INJURIES ARISING IN THE COURSE OF EMPLOYMENT: WORKERS' COMPENSATION...

These evaluations can be requested by the worker's compensation boards. In the cases when the administrative decision is appealed to the court, evaluations can be requested by the defense or plaintiff attorney.
Evaluations reflect administrative practice guidelines, statutory definitions and case law in a given jurisdiction.
*Requests for forensic evaluations for individuals involved in the treatment ( i.e in the capacity of doctor-patient relationship) with the evaluator (presently or in the past) will not be accepted. However, if this evaluator is subpoenaed for testimony for patients involved in treatment (i.e. in cases where doctor-patient relationship has been established) it must be done with the waiver by the patient of testimonial privilege, and with understanding that such testimony inherently cannot be qualified as impartial or as a substitute for an objective forensic evaluation. In such cases no opinions will be provided regarding prognosis, need for future treatment and associated costs.
The party making the request for evaluation should expect the report to address the following areas:

• Source of referral
  
• Date and Place of the Evaluation, and time spent for the preparation of the report.
  
• Statement of non-confidentiality.
  
• List of reference materials and of interviews utilized in the preparation of the report.
  
• Detailed background information of the client.
  
• Past psychiatric history
  
• Medical history
  
• Substance abuse history.
  
• Present Mental Status Exam
  
• Description of the functioning of the client prior to becoming disabled
  
• Description of the functioning of the client after becoming disabled
  
• Review and summary of pertinent collateral information (medical and psychiatric records, accounts of acquaintances, co-workers, etc.).
  
• Diagnostic Impression/Severity of Impairment.
  
• Reasoning as to how the diagnostic impression has been reached.
  
• To what extend the injury in question arose out of and in the course of employment.
  
• Whether or not the injury is "accidental"
  
• To what extend the given injury affects the earning power in the specific area of employment and in related or other fields.
  
• Differentiation as to whether the given injury can be best described as a physical trauma causing mental injury or as a mental condition resulting in physical injury.
  
• Personality, psycho-social, and other factors contributing to disability.
  
• Issue of malingering (feigning signs and symptoms of mental illness).
  
• Summary of previous treatment and an opinion as to whether or not adequate/optimal treatment was received by client.
  
• Summary statement/Prognosis/Need for additional treatment.
  

The party making the referral is responsible for providing the necessary collateral information for the preparation of the report.