Dr. Chidekel serves as an expert witness for attorneys across a variety of legal settings. She is retained by Plaintiff and Defense in approximate equal proportions.

Her training in clinical psychology allows her to make an objective assessment of a Litigant’s psychological status. She interviews the Litigant, sometimes interviews collateral sources such as spouses, children, parents or co-workers; reviews relevant records; and administers objective, standardized psychological tests.

Dr. Chidekel also has specialty training and is board certified in neuropsychology. This focuses on understanding the structure and function of the brain as it relates to specific cognitive and psychological processes and a wide range of human behavior. Her training as a neuropsychologist allows her to make an objective assessment of the psychological and behavioral effects of brain disorders and brain abnormalities. She is able to understand the consequences of developmental problems that impact brain function, and the effects of brain injuries that are acquired through injuries or medical events.

A systematic analysis of the information she collects enables her to clarify a Litigant’s diagnosis, his or her credibility, the cause(s) of the presenting symptoms, treatment(s) warranted, prognosis, and damages associated with claims.

Forensic services she offers include:

• Case consultation
• Record review
• Analysis of opposition experts’ methods and opinions
• Psychological and neuropsychological testing
  • Malingering
  • Cognitive functioning (Intelligence, Memory, Executive Functioning, Language, Sensorimotor)
  • Social-emotional functioning (Objective and Projective Personality Testing)
  • Academic functioning
• Research relevant to issues at hand
• Advising attorneys preparing to depose opposition experts
• Expert testimony concerning:
  • Credibility (Symptom validity, malingering)
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Causation
  • Prognosis
  • Damages

Personal Injury cases have involved:

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• TBI in people with pre-existing intellectual disability, learning disorder, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Psychiatric and Personality Disorders
• Premature birth
• Birth Injury (Stroke, Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy)
• Hyperbilirubinemia
• Near drowning
• Wrongful death
• Congenital heart defects
• Chronic Pain/Somatoform Disorders/Fibromyalgia
• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD)
• Post-surgical complications of ECMO
• Developmental and intellectual disability
• Physical and emotional abuse
• Periventricular Leukomalacia
• Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy

Employment cases have involved:

• Discrimination
• Wrongful Termination
• Hostile Work Environment
• Psychological Disability

Family Law cases have involved:

• Needs of children with neurodevelopmental disorders
• Consultation with custody evaluators about a complex children’s special needs
• Capacity to marry

Elder Law cases have involved:

• Undue Influence
• Testamentary and contractual capacity
• Post-death, retrospective determination of testamentary and contractual capacity
• Capacity to contract
• Conservatorship of person
• Conservatorship of estate
• Dementia
• Autism Spectrum Disorder in adults
• Psychiatric and Personality Disorders

Education Law cases have involved:

• Academic accommodations and services
• Assistive Technology
• Program Placement
• Learning Disabilities
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Selective Mutism
• Intermittent Explosive Disorder
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Child Abuse
• Necessary academic accommodations and services
• Genetic disorders (Williams Syndrome, Turner’s Syndrome, Fragile X, Trisomy 13, Angelman Syndrome)