Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Litigation

The terrorist attacks in September 2001 turned PTSD into a household word. Documented throughout history, posttraumatic stress disorder—officially recognized as a diagnosis by DSM-III in 1980—is only the most recent term used to describe the suffering of trauma victims. Few could have foreseen PTSD's profound impact on litigation. Often dubbed the "black hole" of litigation—where allegations are easy to assert but difficult to defend because the symptoms are subjective—PTSD has deeply influenced civil and criminal law in cases ranging from malpractice and personal injury to sexual harassment and child abuse, and has even been used as an insanity defense in criminal cases. It is thus vital that forensic examiners perform credible psychiatric and psychological examinations of PTSD claimants. Intended to add direction and discipline to the forensic assessment of PTSD litigants, this expanded second edition includes new chapters about disability determinations in PTSD litigation, PTSD in employment litigation, and forensic laboratory testing for PTSD. Updated chapters cover current and future trends, recent research findings, forensic psychiatric assessment in claimants, guidelines for diagnosing PTSD in children and adolescents, forensic psychological assessment, and guidelines for evaluating malingering in PTSD. This essential collection by 13 leading U.S. experts sheds important new light on forensic guidelines for effective assessment and diagnosis and determination of disability, serving both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation involving PTSD claims. Mental health and legal professionals, third-party payers, and interested laypersons will welcome this balanced approach to a complex and difficult field.

The diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was officially created by DSM-III in 1980. Since then, PTSD has been alleged in a wide variety of claims, from malpractice to sexual harassment to child abuse. In an effort to bring direction and discipline to this complex area of psychic injury litigation, Dr. Robert Simon introduces guidelines for evaluating PTSD claimants. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Litigation is the first book to offer forensic assessment guidelines for both mental health professionals and attorneys. The guidelines allow forensic examiners to perform credible psychiatric or psychological examinations of PTSD claimants that will benefit both plaintiffs and defendants.