A Radiologist’s Approach to TBI Case Evaluation – Dr. David Levey

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“What I’m looking for is: What is the correct diagnosis? What happened to this patient? Is he or she being treated correctly or properly? And that’s a concern of mine.” – Dr. David Levey

Welcome to Winning The TBI Case, hosted by trial lawyer Tom Crosley. Listen as Tom provides practical, powerful guidance for litigating traumatic brain injury cases. This podcast is meant for litigation attorneys who are ready to explore the essentials of TBI cases to confidently represent clients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

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Tom is joined by Dr. David Levey, a diagnostic radiologist and forensic neuroradiology expert who evaluates traumatic brain injury cases for both plaintiffs and the defense. Dr. Levey walks through the detailed process radiologists use to evaluate imaging, medical records, symptoms, and clinical history when analyzing TBI cases in both medical and litigation settings.

What’s In This Episode

Dr. David Levey explains how radiologists evaluate traumatic brain injury cases and how imaging findings fit within the broader clinical and litigation picture. He also shares practical insight into the role imaging plays in TBI litigation and best practices for trial lawyers working with radiology experts.

Key Insights for Trial Lawyers

  • Radiologists Evaluate More Than Images: Forensic radiology involves an extensive analysis of imaging combined with medical records, symptoms, clinical history, and causation evidence in context.
  • “Normal” Scans and Imaging Do Not Rule Out TBI: There are times when traumatic brain injuries will not appear on routine CT imaging. MRI studies can reveal subtle abnormalities not visible on CT scans. Advanced imaging such as DTI, tractography, and volumetric imaging can provide additional detail and should always be considered alongside symptoms, testing, and functional changes.
  • Effective TBI Litigation Requires Collaboration: Radiologists often work closely with attorneys and other experts to help evaluate complex brain injury cases.

Dr. Levey pulls back the curtain on the detailed analytical process radiologists use to evaluate brain injury cases in both medical and forensic settings and shares how he works with both plaintiff and defense teams.

Preparation Matters

This episode is for trial lawyers who want a clearer understanding of how radiologists evaluate traumatic brain injury cases and how imaging evidence fits into litigation strategy. If you’ve ever struggled with “normal imaging” defenses or wanted insight into how to best leverage your radiology experts in TBI cases, then you’ve come to the right place.

Referenced and Mentioned

Dr. Levey and Tom reference tractography imaging beginning at time code 22:49 which can be seen on the video version of the podcast. Screenshots below for our audio listeners.

Dr. Levey with tractography image
Dr. David Levey with tractography image 1

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