on my voicemail at 1-415-927-7213. If I do not receive two weeks notice of cancellation, payment will be requested for the time period that I have reserved. Payment must be received by check payable to:
PsychServ Medical Corporation
Attention: Judith A. Keins M.D.
520 Tamalpais Dr., Suite 100
Corte Madera, CA 94925