My name is Melonie Mills, I am the newest claims manager at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C. I have a Master’s of Science Degree in Legal Studies, with an emphasis in Health Care Delivery; a Master’s Degree in Public Health, with an emphasis in Epidemiology and Health & Policy Management. I am currently working on my Doctorate in Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology and Health & Policy Management. My continued passion and purpose for the past 24 years is to be an advocate on behalf of injured victims, and to deliver impactful results on their behalf. My interest in the long-term impacts on victims who have suffered personal injuries, as it relates to their mental, physical, social, and economic status, is what sparked my interest in Public Health.
Perfect Match! This is my exact sentiment regarding joining the prestigious team of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C. I gravitated to CSCS because of the lawyers’ combined 100+ years of experience in advocating and consistently securing justice on behalf of injured victims. I was further impressed and intrigued to see that the firm’s advocacy expanded into public health. For me to learn that Partner Ira Sherman and Joseph Cammarata founded the Brain Injury Association of Washington, D.C.; and that Joseph Cammarata drafted the Athletic Concussion Protection Act of 2011 of Washington, D.C., which is the most comprehensive legislation ever enacted in the nation designed to protect youth athletes from the known risks of a concussion. I immediately felt that I was getting the best of both worlds, and my expertise in both personal injury and public health would be utilized.
My dissertation research topic is the correlation between traumatic brain injuries in youth contact sports and opioid addiction. Unfortunately, the medical management of concussions/traumatic brain injury is often through prescription opioids, which carries a high risk for addiction, misuse, overdose, and death. I hope to share more about my research and dissertation in this column, in the future.