Dr. Steven J. Kraus
Dr. Kraus is a nationally recognized chiropractic physician since 1988. He is an educator and imaging innovator with over three decades of clinical experience in diagnostic imaging, impairment evaluation, and spinal biomechanics. He serves as the chairperson of the Iowa Chiropractic Education and Research Foundation.
Dr. Kraus has been licensed for over 38 years and owned and operated a multidisciplinary medical center integrating MD, DO, DC, PT, ARNP, LMT, and ATC healthcare providers for more than twenty years. He continues his work in professional education, impairment evaluation, and diagnostic imaging technology.
He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and professional articles and has lectured nationally on personal injury, spinal biomechanics, HIPAA regulations, and clinical documentation.
A rare combination of clinical, regulatory, and scientific perspective — bridging healthcare, technology, and the courtroom.
He has owned 19 clinics and served on many national boards for the chiropractic profession. He has served in leadership roles at both the regulatory and professional-association levels, including President of the Iowa Chiropractic Society in 1995 and 2025, and former Chairman of the Iowa Board of Chiropractic, where he served for ten years. His career reflects a commitment to research integrity, clinical excellence, and the advancement of chiropractic through education and innovation.
Dr. Kraus earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1988 from Palmer College of Chiropractic, following undergraduate Bachelor of Science studies at the University of Iowa and Palmer College between 1982 and 1985. He holds board certification as a Certified Independent Chiropractic Examiner (CICE) through the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners. He is a Diplomate of the International Board of Chiropractic Neurology (DIBCN) and a Fellow of the International Academy of Chiropractic Neurology (FIACN), the American Society of Acupuncture (FASA), and the International College of Chiropractors (FICC).
This book reflects more than 38 years of experience treating personal-injury patients. Working with PI attorneys and serving as an expert witness in over 30 trials and many more depositions, it was written for both experienced physicians and those new to the personal-injury arena who want to better understand how clinical findings translate into credible medical testimony.
Although this medico-legal guidebook contains over a thousand example questions and answers throughout its chapters, it cannot account for every scenario. Every case is unique. Because there is not enough space in any book to cover the full breadth of published literature and the anatomical complexities of every possible injury to every region of the body, this book focuses on the primary cervical-spine injuries from whiplash.
What this book does provide is the essential context and clinical framework needed to evaluate and explain key cervical-spine ligament injuries, allowing physicians to provide personal-injury attorneys with clear documentation, sound medical reasoning, and confident testimony. Because the focus is placed on cervical-spine injuries, we will explore scientific literature as the primary evidence for chronic whiplash-related impairment.
Some attorneys will frequently challenge your findings, your clinical conclusions, and sometimes even your professional credibility. They may question the severity of the injury, the necessity of the care provided, and the scientific basis for your opinions. This book is designed to help physicians prepare for those challenges and to present their findings clearly and confidently, whether in a deposition or on the witness stand.
You will notice a particular emphasis on cervical-spine AOMSI (Alteration of Motion Segment Integrity) throughout the question-and-answer sections of this book. This topic is often misunderstood or overlooked in litigation. While no case should rely solely on AOMSI or impairment ratings alone, it can serve as a critical component of a comprehensive cervical-spine evaluation when properly measured and interpreted.
For the purposes of this reference book, it is assumed that the physician has already performed the fundamentals of good clinical practice: obtaining a complete patient history, documenting examination findings thoroughly, recording patient progress over time, evaluating Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), utilizing Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) where appropriate, and documenting the mechanism of injury in detail. These elements form the foundation of a strong case and significantly contribute to fair and accurate case resolution.
This book does not attempt to duplicate the many excellent texts already available on general clinical history, diagnosis, and examination procedures. Instead, it focuses on helping physicians understand how to translate scientific literature, clinical reasoning, and objective findings into explanations that judges and juries can understand. References and summaries of relevant research are included throughout the chapters to support this goal. Analysis of that clinical evidence and communicating it in an effective manner is crucial.
Invest in your knowledge. Apply that knowledge carefully and honestly in your clinical practice.
When physicians understand the science of whiplash, document their findings clearly, and explain those findings with confidence, they help both their patients and the legal system arrive at the truth.
Personal injury litigation has evolved dramatically over the past two decades. With advancements in published science, digital radiography, and a more refined understanding of ligament biomechanics, there is now increasing recognition of measurable structural injury within the spine. As a result, the role of the treating doctor and expert witness has never been more critical, and never more scrutinized.
Yet despite this heightened responsibility, most clinicians receive little to no formal training in medico-legal testimony, impairment rating methodology, courtroom communication, or the evidentiary standards required to withstand cross-examination. Highly qualified doctors are often placed in high-stakes legal environments where the ability to clearly explain, defend, and support their clinical conclusions can directly influence the outcome of a case. This gap between clinical expertise and courtroom readiness has been a persistent challenge within the profession.
Dr. Steven J. Kraus addresses that challenge directly.
Drawing from more than four decades of clinical practice, digital imaging innovation, forensic measurement expertise, and extensive trial testimony experience, Dr. Kraus has produced a resource unlike anything currently available in either clinical or legal education. His work reflects not only a deep understanding of spinal injury, but also a clear command of how that science must be communicated, documented, and defended under scrutiny.
A central advancement presented in this text is the Cervical Ligament Stability Model, which is supported by a substantial and growing body of scientific evidence. This model represents a meaningful progression in how clinicians conceptualize and evaluate ligament injury, bridging the gap between subthreshold findings, measurable instability, and impairment thresholds. Its integration throughout this work provides both a scientific framework and a practical tool for real-world application.
By blending foundational spinal injury science with practical courtroom strategies and more than 1,000 sample deposition and trial questions, Dr. Kraus offers a comprehensive system for clinicians who are called upon to step into the medicolegal arena. This is not simply a reference textbook, it is a structured approach to developing the mindset, language, and analytical precision required of a credible expert witness.
What sets this book apart is its clarity, its depth, and its unwavering commitment to objectivity.
Complex biomechanical concepts are translated into language that can be understood by juries, attorneys, and judges without sacrificing scientific accuracy. AOMSI, spinal ligament trauma, and instability are presented through evidence-based analysis, while documentation and narrative reporting are addressed with a level of precision that reflects real-world courtroom demands.
For any physician involved in the care of personal injury patients, the evaluation of spinal trauma, or the responsibility of providing expert testimony, this work is essential. It strengthens clinical reasoning, enhances documentation, and elevates the standard of professional communication within both healthcare and legal settings.
Ultimately, this book serves a larger purpose. It reinforces the importance of accurate diagnosis, objective analysis, and credible testimony in ensuring that injured individuals are represented fairly and truthfully. In doing so, it advances not only the chiropractic profession, but also the integrity of the legal process itself.
“A resource unlike anything currently available in clinical or legal education.”
Frequently asked questions.
Bring scientific clarity to one of the most debated injury mechanisms in modern healthcare.
1000+ pages. Hardcover. Direct from World Spine Research Press.
- Hardcover — cloth bound
- Two integrated sections
- 26 chapters · 1,000+ Q&A
- Peer-reviewed citations
- Sample narrative reports
- Cervical Ligament Stability Model