This article discusses the legal context of psychological evaluations in personal injury cases. The authors then delineate the main principles of performing such evaluations, including methods of determining pre-incident adjustment, evaluating malingering, and considering both pre-existing psychological problems and concurrent stressors. The article uses motor vehicle accident (MVA) cases as a focus of the discussion, pointing out similarities and differences between such physical stressor cases and social stressor cases, such as workplace discrimination or harassment.
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