Medico-legal reports

Our panel of Psychiatrists and Psychologists have extensive experience in providing medico-legal opinion in personal injury cases for Insurance Companies as well as both Claimant and Defendant Legal Representatives. The definition of Personal Injury is ‘any disease and any impairment of a person’s physical or mental condition’ (s.38, Limitation Act 1980). In order for a personal injury case to be relevant in relation to psychiatry, it must be proven that the Claimant has sustained a ‘recognisable psychiatric illness’. Just some of the areas covered are as follows:

• Psychological trauma after a road traffic, workplace or public place accident.
• Anxiety Disorders / Depression in adults and children.
• Fitness to work / return to work recommendations.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Sexual dysfunction following trauma.
• Historic Child Abuse Assessments.
• Neuropsychiatric assessments.
• Treatment recommendations.
• Victims of crime or abuse.
• Disability discrimination.
• IQ and mental capacity.
• Work related stress.
• Munchausen.
• Bullying.

We offer specialist neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric assessments in cases where an individual may have a brain injury or has suffered cognitive difficulties (e.g. poor memory, attention deficit) following injury. The assessment provides a detailed account of the level of cognitive impairment if present, as well as the psychological impact of the injury. The administering neuropsychologist/neuropsychiatrist will identify treatable symptoms as well as those that call for management.

Negligence is the breach of a legal duty of care owed to one person by another which results in damage being caused to that person. Clinical negligence (often called medical negligence) may involve psychiatric negligence itself in relation to treatment of psychiatric conditions. Alternatively, it may involve an assessment in relation to the psychological consequences of other medical negligence trauma such as negligence in relation to surgery, medication, diagnosis, delay in treatment, psychiatric care, psychotherapy, counselling, and childbirth (including damage to the unborn child). It can also include things that have not been done that should have been done, such as not giving a person the treatment they need, or failing to warn about the risks of a proposed treatment.

Psychiatric injury is the legal term used by the court. It must be a recognised psychiatric injury, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorder or adjustment disorder. We have a number of Experts on our panel that have extensive experience in clinical negligence reporting.

A number of our Experts not only have expertise in providing assessments for Asylum & Immigration cases but are fluent in a second, third and even fourth language. Although happy to work with an interpreter, if an individual is able to converse in their mother tongue during an assessment it often enables them to feel more comfortable discussing issues of such a sensitive nature.

There are a number of reasons that may necessitate a psychological or psychiatric assessment; it could be that an individual fears for their own or their family’s safety if they are returned to their native country, or have been victims of abuse and/or torture resulting in a psychiatric disorder such as Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Areas most frequently covered are:

• Psychological impact of deportation or detention on an individual or family.
• Assessment of IQ/Mental Capacity.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

Our Expert Witness Psychiatrists and Psychologists have vast experience in providing Medico-Legal reports on parents, children and families in Public and Private Family Law proceedings. Just some of the areas covered include:

• Substance misuse and addiction – drugs, alcohol, gambling etc.
• ADHD / Aspergers / Autism in adults or children.
• Placement options / sibling separation.
• Personality disorders / bi-polar.
• Mental health assessments.
• Global family assessments.
• Transgender assessments.
• Sexual risk of children.
• Learning disabilities.
• Trauma and/or PTSD.
• Family assessments.
• Cognitive testing.
• Domestic violence.
• Risk assessments.
• Mental capacity.
• Munchausen.
• Attachment.
• Neglect.
• Abuse.

Many of our Experts are experienced in providing independent psychiatric and psychological reports in criminal cases, both for the Crown Prosecution Service and the defence. Often these assessments must take place in custody, which our Experts are happy to oblige. Areas most frequently covered are:

• Assessments of learning difficulties/disabilities, including Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
• Pre-sentencing reports & Probation Reports.
• Assessment of criminal responsibility.
• ABE Interview reviews and reports.
• Mental health review panels.
• Fitness to stand trial.
• Personality disorders.
• Risk assessments.
• Fitness to Plead.
• Mental capacity.