title: The expert opinion of the child and adolescent psychiatrist: a review of 140 lawsuits of minors involved in accidents.
abstract: One hundred and forty cases of claimed psychic trauma of a minor following an accident were reviewed. In two-thirds of the cases the injury followed a road accident. Other causes of injury were burns, animal bites, falls, etc. Injury 'by proxy' warranted compensation if psychic trauma was proven. Some of the more complex ethical, philosophical and psychiatric issues which confront the expert are reviewed such as credibility of the complaints, overexposure of a child to medical scrutiny, temporary versus permanent psychic damage, etc.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychosomatic Department, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mitrany
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology