Using Neuropsychological Evaluations in Cognitive Disability Claims

Cognitive dysfunction in some health conditions cannot be documented using medical or radiological procedures such as lab results, MRIs, or CT scans. Examples of these cases can include concussions/mild traumatic brain injury, medical conditions defined by case definitions and not biological markers, but also cognitive sequelae following cerebrovascular events in high functioning individuals. Cognitive dysfunction reported by individuals and/or observed by family members is often questioned by insurers when not accompanied by "hard" evidence. Neuropsychological disability evaluations can be a helpful tool in such cases.

This program will acquaint legal practitioners with the basics of neuropsychological assessment within the context of legal cases where cognitive deficits are in issue. This includes providing a basic overview of aspects of cognitive function, the types of testing measures administered in a typical battery used in disability determinations, what these measures document and what conclusions they allow to be reached. Finally, case studies will be provided to show what types of cases neuropsychological disability determinations may prove vital for.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the facets of cognitive function
2. Discuss the neuropsychological measures used in neuropsychological disability determinations
3. Identify how different aspects of cognitive the function can be affected by health conditions such as mild traumatic brain injury or cerebrovascular events