Question: Who is qualified under Indiana Law to opine as to the cause of a traumatic brain injury from a rear-end collision?
Answer: To be qualified under Rule 702 to offer expert testimony as to the existence and evaluation of a brain injury, a medical doctor is qualified to offer his or her opinion as its cause by demonstrating some medical expertise in determining the etiology of brain injuries.
Also, Psychologist are qualified to opine that rear-end automobile accident caused motorist suffer traumatic brain injury, in motorist’s action against other driver, even though psychologist was not medical doctor and was not licensed neuropsychologist; headaches and memory loss that psychologist observed through psychological assessments, which psychologist was qualified to administer, were those associated with traumatic brain injury, traumatic brain injuries occurred in course of closed-head injuries and closed head injuries could incur in rear-end collisions, psychologist had experience working with trained medical doctors on issues related to brain behavior relationship questions or relationship between psychological problems and underlying medical issues. Rules of Evid., Rule 702.