Florida Neuropsych Assoc
Florida Neuropsychology Associates is a premier neuropsychology practice offering forensic and clinical services in English and Spanish to children and adults.
Great video on managing the effects of a concussion both at school and at home π€π€
Brain 101: What's A Concussion Studies have shown effective concussion management requires a school-wide approach. Brain 101: The Concussion Playbook is a web-based concussion management p...
Pro tip:
Jurors donβt care how much you know until they know how much you careπ€
Yes the letters at the end of my name, my experience, my credentials, my expertise and knowledge are all important π©π½ππ©π½π
But when testifying before a jury, if you come across as arrogant, stand-off-ish or just plain weird, none of those things matter π³π³
Most importantly:
Connect with the Jury π
How:
Make Eye contact with each juror π
Donβt get defensive or argue π±π±
Practice:
Ask someone how you come across when speaking π£οΈπ£οΈ
(Not a spouse or someone you employ/manage)
Sincerity, empathy, and kindness matter even in a court of law π©π½βοΈπ©π½βοΈ
Iβm looking forward to teaming up with law students at the NSU Shepard Broad College of Law π©π½βοΈπ©π½βοΈ
This grant is the perfect integration of my skills as a forensic neuropsychologist ππ
Know your Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Diagnostic Criteria π€
The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) recently revised (2023) the Diagnostic Criteria for a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)
*The diagnostic label "concussion" may be used interchangeably with "Mild TBI" when neuroimaging is normal or is not clinically indicated π·
1) One or more clinical signs attributable to a brain injury π
- head being struck with an object
- head striking a hard object or surface
- brain undergoing acceleration/deceleration movement without direct contact
- forces generated from a blast or explosion
2) At least 2 acute symptoms and at least one clinical or laboratory finding attributable to the brain injury π₯
- loss of consciousness immediately following the injury evidenced by reduced responsiveness, slowness, agitated behavior, difficulty following two-part commands or disorientation
- complete or partial amnesia for events immediately following the injury
- Altered mental status (e.g., feeling confused and/or dazed), physical symptoms (e.g., headache or balance problems), cognitive (difficulty concentrating or memory problems) or emotional symptoms (e.g., mood swings or irritability)
3) Neuroimaging evidence of TBI β
- UNAMBIGUOUS trauma-related intracranial abnormalities on computed tomography or structural MRI
A Neuropsychologist can help identify those cognitive (thinking) and emotional problems a client is experiencing after a mild TBI or identify those confounding factors in the records such as a pre-existing or co-occurring medical condition (e.g., stroke, alcohol abuse or chronic kidney disease) that can better account for the symptoms π§
Source:
https://lnkd.in/e4_QkUGA
Deposition Do's and Don'ts π©βοΈ
1) The transcript may last the length of your career, always available for possible impeachment π³
* I have had opposing counsel state, "I read a previous deposition..."
Usually it relates to the time I have spent conducting clinical evaluations versus forensic evaluations and/or plaintiff vs. defense work
2) Depositions require special forms of answers to questions, alertness, breaks, and focus on the court reporter rather than on the deposing attorney π»
* A common tactic is wearing down the witness with an 8 hour deposition
*I verbalize at the onset that I have only been paid for (insert amount of time) and must end at (insert time) and give notice at 30 minutes before my time is up
*If the deposing attorney has more questions, then you have to pay and schedule for more of my time
*Direct answers to questions to the court reporter and always define/spell out an acronym, a test/measure, or a medication
3) If you do not feel tired and drained by the end of the deposition, you were not paying close enough attention πͺ
*Always exhausting so I prefer to schedule the depo at the end of the day
4) Maintain your calm. If opposing attorneys go at it with each other, do nothing; just sit there until it is over π
* This is always a valuable learning experience
5) Don't interrupt or answer before the deposing attorney has finished speaking π€
* Opposing counsel may change the final words of the question mid-sentence
6) Getting you to guess or speculate is a favorite attorney tactic, which should be resisted. You should never fear to admit "I don't know." π€·βοΈ
* It is also OK to say when asked a seemingly innocuous question, to respond with "That is outside of the scope of my evaluation" or "I cannot assume what they were thinking; however, the results of my evaluation suggest..." (always repeating what opposing counsel does not want to hear)
7) Do ask to "Read" the deposition when the transcript is ready π
* Re-read the depo before the trial
π Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. π
*Rehearse your testimony.
*Supply the attorney with potentially troublesome questions and review your CV
9) Wait to see if the retaining attorney wants to object to the new form before answering π
*Pay close attention to the objection, which may provide indirect advice on a useful answer
10) Resist efforts to "teach" no matter how great you need your ego massaged π€«
*Simple "Yes" and "No" answers are preferred to an extensive discourse
*Short answers are always best
* When in doubt, ask the deposing attorney to repeat the question
11) Do not assume the attorney's quote or reading is correct; ask to see the citation, the document, or transcript π
*Do not be shy to take time to think, to review documents that are alluded to in a question, or to check medical records
*I have also stopped to say, "Let me look that up before responding"
Source: Deposition Dos and Don'ts: Strategies for the Expert Witness by Thomas G. Gutheil
A funny and educational video to teach selective attention π
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