Med-legal support · Calabasas & San Fernando Valley
Medical-Legal Support
for Attorneys
When the MRI is normal — but your client isn't.
Dr. Alireza Chizari, DC, DACNB, is a board-certified functional neurologist with over a decade of experience diagnosing and treating brain injuries, concussions, and neurological disorders stemming from motor vehicle accidents. His non-surgical, evidence-based approach gives your case detailed clinical insight a jury can actually follow.
The evidentiary gap
The defense has a favorite sentence: "the imaging was normal."
You know the playbook. Your client has documented cognitive slowing, headaches, dizziness, and light sensitivity after a collision — and a clean CT and MRI. Defense counsel frames that gap as exaggeration or litigation incentive.
The science says otherwise: mild TBI is a functional injury that disrupts how the brain performs — balance, eye movement, processing — without leaving damage structural imaging is designed to find. Current consensus diagnostic criteria (ACRM, 2023) recognize mild TBI from symptoms plus measurable physical signs, such as failed balance or coordination testing, even when scans read normal. That's precisely what functional neurology quantifies: videonystagmography (VNG) measures abnormal eye movements, computerized posturography measures balance deficits against normative data — objective, repeatable numbers that survive cross-examination far better than symptom self-report.
Services designed for legal precision
Functional neurology services for your case
Comprehensive med-legal work product — from first records review to the witness stand.
Medical-Legal Reports
Comprehensive analyses linking injuries to accident mechanisms, backed by functional neurology diagnostics
IMEs & Second Opinions
Functional neurology-led independent medical examinations and structured second-opinion evaluations
Records Review & Causation
Comprehensive medical records review with clear causation analysis tied to the injury mechanism
Objective Diagnostics
Concussion/TBI and vestibular evaluations — VNG, computerized posturography, cognitive and oculomotor testing
Impairment Ratings
Practical, defensible impairment opinions grounded in clinic findings plus objective testing data
Depositions & Testimony
Clear, jury-friendly explanations of complex neurological concepts — when your case calls for the stand
Why firms choose us
Credibility your case can stand on
- Clear scope-of-work and fee schedule before scheduling — transparent pricing, no hidden fees
- HIPAA-secure portal for record uploads and communication
- Opinions grounded in clinic-plus-testing data, written to survive cross-examination
- Local insight: as a functional neurology center serving Calabasas, Woodland Hills, and the San Fernando Valley, reports and testimony resonate with local judges and juries
Inside the work product
Anatomy of our report
Every medical-legal report follows the same disciplined structure, so your team knows exactly what to expect:
- History & mechanism. The injury event, reconstructed against the clinical presentation.
- Objective findings. VNG, posturography, oculomotor, and cognitive results — quantified against normative data.
- Causation opinion. A clear, defensible link — or an honest qualification — between mechanism and findings.
- Treatment & trajectory. The longitudinal record of care and response: your damages narrative, documented.
- Impairment & prognosis. Practical ratings and forward-looking opinions, grounded in the data above.
Trusted by attorneys
Results in the courtroom
Dr. Chizari, DC, DACNB, played an instrumental role in securing a $1.8M settlement for our TBI client. His ability to translate functional neurology into plain language gave us a decisive edge.
Seamless collaboration
Built for busy firms
Every step is streamlined to save your team time — from intake to testimony.
Free preliminary case review
Send the basics through our HIPAA-secure portal. We assess merit and provide a clear scope-of-work and fee schedule before anything is scheduled — so you know exactly what you're getting and what it costs.
Evaluation & objective evidence
Flexible scheduling for your client's evaluation. Clinical examination is paired with objective testing — VNG, posturography, cognitive and oculomotor assessment — so findings rest on data, not impressions.
Report, deposition, testimony
Standard report turnaround is 10–14 business days, with rush available for litigation deadlines. When the case calls for it, Dr. Chizari provides deposition and trial testimony in plain language.
Case types
What you can refer
Injuries we evaluate and treat
- Concussion and TBI from motor vehicle accidents
- Post-concussion syndrome with lingering symptoms
- Vestibular injuries — dizziness and imbalance after collision
- Post-traumatic headaches and whiplash-associated pain
- Autonomic dysregulation following head or neck trauma
Treatment documentation doubles as a clear clinical record of your client's recovery trajectory.
What your firm receives
- Objective test data that substantiates — or honestly qualifies — the injury claim
- Causation analysis written for legal, not just clinical, readers
- Predictable timelines aligned to your litigation calendar
- One point of contact: our Med-Legal Coordinator
- Dr. Chizari's CV and service guide on request
Where a case needs medical specialties beyond our scope, we say so — credibility cuts both ways.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How does functional testing help when the MRI is normal?
Standard MRI and CT detect structural damage; mild TBI is primarily a functional injury. VNG and computerized posturography quantify deficits in eye movement and balance against normative data — objective, repeatable findings consistent with current consensus diagnostic criteria, even when imaging reads clean.
What is a functional neurology IME?
An independent medical examination led by a board-certified functional neurologist (DACNB), combining clinical examination with objective testing such as videonystagmography and computerized posturography. The result is a documented, data-backed picture of neurological function relevant to the claimed injury.
How fast can we get a report?
Standard turnaround is 10–14 business days from the completed evaluation, and rush delivery is available for litigation deadlines. The scope-of-work and fee schedule are confirmed in writing before scheduling, so there are no surprises mid-case.
Does Dr. Chizari testify?
Yes — deposition and trial testimony are provided when appropriate to the case. Dr. Chizari's strength is translating complex neurological findings into plain language that judges and juries can follow, which is precisely where technical evidence wins or loses.
How do we refer a case or request a CV?
Contact our Med-Legal Coordinator at (818) 649-5300 or info@californiabrainspine.com. A free preliminary case review assesses merit first, and Dr. Chizari's CV and service guide are available on request.
Work with us
Strengthen your case with
functional neurology expertise.
To refer a case or request Dr. Chizari's CV and service guide, contact our Med-Legal Coordinator. The preliminary case review is free — and your scope-of-work and fees are fixed in writing before anything is scheduled.
California Brain & Spine Center · 4768 Park Granada, Ste 107, Calabasas, CA 91302 · Serving Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills & the San Fernando Valley