The "bible" of diagnoses, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-Text Revision, known as the DSM-IV-TR and published by the American Psychiatric Association is extensively used by psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and most other mental health professionals in the U.S., Canada and abroad to provide a common nomenclature for diagnostic purposes and for communicating about mental disorders.

Psychological assessment is an invaluable and inestimable tool in the understanding of individual uniqueness. A comprehensive assessment helps explain the connection between psychological functioning and behavior. To be comprehensive, an assessment needs to examine a range of psychological factors.

There are measures in place to prevent such an occurence, and compliance or noncompliance may be indicated within the patient medical record. Side and site verification is the responsibility of more than the surgeon, it is a team approach. The healthcare community has recently stressed a zero tolerance for noncompliance.

Guardians ad litem originate from a practice in the English Court of Chancery when the King, under his parens patriae powers, would appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the interests of the infant. Today, the court appoints child custody evaluators, (GALs) whenever it believes it necessary to protect the interests of a child in a judicial proceeding.

When deciding upon an expert one might want to consider the following questions: • Has the expert ever testified before? How many times? • How does the expert present in court? Is he well organized and is his thinking logical and easy to follow? • Is he a member of major professional organizations? • Does he employ well-known and generally accepted psychological tests?

Cross-examining mental health experts is often a difficult challenge for attorneys as they are un-familiar with the material. I will discuss the most commonly used psychological measures and key points to keep in mind when questioning experts, either in deposition or on the stand.

Parent Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in custody cases

The contents of the medical record, such as deviations from standards of care, inaccurate or incomplete documentation can make the difference in your pressure ulcer case.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric diagnosis that is overused in civil litigation. Plaintiffs inappropriately claim to suffer from PTSD despite the fact they they did not experience a life-threatening, horrific circumstance. The role of subjectivity in psychiatric diagnosis is explored and the objective criteria for PTSD are explained.

As an attorney, any time you or your firm handles a case where health, illness, or injury is an issue you are going to need to review medical records. Whether you are a plaintiff or defense attorney, everyone needs to analyze and understand the contents of the medical record, and face it; they can be extensive and seem like a complex mystery.

Many people think psychiatric illness routinely renders patients incompetent to make important decisions about their lives. This month’s column, by Dr. Brian Crowley of Washington, DC, attacks that myth and discusses some situations in which clinicians must address their patients’ mental capacity. William H. Reid, MD, MPH

Trauma medicine can be somewhat like doing a jigsaw puzzle backwards. Outwardly, you know there are interlocking sides and flat sides. You don’t know which pieces are the top or bottom, which are the picture, or what the picture is about. To do a puzzle backwards takes a specific sequence of priority and planning.

Disaster preparedness is no longer just an accreditation issue. “All Hazards” disaster planning is no longer just a requirement of qualifying for federal grants. Education is no longer a last priority. Disaster planning, preparation and education are the newest legal shield for the healthcare corporate officer.

Adult Attention Deficit Disorder affects 4% of the population, and an even higher percentage of criminal defendants. It is a valid diagnostic concept, and treatment with correct medications is usually effective in some behavioral change.

The Science of Eyewitness Testimony Published in the Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, October, 2007

In nearly every meritorious missed cancer case there comes a time when the defendant’s attorney, losing on the facts, considers use of The Doubling Time Defense. By that time, the Plaintiff has already shown beyond doubt that the defendant physician had a Duty to take care of the patient and that there probably was a Breach of the Standard.

Is the defendant guilty? Is the defendent suffering from a mental health malady that prohibit's him from understanding the nature of the crime? Is the defendent able to consult with a lawyer and fully understand the charges against them?

The growing shortage of nurses in the United States as well as in California has been well publicized over the last few years. In response, numerous studies have been conducted to identify the causes, analyze the issues and determine solutions.

Do you need a mental health expert in your corner? Mental health and the justice system have been working side by side for decades. Forensic Mental Health Professionals have been called upon to evaluate and/or assist in many cases over the years.

Wills are generally contested either on the grounds that the testator lacked Testamentary Capacity (was incompetent to make a will at the time of signing it) or the testator, because of his/her mental state, was subject to Undue Influence (i.e. if there is evidence of coercion, manipulation, deception, compulsion, intimidation, etc.) or an Undue Influence secondary to a thought disturbance (such as delusions affecting the testator's free will in making decisions).