What is PTSD?
In prehistoric times, when our earliest ancestors lived in dread of their
mortal enemy, the saber-toothed tiger, those cave men (and women) who were
fortunate enough to be genetically endowed with the quickest "fight or
flight" reactions survived, and became our ancestors. That's where the
story begins... a story which flourishes today in a medico-legal climate
where Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) claims comprise a substantial
and costly portion of personal injury and employment litigation.
Changing attitudes
Until recent years, personal injury claims generally alleged orthopedic
injuries from road vehicle accidents, industrial or slip and fall accidents. A small
portion alleged neurological injuries, but those involving the brain were
limited to closed head injuries and brain trauma: mental trauma, i.e.,
psychological injury, was rarely a basis for litigated claims. However,
the recent sea change in our cultural and social attitudes has resulted in
a marked increase of psychological injury claims, not only in connection with
personal injury suits but also as a by-product of "repressed memory/false
memory" hysteria as well as in the field of employment law where sexual
harassment and discrimination claims alleging PTSD are growing with leaps
and bounds.
Compensation
The dramatic size of several recent psychological injury/
sexual harassment awards has not escaped the attention of
the legal profession. As a result, there is a developing level of
psychological sophistication, both in selecting cases and litigating them.
Consequently, in both Personal Injury and Employment Law, Psychological
Injuries now comprise an important component of claims. This change in the
litigation climate makes it essential for solicitors managing personal
injury claims to become knowledgeable about the medico-legal concept of mental trauma.
Rising
tide of claims
Among the various psychiatric diagnoses found in psychological injury
claims, the major stress diagnosis, PTSD, is one of the most highly
compensated. Consequently, in recent years natural disasters (such as
earthquakes, floods or fires) or man-made disasters (such as road vehicle
accidents, industrial accidents, assault, sexual abuse, rape) as well as workplace allegations of discrimination, abuse or sexual harassment, have generated a rising tide of psychological damage claims with allegations of
PTSD. Increasingly children ( 2 to 15 years) are receiving
compensation following psychological trauma, a substantial number of cases
managed by Psychological Services involving specialist assessments of children
and adolescents.
Why
Psychological Services?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis with a long and
established medical history as well as a vibrant medico-legal present and
future. With increasing frequency, it is being claimed in a widening scope
of personal injury, malpractice and employment litigation. It is a complex
diagnosis requiring the careful and detailed examination of a plaintiff by
an experienced Consultant Clinical Psychologist. Our specialist services
combine the tasks of diagnosing, understanding and communicating to others the presence or absence of psychological injuries.
A significant benefit in the presentation of such evidence is the inclusion of
Psychometric data elicited through the administration of standardised PTSD
questionnaires. In association with the National Center for PTSD (Vermont,
USA) Psychological Services (NI) Ltd. are piloting the use of new
questionnaires (children and adults) as well as utilising existing published
instruments (Foa PTSD Scale).
