Neuropsychologist Malpractice

Neuropsychologists specialize in evaluating the relationship between the brain, cognition, and behavior to facilitate the treatment of patients with brain injuries and cognitive issues. By providing timely and accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment plans, neuropsychologists can help many patients lead a relatively normal life. When neuropsychologists make mistakes or overlook concerning symptoms, though, they may fail to provide their patients with adequate care and inadvertently cause them to suffer harm. If you or a loved one suffered losses due to a neuropsychologist’s carelessness, you might be able to pursue neuropsychologist malpractice claims against them, and you should speak to an attorney. The seasoned Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers at Arfaa Law Group are proficient at helping people harmed by medical negligence recover compensation for their losses, and if you hire us, we will fight to help you seek a just outcome.

Neuropsychologists assess and treat cognitive and behavioral disorders, focusing on the relationship between brain function and behavior. Neuropsychologists typically treat people diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as developmental disorders such as ADHD or autism spectrum disorders and cognitive impairments. Generally, they evaluate and diagnose patients by using standardized tests that gauge cognitive functions, memory, attention, language abilities, and emotional well-being. Based on their examination of their patients, they will develop treatment plans that usually include cognitive rehabilitation techniques, psychotherapy, and other targeted interventions designed to help patients navigate cognitive deficits, emotional challenges, or behavioral impediments arising from neurological conditions or brain injuries.

Unfortunately, neuropsychologists often inadvertently harm their patients by failing to conduct a thorough evaluation or misinterpreting test results, resulting in missed or delayed diagnoses. Similarly, in some instances, they may recommend inadequate or inappropriate treatment strategies. These mistakes can have profound effects on patients' lives, as they can lead to inadequate management of conditions, reduced quality of life, and missed opportunities for timely interventions to mitigate cognitive decline.

People hurt by neuropsychologist malpractice have the right to seek compensation for their losses via civil claims. Most plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases argue that the defendant’s negligence caused their harm. In Maryland, there are four components to negligence, and a plaintiff must establish each component to recover damages. The first element is a duty the defendant owes to the plaintiff. This duty, which arises out of the doctor-patient relationship, is to provide the plaintiff with the care that a competent professional would offer when faced with a similar scenario. The second component is a breach of the duty owed. In other words, the plaintiff must show that the defendant departed from the standard of care.

The third and fourth elements, causation and damages, are connected. In other words, it's not enough to demonstrate that a healthcare provider deviated from the standard of care; plaintiffs must also establish a direct link between this breach and their injuries. This requires demonstrating that the patient's harm wouldn't have occurred if not for the defendant's actions or omissions. Connecting the plaintiff’s losses to the defendant’s actions usually requires the assistance of a medical expert, who will explain the standard of care and how the breach of the standard of care led to the plaintiff’s harm to the judge or jury.

Plaintiffs that successfully demonstrate a neuropsychologist committed malpractice may be able to recover compensation for their economic and noneconomic harm. Economic harm includes medical bills, out-of-pocket costs, and any wages the plaintiff lost due to their injuries, while pain, trauma, suffering, and mental anguish constitute noneconomic harm.

Neuropsychologists provide invaluable support to many people suffering from neurological and cognitive conditions. If they fail to adequately evaluate or treat their patients, however, they may cause them irreparable harm. If you were injured by neuropsychologist malpractice, you might be owed damages, and you should confer with an attorney about your possible claims. The skilled Baltimore lawyers of Arfaa Law Group take pride in helping people hurt by incompetent doctors seek justice, and if you hire us, we will gather the evidence required to provide you with a strong chance of a favorable result. We frequently represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits in Baltimore, where our office is located. You can contact us at (410) 889-1850 or through our online form to set up a consultation.