Disability and Personal Injury Claims

Independent Psychological Evaluations

 

Psychological Injury Consultants provide comprehensive and impartial examinations of PTSD and other psychological injuries in personal injury and disability cases. Since many types of work-related disability and personal injury litigation involve claims of PTSD, the validity of these claims can impact compensation of insurance companies or the legal strategy of plaintiff or defense counsel. An objective evaluation of PTSD and other psychological injuries can assist in limiting the burden of inappropriate claims or more rapidly settling and avoiding costly litigation of claims that are legitimate.

 

Our evaluations employ multiple methods to formulate an objective opinion, including:

 

  • comprehensive face-to-face clinical interviews
  • structured diagnostic interviews
  • administration of psychological tests and questionnaires
  • consideration of evaluation results in relation to the scientific literature
  • reviews of records including collateral information and medical reports
  • examination for potential response biases (e.g., symptom exaggeration or distortion)

 

Assessment reports include estimates for the presence, frequency and severity of PTSD or other psychological injuries. Reports also include:

 

  • an opinion on the presence or absence of co-occurring conditions (e.g., other anxiety disorders, depression, pain disorder)
  • the influence of pre-injury factors and/or exposure to other potentially traumatic events
  • the level of disability caused by the sustained injuries in areas including work, relationships, and social activity
  • psychological prognosis

 

Treatment for Mitigation of Psychological Injuries

 

It is unlikely that individuals who have incurred psychological injuries will be able to mitigate their losses if the treatments available to them are either inappropriate or ineffective. In fact, inappropriate treatments for PTSD can worsen an individual’s psychological prognosis. In order to assist those who have been injured and wish to make a legitimate effort towards mitigating their losses, Psychological Injury Consultants provide state-of-the-art, evidence-based treatments for psychological trauma and PTSD, including cognitive and behavioural therapies, EMDR, and combined treatments. A post-treatment report of residual or permanent impairment related to the psychological injuries that have been sustained is also provided.

 

No Fee Seminars and Case Consultation

 

Psychological Injury Consultants would be pleased to provide you or your firm with a no-fee, in-house seminar on PTSD and psychological injuries. We also offer no-fee, face-to-face client consultations for consideration of our services in disability and personal injury claims. Seminars and case consultations are arranged upon request. Contact us.

 

 

Common pitfalls in the assessment and treatment of psychological injuries