Independent Medical Examiner Expert Witness Medical Record Review Disability Evaluations

Objective Medical Opinions. Trusted Expertise.

Board-certified Internal Medicine physician with more than 20 years of experience providing independent medical evaluations, disability assessments, and expert medical opinions for attorneys, insurers, employers, and government agencies.

American Board of Internal Medicine — Board Certified

American Board of Internal MedicineBoard Certified — Internal Medicine

American Academy of Disability Evaluating PhysiciansCertified Evaluator of Disability and Impairment Rating — AMA Guides⁠, Sixth Edition

20+ Yearsof Physician Experience
Thousandsof Independent Medical Evaluations
Board CertifiedInternal Medicine
ObjectiveEvidence-Based Opinions

Who I Serve

Objective medical evaluations for the parties who rely on them

Plaintiff & Defense Attorneys
Insurance Carriers
Third-Party Administrators
Self-Insured Employers
Government Agencies
Workers' Compensation Programs
Social Security Disability Programs
Pension Funds

Services

Services Overview

Independent Medical Examinations

Comprehensive evaluations addressing diagnosis, causation, impairment, disability, treatment recommendations, and functional capacity for:

  • Workers' Compensation
  • Auto Liability
  • Personal Injury
  • Disability
  • Occupational Medicine
  • Pension Funds

Medical Record Reviews

Independent review of medical records with evidence-based opinions supported by current medical standards. Issues addressed include:

  • Causation & medical necessity
  • Future treatment & disability
  • Permanent impairment
  • Maximum Medical Improvement
  • Functional limitations
  • Standard of care
  • Return-to-work recommendations

Expert Witness Services

Case consultation, written opinions, depositions, and trial testimony. Services include:

  • Case consultation
  • Medical literature review
  • Written reports
  • Depositions
  • Trial testimony
  • Rebuttal reports

SSA Disability Evaluations

Objective internal-medicine consultative examinations performed at the request of the Bureau of Disability Determination Services as part of the Social Security disability determination process.

Information for scheduled claimants →

Areas of Expertise

Focused where cases are contested

Cervical Spine
Lumbar Spine
Soft Tissue Injuries
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Hernias
Internal Medicine
Occupational Injuries
Functional Capacity & Disability Evaluation

Why Clients Choose This Practice

Opinions built to hold up

Evidence-BasedOpinions grounded in the records, the examination, and accepted medical standards.
Board CertifiedAmerican Board of Internal Medicine; CEDIR-certified impairment rating under the AMA Guides⁠, Sixth Edition.
Experienced Expert WitnessDeposition and trial testimony for both plaintiff and defense counsel.
Comprehensive Record ReviewComplete, chronological command of the medical file before any opinion is offered.
Clear Written ReportsWritten for the adjudicator: organized, defensible, and free of ambiguity.
Timely TurnaroundReports completed on schedule, so cases move.

My reports are designed to provide attorneys, insurers, employers, and adjudicators with clear, medically supported opinions that assist informed decision-making.

Whether retained by plaintiff or defense counsel — or by a government agency — my role is to provide impartial medical analysis based on the available evidence and accepted medical standards.

Liana Palacci, DO

Liana Palacci, DO

Board-Certified Internist · Independent Medical Examiner · Expert Witness. Founding physician of Apex Medical Professionals, conducting disability evaluations for the Illinois Department of Human Services since 2005.

Meet Dr. Palacci →