NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION IN THE CONTEXT OF MEDICO-LEGAL EXPERT TESTIMONY OF PATIENTS WITH SEVERE BRAIN INJURY

Abstract

The neuropsychological evaluation is at the same time a
long, quantitative, qualitative, clinical and ecological
evaluation. It is a two step process: a semi-structured clinical interview then an evaluation including the tests,
the questionnaires and the scales. The interview will provide information about the pre-traumatic personality,
about the expected condition of the casualty (post hospitalization, post consolidation) and the quality of the support of the entourage. The tests will specify the nature
and the extent of the cerebral dysfunctions and will document the organic and functional aspect of the evaluation.
The analysis of these 2 steps represents the discussion
which will clarify the situational and subjective consequences of the handicap. Thus, the neuropsychological
evaluation brings practical conclusions which will
contribute to the development of the future care, the description of the distress of the casualty, and estimate the
incidence on the entourage. The neuropsychological evaluation in medico-legal expert testimony is a technical
and standardized opinion as much as a clinical and singular opinion, including an organic (neuropsychological), reactional (psychological), and pre-traumatic (antecedents) part. Because of its particular objective, there is
a particularity in the neuropsychological evaluation in
expert testimony. It contributes to the legal compensation
for the physical injury of the victims of intentional or
non-intentional violence by documenting not only the
cognitive aspect (organic and functional) but also the little explored field of social cognition, which demonstrates
the situational and subjective repercussions of the brain
injury