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CE · CALIFORNIAACCEPTING · Q2 2026
Dr. Elena Ruiz
§ 01 / Overview26.04.21

Dr. Elena Ruiz, PhD, CRC

Vocational rehabilitation, earning-capacity, and life care planning for trial counsel.

20+
Years in practice
300+
Reports authored
40+
Depositions / testimony
3 states
CA · NV · AZ
§ 02 / Dossier
Practice
Competition economics · damages
Testimony
Federal & state · depositions
Industries
4 sectors
Home court
E.D. Virginia · D.C.
Turnaround
Conflict check · 48 hours
Availability
Q2 2026 · accepting
§ 03 / Methods

Areas of practice

01
3 methods

Vocational rehabilitation

Evaluation of post-injury work capacity, transferable skills, and labor-market alternatives — calibrated to the jurisdiction's evidentiary standards.

/ Transferable skills/ Labor-market survey/ Daubert
02
3 methods

Life care planning

Long-horizon care-needs forecasts grounded in the medical record, peer-reviewed methodology, and current Medicare/private-pay cost data.

/ Long-horizon care/ Costing/ Pediatric/adult
03
3 methods

Earning-capacity analysis

Pre- and post-incident earnings trajectories with explicit assumptions, sensitivity tables, and present-value framing.

/ Wage path/ Sensitivity/ Present value
04
3 methods

Employability analysis

Reasoned opinions on alternative employment availability — drawing on Department of Labor data and direct labor-market contacts.

/ O*NET/ Labor-market contact/ Local data

Education, honors & service.

  • Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) — CRCC (2008)
  • Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) — ICHCC (2011)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) — State of California (2007)
§ 04 / Sectors

Sectors of experience.

·Pharmaceuticals
·Medical devices
·Financial services
·Energy
·Agriculture
·CPG
·Manufacturing
·Telecommunications
·Insurance
·Construction
·Higher education
·Public sector

Education

  • PhD, Rehabilitation Counselor Education
    Michigan State University · 2007
  • MS, Rehabilitation Counseling
    San Diego State University · 2001
  • BA, Psychology
    UC Santa Barbara · 1999
§ 06 / Writing

Selected publications

2023
Earning-Capacity Analysis After Catastrophic Injury: A Framework for Trial Counsel
Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis
2022
Remote Work and Modern Labor-Market Surveys
Rehabilitation Professional
2021
Life Care Plans in the Era of Bundled-Payment Health Care
The Rehabilitation Professional
2019
Vocational Evaluation of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Practitioner's Guide
Aspen Professional Services
§ 05 / Matters

Selected matters

2024
Catastrophic spinal-cord injury — life care plan and earning capacity
Bench-tried; methodology adopted in damages findings.
Superior Court, Los Angeles County
Catastrophic injury
2024
Wrongful termination — post-termination employability and mitigation
Motion in limine to exclude denied; testimony admitted in full.
U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal.
Employment
2023
ADA accommodation — essential job functions and reasonable alternatives
Settled following report disclosure.
U.S. District Court, D. Nev.
Employment
2023
TBI / mTBI — vocational evaluation and labor-market analysis
Plaintiff verdict; expert testimony cited by counsel post-trial.
Superior Court, Maricopa County
Catastrophic injury
2022
Family-law earning capacity — bifurcated spousal-support trial
Stipulated facts; methodology adopted by the court.
Superior Court, Orange County
Family law
Voices

From retaining counsel.

Attributions are generalized; specific matter details withheld under engagement terms.

“

Calibrated, calm, and unflappable under cross. Her reports do the explaining the jury needs.

Lead litigator
Wilkins & Marsh
“

Methodology that survived Daubert without amendments. Materially shaped settlement value.

Senior partner
Broughton LLP
“

Exceptional at translating defensible vocational economics for a generalist judge.

Of counsel
Danvers Ellis
“

Her cross-examination preparation alone was worth the engagement.

Trial counsel
Halston PLLC

Contact

Long Beach, CA
linkedin
§ 07 / Retain

Retain Dr. Ruiz

Conflict checks typically clear within 48 hours.