Agenda / Content Covered

1. Anatomy and Physiology of the Back, Neck, Spine
2. Pre-Existing Back Injuries and Conditions: How Doctors Evaluate Exacerbation/Aggravation
   1. Strains, Sprains, Facet Joint Injuries (Whiplash)
   2. Degenerative Disc Conditions/Disease
   3. Disc Bulges, Herniation
   4. Spinal Stenosis
   5. Fractures and Osteoporosis
   6. Annular Fissures/Annular Tears
   7. Osteoarthritis
   8. Back Pain and Fibromyalgia
   9. Spinal Cord/Nervous System Injuries
   10. X-Ray, DMX, MRI, CT, Discogram, SPECT and Bone Scan: Uses, Limitations, and What to Look for

3. Digging Through the Plaintiff's Medical History
   1. Spotting Red Flags During Client Intake
   2. Locating and Requesting ALL of the Medical Records
   3. What to Look for in the Medical Records
   4. What if the Pre-Existing Conditions Were Unrecorded?
   5. Independent Medical Examinations and Reports
   6. Digging Into Past Employment Records, Social Media Posts, etc.
4. Valuing, Negotiating, and Litigating Back and Neck Injuries
   1. Valuing Back Injury Claims
   2. How Pre-Existing Injuries Impact the Value of the Claim
   3. Demand Letter Tips and Negotiating Back Injury Claims
   4. Addressing Pre-Existing Back Conditions in Negotiations
   5. Discovery Strategies
   6. Deposing and Cross-Examining Experts in the Spinal Injury Case
   7. Presenting the Spinal Injury Case at Trial

Accreditation Details:

JAMES W. BALMER is a founding partner of Falsani, Balmer, Peterson & Balmer, where he has represented thousands of people in all kinds of litigation, including jury trials, workers' compensation trials and hearings, Social Security disability hearings, and appeals in those areas. He has handled wrongful death, car crash, slip-and-fall, worksite injuries, defective product claims, dog attack, liquor liability claims, and other kinds of bodily injury matters; as well as insurance coverage disputes, defamation claims, probate, and trust disputes. Mr. Balmer is admitted to practice before all Minnesota and Wisconsin courts, both state and federal, and has tried cases throughout both states. He has argued cases before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago and the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals based in St. Louis. Mr. Balmer has been selected as a Minnesota Super Lawyer annually beginning in 1998. He has been certified as a civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and by the Minnesota State Bar Association. Mr. Balmer has been honored as an advocate by the American Board of Trial Advocacy. He earned both his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota.

DR. DAVID COOPER owns and operates The Knee Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and the Jefferson Orthopedic residency. Dr. Cooper entered private practice as a general orthopedic surgeon in Lansdale, Pennsylvania after serving our country for eight years as a U.S. Navy Reserve medical officer. For four years, Dr. Cooper performed all types of orthopedic surgery, including neck and low back laminectomies and fusions, along with extensive open and closed fracture care. In 1980, he was recruited by Geisinger to open the orthopedic department at the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, where he was one of the first orthopedic surgeons in the valley to introduce knee replacements and arthroscopic surgery. In 1981, Dr. Cooper opened The Knee Center in Wilkes-Barre to further specialize in the care and treatment of knee and lower extremity disorders. He has personally performed more than 6,000 arthroscopic surgeries, ligament repairs and knee replacements. In terms of actually performing surgeries, as opposed to having interns and residents handle the cases, Dr. Cooper is one of the most experienced knee surgeons in the world, as well as being board certified for life by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, the highest honor that any medical specialist practicing in the U.S. can obtain. As a sought after speaker by many national organizations, he has spoken at the national conferences of the American Bar Association, and the Risk Insurance Management Society national meetings in New Orleans and Atlanta. Dr. Cooper is an adjunct professor at Binghamton University and Kings University. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at Binghamton University, Kings University and the University of Scranton. Dr. Cooper has been a private pilot for over 30 years, and enjoys flying his turbine Bonanza to conferences and lectures.