Psychiatrists are frequently asked to assess the psychiatric
complications of personal injury cases for individuals who are seeking
damages from third parties as the result of an accident. A selective review
of the literature concerning the etiology and diagnoses applicable to
psychiatric morbidity following personal injury is summarized. The author
presents one outline of the medical-legal consultation. The reasons for
inclusion of each category of information are discussed, and practical
suggestions are made on how the data can be interpreted and used to educate
the judicial system about the emotional consequences of accidents.Abstract Teaser