States we serve — California
California psychiatric expert witness, IME, and DME services
California-licensed TBI- and PTSD-subspecialty psychiatric expert witness services for personal injury, civil litigation, and defense matters. Telemedicine examinations are the default; in-person travel to California is available for substantial matters.
California-specific scope
Active California medical license #196699 (since 2024). California engagements focus on:
- Personal injury psychiatric IMEs and Defense Medical Evaluations (DMEs)
- Civil litigation expert witness work — reports, deposition testimony, and trial testimony
- TBI and post-concussive syndrome cases — subspecialty board-certified (ABPN Brain Injury Medicine, 2022, certificate #227)
- PTSD and trauma-related disorder cases — specialty trained in WET, CPT, EMDR, and Brainspotting
- Federal court matters in California (FRCP Rule 35 examinations and expert testimony)
- IME West contractor for TBI/PTSD defense cases in California
Important: not a California QME
Dr. Cichon is not a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) for California workers’ compensation and does not perform California WC IMEs. The California WC system requires QME certification through the Division of Workers’ Compensation, which is a separate process from medical licensure. California workers’ compensation referrals should be directed to a QME-certified provider.
California civil, personal injury, federal, and expert witness matters do not require QME certification and are within scope.
Telemedicine and in-person availability
California examinations are routinely conducted via telemedicine, which works well for the cognitive and clinical components of a neuropsychiatric examination and for expert witness depositions. In-person examinations in California are available for substantial matters — for example, a complex TBI case requiring full neuropsychiatric testing including EEG Brainview (which is performed in-person), or a significant trial testimony engagement.
Specialty advantages for California TBI / PTSD matters
California has a deep bench of psychiatric IME providers, but few with subspecialty board certification specifically in Brain Injury Medicine. For cases turning on TBI causation, post-concussive syndrome, or differentiation between organic TBI sequelae and pre-existing or comorbid psychiatric conditions, the subspecialty credential is a meaningful Daubert / Sargon qualification advantage.
Same applies to PTSD-heavy matters where the case turns on careful diagnostic distinction (PTSD vs. acute stress disorder vs. adjustment disorder vs. malingering) and where treating-provider practice patterns or the underlying methodology of opposing experts may need to be addressed by an examiner trained in current evidence-based trauma therapies (WET, CPT, EMDR).
Engagement
California engagements are billed to the requesting party. Lien arrangements with personal injury counsel are considered case-by-case. We do not accept insurance.
Contact the practice with the case caption, jurisdiction, the specific psychiatric questions in dispute, and any relevant deadlines. We’ll respond within one to two business days with availability and engagement terms.