Causality of Psychological Injury: Presenting Evidence in Court

From the reviews:

"Causality of Psychological Injury: Presenting Evidence in Court is an edited volume with chapters that are not only informative but also well written. The references that I sampled are relevant, useful, and probably as current as any could be in a nonelectronic book … . surely heightens its educational value to clinical and forensic practitioners and should shape corresponding professional thinking and praxis." (Richard W. Bloom, PsycCritiques, Vol. 52 (37), 2007)

"I was delighted to find a concise summary of why third party observers should not be allowed during the course of a forensic neuropsychological examination, touching on such seminal issues as proper test administration, norms, ethical issues as well as legal precedents prohibiting this practice. The summary was so well done. … This information was also quite helpful in formulating the expert affidavit … . I found this volume to be responsive to some very different dilemmas I encountered in my civil practice." (Jerid M. Fisher, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, December, 2007)

"Causality of Psychological Injury … addresses issues pertinent to psychological assessment in personal injury cases in a well-organized, comprehensive, and authoritative manner. … The writing is clear and concise, and is useful for both those who wish to expand their practice into this area of forensic psychology, as well as the more experienced forensic psychologist or psychiatrist … . Causality of Psychological Injury fills a serious gap in the forensic psychological literature … . I recommend it without reservation." (Eric G. Mart, Psychological Injury and Law, Vol. 1, 2008)

This sequel to the authors’ Psychological Knowledge in Court offers a welcome expansion on key concepts, terms, and issues in causality, bringing much needed clarity to psychological injury assessments and the legal contexts that employ them.

Focusing on PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain (and grounding readers in salient U.S. and Canadian case law), Causality sets out a multifactorial causality framework to facilitate admissibility of psychological evidence in court. Issues concerning malingering are examined in depth, as are clinical gray areas that can jeopardize validity. At the same time, the book clearly explains what lawyers and clinicians need to understand about each other’s work―of crucial importance since the two sides often seem to speak at cross-purposes.

The authors and six guest contributors

• Illustrate the roles of preexisting vulnerabilities, traumatic events, and post-event occurrences in psychological impairment and disability
• Review the literature on PTSD, TBI, and chronic pain for legal relevance
• Identify current challenges and controversies in the field, as well as emerging areas for research
• Recommend methods and instruments for conducting more courtworthy assessments
• Provide a detailed critical review of malingering and related phenomena
• Propose a more accurate, shared terminology of causality

Valid causality judgments are based on sound knowledge of research on large populations and careful testing of individuals; at the same time they must conform to stringent legal standards of relevance and reliability to be accepted for testimony. Forensic practitioners and attorneys will turn to Causality of Psychological Injury as their professional paths increasingly cross in seeking comprehensive and state of the art information.