SERVICES
Medico-legal assessments and reports
What are medico-legal assessments?
Medico-legal assessments are necessary when psychological evaluation is required for legal purposes. Psychologists conduct psycho-legal assessments of their patients at the request of a third party or legal representative. Medico-legal assessments and reports are used as evidence in a number of high profile cases.
These medico-legal assessments are for:
- Criminal cases concerning bail applications, mental competency and pre-sentencing
- Civil cases that involve psychological trauma as a result of an injury or motor vehicle accident
- Family matters in the event of child abuse regarding their living arrangements and relationship with their parents
What does the medico-legal assessment process involve?
The first stage involves carrying out a comprehensive audio-recorded forensic psychological interview. The purpose of recording the interview is to conduct detailed psychoanalysis afterwards and to ensure the information provided is an accurate account of events. After this, we carry out forensic psychological testing that can take five hours to administer. Evaluation times vary, of course, and depend on the complexity of each case as well as the areas that need to be tested.
A detailed review includes:
- A perusal of case documentation
- Retrieval of collateral data
- Analysis of current psychological opinions
What does a medico-legal assessment cover?
Medico-legal assessments cover a broad range of issues related to sexual abuse, violence, psychological trauma, injury, insurance claims, curatorship, medical negligence, disability, criminal capacity, and to assess mental health.
Medico-legal assessments are used in cases concerning a brain injury with cognitive consequences, negligence in the medical field, including family and child law. Regarding a civil court claim, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment will evaluate whether a traumatic injury of the brain has resulted in severe psychological deficits that have impaired basic functions.
Medico-legal assessments are also required if mental illness has affected work capacity; this is evident in absenteeism, poor work productivity and conflict with co-workers. Emotionally coming to terms with a chronic illness can also be challenging to live with and may seriously affect work.