Report writing and testimony

Issue title: Medical and Legal Issues in Rehabilitation

Guest editors: J.S. KreutzerGuest Editor

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Binder, Laurence M.^{a; *} | Burton, Brent T.^b

Affiliations: [a] Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Psychology Service, P.O. Box 1034, Portland, OR 97207, USA | [b] Occupational Health Program, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1 503 2735360. Ext. 6501. Fax: + 1 503 7211047.

Abstract: Guidelines for providing competent and fair medicolegal reports and testimony are provided. Among them are (1) remaining within one's area of clinical competence when performing medicolegal work, (2) obtaining board certification from a legitimate specialty board, (3) considering the patients' claims and diagnoses from the opposing medicolegal viewpoint, and (4) Performing differential diagnosis in each case. Experts are asked to strive for honesty, fairness, thoroughness, and accuracy while avoiding the attempts at persuasion which sometimes are made by legal referral sources.

Keywords: Medicolegal testimony, Report writing, Competency

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-1996-7107

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 67-71, 1996