Medico-Legal Referral Services
When it comes to Medico-Legal assessments, trust Dr. Nussbaum at Walnut Orchard Psychology Clinic. We specialize in providing comprehensive assessments for both plaintiffs and defense, ensuring a balanced perspective in every case.
Certified Excellence
Dr. Nussbaum maintains Certification in Medicolegal Expertise (CMLE) and Catastrophic Impairment Evaluation Mental Behavioural C-CAT(MB) through The Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators (CSME) and the Canadian Academy of Psychologists in Disability Assessment (CAPDA).
Ethical and Impartial
Dr. Nussbaum maintains a steadfast commitment to my mandated role as impartial evaluators. My ethical approach ensures an unbiased perspective in every assessment.
Leadership in the Field
As a board member of the Canadian Academy of Psychologists in Disability Assessment (CAPDA), I am at the forefront of industry developments, ensuring examinees receive the most current and reliable assessments.
Diverse Experience
My extensive experience includes assessments related to motor vehicle accidents, long-term disability claims, and workplace injuries (WSIB). I understand the nuances of each case, delivering assessments tailored to your specific needs.
Precision in Assessment
I combine research and clinical expertise to conduct nuanced assessments, taking into account factors that impact validity. You can trust my findings to be thorough and insightful.
Neuropsychological Assessment
Neuropsychological assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of an individual's cognitive and emotional functioning, with a primary focus on the brain's complex processes. This specialized assessment involves a battery of standardized tests and measures to understand various aspects of cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and behavior. In the Medico-Legal setting, neuropsychological assessment helps to disentangle physical injury from emotional injury and other relevant life factors. There are a variety of referral reasons, such as determining suitability of accident benefits, assistance in settling tort, and determining long-term impairment.
Neurocognitive Assessment
During a neurocognitive assessment, a psychometrist administers a battery of standardized tests to measure various aspects of cognitive performance. These tests may include tasks that assess memory, processing speed, executive function, and other cognitive domains. The assessment is tailored to the individual's specific needs and may be used to establish a baseline of cognitive function, track changes over time, or inform treatment strategies. This may be an appropriate assessment in circumstances where there are cognitive concerns, but the examinee is functioning well emotionally.
Psychological Assessment
This assessment is used to examine an individual's psychological and mental health condition as it relates to legal matters, such as personal injury claims. The goal is to assess the individual's mental state, psychological functioning, and answer specific questions about the person's functioning and their needs.
Catastrophic Injury Assessment
Our catastrophic injury evaluation services, based on the Glasgow Outcome Scale - Extended (GOS-E) and Mental-Behavioural Criteria 7 and 8, are designed to provide a thorough and comprehensive assessment of the impact of the examinees injuries and whether they meet criteria for Catastrophic Impairment per the AMA Guidelines and the SABS.
Psychoeducational & Psychovocational Assessment
At times, questions regarding a medico-legal case are constrained to matters affecting educational or vocational abilities. When the underlying neurocognitive and emotional functioning are less prominent purposes of the assessment, a psychoeducational or psychovocational assessment may be the appropriate choice.
Paper Review & Rebuttal
Paper reviews and rebuttals are sometimes necessary to answer new questions that arise or to offer a response when there is a strongly disparate opinion. At times, especially when there have been significant intervening events in the examinee's life, or when a lot of time has passed, a full or partial reassessment may be necessary.
Psychometric Testing
We go the extra mile to ensure the highest standards of testing and assessment. Dr. Nussbaum personally takes pride in training and mentoring our dedicated team of psychometrists. Our training program emphasizes the ethical and practical implications of our work, instilling a deep understanding of the significance of maintaining integrity and objectivity in every assessment. We believe that fostering strong rapport between our psychometrists and examinees is key to obtaining the clearest picture of their function. Our commitment to ongoing mentorship ensures that our team is not only skilled but also compassionate, enabling us to provide assessments that truly make a difference in the lives of our examinees.