James R. Kopp, M.D.
James R. (Jim) Kopp, Orthopedic Medical Expert—Expert Witness, Disability Evaluation, IME’s, Malpractice and Case Reviews
Dr. Kopp is an orthopedic surgeon in private practice in La Grande, Oregon. A graduate of the University of Oregon, and the University of Oregon Medical School (now called Oregon Health and Science University), Dr. Kopp completed his internship and his orthopedic surgical residency both at Naval Regional Medical Center in San Diego, CA.
After his residency, he was transferred to Oakland Naval Regional Medical Center where he directed a spine surgery service and participated in the training of orthopedic residents. It was here that he first developed an interest in forensic medicine, and did several hundred IME’s in his after-hours time in and around the Bay Area in California. After leaving Naval service in 1983, he established his private practice of orthopedic surgery in La Grande, Oregon, where he still practices. For several months after his move, he traveled to California where he continued his IME practice as well, until his own private practice was better established.
In the early 2000’s he rekindled his interest in forensic evaluations, largely due to a pair of IME physicians from Portland using his office for that purpose. Shortly after that, he was recruited by a company in Washington State and began a second career in forensic medicine in 2003. He eventually retired from his surgical and trauma practice to devote roughly 80% of his time to forensic practice. Towards the end of 2013 he stopped outpatient surgical practice and continues a small, clinical non-surgical practice in his office.
He has performed probably over 15,000 IME examinations for worker’s compensation from the states of Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Alaska and a few from Montana. This is in addition the several hundred he did in California during his naval service of 4 years in Oakland. He has testified in depositions or court 173 times between May of 2008 and May of 2016. Roughly 112 for the Attorney General’s office in Washington representing Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 25 for defense, 30 for plaintiff and one criminal proceeding. Between May of 2013 and July of 2016 he has served as a binding arbitrator for the Washington Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals on 71 occasions.
He has extensive training in evaluations, and is a member of the International Academy of Independent Medical Evaluators—aka IAIME, (formerly American Association of Disability Evaluating Physicians—aka AADEP) from which he was recently CEDIR certified. He enjoys the legal arena where he considers his primary role as that of a teacher.
Dr. Kopp adheres to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Orthopaedic Expert Opinion and Testimony Standards of Professionalism. His emphasis on evidence-based medicine is illustrated in a blog on the SEAK website. Links below: