Althaus v. Cohen (Summary)

 

Althaus v. Cohen,
Nos. 70 W.D. Appeal Dkt. 1998, 71 W.D. Appeal Dkt. 1998 (Pa.
August 22, 2000)

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that a psychiatrist or psychologist treating
a child for alleged sexual abuse owes no duty of care to the non-patient parents.
The parents, who were criminally charged after their 15-year-old daughter made
allegations of sexual abuse to her therapist, sued the therapist for malpractice
after the charges were dropped, alleging negligent diagnosis and treatment of
their daughter. The court, reversing a jury verdict in favor of the parents,
determined that the social utility of effective treatment for sexually abused
children outweighed any potential harm to falsely accused parents.