Collateral Interviews in Civil Psychiatric IMEs

Stephan M. Carlson, MD, MBA, FAPA · Civil Psychiatric IME

A plaintiff’s self-report is often the loudest voice in a psychiatric damages case. It should not be the only one. Collateral interviews allow the evaluator to test the plaintiff’s account against people who observed functioning before and after the event. Handled well, they strengthen the opinion. Handled poorly, they create avoidable credibility and contamination problems. What collateral interviews are for A collateral interview is a structured conversation with someone other than the examinee: spouse, parent, adult child, supervisor, co-worker, treating clinician, teacher, case manager, or another knowledgeable observer. The purpose is not to gather supportive anecdotes. The purpose is t

Most relevant service: Civil Litigation IME & Damages Causation