To succeed in a malpractice claim, which element must the plaintiff demonstrate?

In a malpractice claim, the plaintiff must demonstrate that a practitioner did not meet the standard of care expected in their profession, which involves showing that there was a failure to foresee or adequately address a known risk—a situation typified by the claim of failing to foresee a client's suicidal intentions. This aspect relates directly to the duty of care that practitioners have to their clients to recognize and respond appropriately to potential harm, particularly in mental health scenarios.

In this context, if a practitioner is aware of or should be aware of a client's risk for self-harm or suicidal behavior and fails to take appropriate actions (such as referral, intervention, or increased supervision), this could constitute a breach of the duty of care owed to the client. The ability to foresee such intentions is crucial because it directly correlates with the level of responsibility held by the practitioner to prevent potential harm to the client.

The other options pertain to different aspects and nuances of professional responsibility but fail to encapsulate the core requirement necessary for a malpractice claim regarding foreseeable risks to a client's safety. Therefore, demonstrating that a practitioner failed to foresee a client's suicidal intentions is central to establishing negligence and liability in the context of malpractice claims.