For attorneys, insurers and employers
Orthopedic Medical-Legal Services
Nolan Horner, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Chicagoland who provides independent medical examinations, medical record review and orthopedic expert opinions for attorneys, insurance carriers, employers, third-party administrators and workers' compensation professionals. He has completed hundreds of independent medical examinations and has extensive deposition experience.
Medical-legal practice at a glance
- Hundreds
- Independent medical examinations completed
- 3–7 days
- Typical report turnaround after complete materials
- 3 offices
- Oak Brook, St. Charles and Little Village
- 100+
- Peer-reviewed publications, chapters and abstracts
In brief
Dr. Horner is an orthopedic surgeon, not a legal professional. His role in a medical-legal matter is to provide an objective medical opinion — on diagnosis, mechanism and causation, the appropriateness of treatment, impairment and work capacity, and prognosis — within his areas of orthopedic expertise.
Services
Where an orthopedic opinion is needed
Independent Medical Examination (IME)
In-person orthopedic examinations at Oak Brook, St. Charles and Little Village.
Orthopedic Expert Witness
Retained orthopedic expert opinions on injury, causation, treatment and prognosis.
Medical Record Review
Records-and-imaging review when an in-person examination is not required.
Deposition Testimony
Deposition testimony supporting reports and opinions already rendered.
Workers' Compensation Review
Work-relatedness, treatment appropriateness, work restrictions and permanency questions.
Personal Injury and Motor Vehicle Review
Orthopedic evaluation of injuries alleged in personal injury and auto-accident matters.
Causation and Surgical Necessity Review
Whether an injury explains the findings, and whether proposed surgery is reasonable and necessary.
Engagement
How a matter proceeds
A predictable process, so counsel and claims professionals know what to expect on timing, materials and work product.
Step 1
Inquiry and conflict check
Send the case type, orthopedic issue, requested service and timeline. Availability and conflicts are confirmed before any records are exchanged.
Step 2
Materials and scope
Records, imaging, operative reports and the written questions to be answered are transmitted through an appropriate secure process once the engagement is confirmed.
Step 3
Examination or review
An IME is scheduled at Oak Brook, St. Charles or Little Village, or the matter proceeds as a records-and-imaging review when no examination is required.
Step 4
Report and testimony
A written report addresses each question in order. Deposition testimony on opinions already rendered is available in person or by video.
Matters reviewed
Orthopedic case types
Matters are accepted for plaintiff, defense, carrier, employer and third-party administrator referrals where the medical questions fall within Dr. Horner's orthopedic practice.
- Workers' compensation and work-related injury
- Personal injury and motor vehicle accident
- Causation and aggravation of pre-existing conditions
- Surgical necessity and treatment reasonableness
- Impairment, permanency and work restrictions
- Shoulder, rotator cuff and instability injuries
- Knee ligament, meniscus and cartilage injuries
- Hip, sports and orthopedic trauma injuries
Work product
What a report contains
- Materials reviewed and history obtained
- Objective examination or imaging findings
- Diagnosis and the evidence supporting it
- Causation analysis, including pre-existing conditions
- Opinion on past treatment and proposed surgery
- Work status, restrictions and permanency when requested
Opinions are stated only where the medical evidence supports them, and the report says plainly where it does not.
Credentials
Why work with Dr. Horner
The value of an orthopedic expert is the depth of the underlying clinical experience. Dr. Horner evaluates and operates on these injuries in daily practice, which informs how he reads records, imaging and operative reports.
Board certified
Orthopedic surgery; licensed in Illinois.
Fellowship trained
Sports medicine and shoulder, Rush University Medical Center; orthopedic residency at McMaster University.
Active surgical practice
Shoulder, knee, hip, sports medicine and orthopedic trauma — the same injuries most often at issue in litigation and claims.
Academic record
More than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and abstracts, with research presented at international orthopedic meetings.
Clinical credentials describe medical expertise and do not establish legal expertise. Full backgroundResearch and publications
Areas served
Independent medical examinations are performed at all three offices where Dr. Horner practices: Oak Brook, St. Charles and Little Village in Chicago. Record review, causation opinions and remote consultation by telephone or video are available for matters outside the Chicago area, including out-of-state matters. Dr. Horner is licensed to practice medicine in Illinois.
Contact
Case inquiries and record reviews
Delaney Loprieno — dloprieno@genesisortho.comBy phone
(877) 377-1188Fax
(630) 377-7360
Fees
View IME and expert fee schedule (PDF)Frequently asked
What medical-legal services does Dr. Horner provide?
What geographic areas are served?
How quickly are reports returned?
How is a matter initiated?
Does Dr. Horner accept both plaintiff and defense referrals?
Are out-of-state and remote matters accepted?
What are the fees for an IME, record review or deposition?
Submitting an inquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship, a physician-patient relationship, or an expert engagement. Independent medical examinations and record reviews are performed for the requesting party and do not constitute medical treatment. Do not transmit confidential medical records or protected health information through an unsecured form or email; records are exchanged after engagement through an appropriate secure process.