Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, TBI, Whiplash, Pre-Existing Injuries, and More: Doctor Insights for Attorneys

Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time

1. Pre-Existing Injuries and Conditions
   10:00 - 10:45, Robert J. Kasieta
   1. New Injury vs. Aggravation vs. Recurrence
   2. Aggravation vs. Exacerbation
   3. Differentiating Injuries vs. Degeneration/Aging
   4. Pre-Existing Condition vs. Pre-Disposition
   5. Complications From Pre-Existing or Co-Occurring Medical and Psychological Conditions
   6. Reviewing Reports to Differentiate Pre-Existing Injuries
   7. Objective vs. Subjective Findings
   8. Medical vs. Legal Standard of Causation
   9. Temporary vs. Permanent Aggravation
   10. Apportioning Aggravation From Pre-Existing Conditions
2. Spine Injuries and New vs. Degenerative Disc Issues
   10:45 - 11:30, Douglas R. Horn
   1. Spinal Stenosis, Cauda Equina Syndrome, and Spinal Cord Syndromes
   2. Disc Pathology - Bulges, Herniations, and How to Tell Whether Acute or Chronic
   3. How All Herniated Discs Are Not the Same: Impingement, Radicular Pain, Annular Tears, Fissures, etc.
   4. Pre-Existing Degenerative Disc Disease
   5. Treatment and Spinal Surgeries
3. Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Concussion Syndrome
   11:45 - 12:45, Dr. Lauren Rasmussen
   1. Brain Anatomy and Terminology
   2. Diagnosing TBI - Tools and Their Limitations
      1. GCS, Speech, and Language Tests
      2. Cognition and Neuropsychological Tests
      3. CT Scans and Advanced CT Techniques
      4. MRI: Conventional Techniques vs. DTI, SWI, etc.
      5. ICP Monitoring
   3. What Objective Evidence Can be Used to Rule out TBI?
   4. Interplay of Psychological Conditions and TBI
   5. Measuring TBI: Mild vs. Moderate vs. Severe
   6. Prognosis and Treatment
4. Whiplash and Other Soft Tissue Injuries
   1:15 - 1:45, Robert J. Kasieta
   1. Crash Course on Soft Tissues
   2. Diagnosing Soft Tissue Injuries: Objective and Subjective Tests
   3. Injuries to Discs and Spinal Nerve Roots
   4. Whiplash - Definition and Diagnostic Criteria
   5. Assessing the Severity of Soft Tissue Damage
   6. Chronic Pain and Soft Tissue Injuries
   7. The Malingering Question
5. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS/RSD)
   1:45 - 2:30, Douglas R. Horn
   1. The Science of Pain
   2. Understanding CRPS and Other Pain Syndromes
   3. Testing and Diagnosis
   4. What Objective Evidence Can be Used to Rule out CRPS?
   5. Identifying the Cause
   6. CRPS vs. Arthritis and Other Conditions
   7. Assessing the Severity and Duration
   8. Treating CRPS
6. MVA Injuries: Blowout Fractures, Facial Fractures, Crush Injuries and Brachial Plexus Injuries
   2:30 - 3:00, Robert J. Kasieta
7. IMEs and More: A Behind-the-Scenes Look
   3:15 - 4:00, Robert J. Kasieta
   1. Disconnect Between Doctors and Attorneys - Tips for Improving the Way You Communicate and Work with Medical Providers
   2. Medical Records - Things You May be Missing
   3. Deciphering Medical Bills and Diagnosis Codes
   4. What Doctors Need You to Know About IMEs
   5. How to Respond/Argue Against an IME Doc's Bad/Harmful Reports
   6. Admissibility of Opinions: What Doctors Understand About the Rules of Evidence
   7. Issues/Questions/Impeachment of Diagnostics, Subjective Testing, Dating of Injuries
8. Legal Ethics
   4:00 - 5:00, Robert J. Kasieta
   1. Conflicts of Interest
   2. Competence
   3. Confidentiality and Privilege
   4. Candor and Fairness
   5. Ethics of Compensating and Preparing a Witness
   6. Fees and Handling Client Funds
   7. Ethics of Advocating for a Party vs. the Medicine

Accreditation Details:

DOUGLAS R. HORN is the lead attorney of Horn Law. Since 1991, Mr. Horn has focused his practice in plaintiff's personal injury concentrating in cases involving motor vehicle collisions, work-related accidents, medical/medication error, and catastrophic injury handling cases in Missouri, Kansas, and throughout the Midwest. Mr. Horn is a regular National Business Institute CLE contributor, emphasizing his presentations in personal injury case development strategies. He earned his B.A. degree from Wittenberg University and his J.D. degree from Capital University Law School. Mr. Horn's detailed professional profile can be found on HornLaw.com.

ROBERT J. KASIETA is the founder of Kasieta Legal Group, LLC, in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a certified civil pretrial and trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocates. Mr. Kasieta practices in civil litigation, with an emphasis on plaintiff personal injury and employment cases, as well as commercial litigation. He has written and taught extensively in the areas of trial practice, personal injury law and insurance law, and is an instructor of trial practice at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Mr. Kasieta is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and all Wisconsin courts. He is a member of the Dane County Bar Association, State Bar of Wisconsin, and the American Association for Justice. Mr. Kasieta earned his B.S. degree, summa cum laude, from Northern Michigan University and his J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School.

DR. LAUREN RASMUSSEN practices with Jefferson Neurobehavioral Group, LLC. She is licensed in neuropsychology and specializes in diagnosis and psychological treatment of neurological diseases and disorders including but not limited to dementia, mild cognitive impairment, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and stroke. Dr. Rasmussen underwent specialized training in memory disorders at Wesley Woods at Emory University and in neurorehabilitation at Emory Center for Rehabilitation Medicine and Lancaster General Hospital. She has published on the presentation of dementia in patients with intellectual disabilities and has done research on cognitive factors predicting conversion of mild cognitive impairment to dementia. In addition to neuropsychology, Dr. Rasmussen works in the field of health psychology, particularly with bariatric surgery patients and those struggling with chronic pain. She also obtained specialized training in these areas at Lancaster General Hospital. Dr. Rasmussen helped develop a back on track program for individuals who have struggled with sustained success following bariatric surgery. Outside of private practice, she is the director of Neuropsychology at Sage Rehabilitation Outpatient Hospital and is a consultant for Sage Rehabilitation Inpatient Hospital and Evergreen Life Services, and serves as an adjunct faculty member at LSU.