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PTSD and Tort Law

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Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

Abstract

This chapter will provide a primer on tort law and the history of post-traumatic stress disorder as related to disability and negligence causation. Key court cases will be referenced, illustrating the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on tort law specifically negligence claims. post-traumatic stress disorder, due, in part, to being recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, has become a vehicle for plaintiffs’ claims to progress through the legal system where in the past stand-alone (e.g., no physical harm) emotional harm claims would have been dismissed. This is why it is important for mental health professionals to understand how courts view these cases and to recognize what their role will be in cases like these. There are special ethical and treatment considerations mental health practitioners need to consider before serving as either a fact or expert witness in these types of court cases due to the potential effect on the treatment relationship.

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Abbreviations

AAPL:

American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law

AMA:

American Medical Association

APA:

American Psychological Association

APA:

American Psychiatric Association

DSM:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

IIED:

Intentional infliction of emotional distress

NIED:

Negligent infliction of emotional distress

PTSD:

Post-traumatic stress disorder

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, Orlando, FL, USA

    Terri R. Day & Ryan C. W. Hall

  2. Department of Medical Education, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 2500 West Lake Mary Road suite 219, Lake Mary, FL, 32746, USA

    Ryan C. W. Hall

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Ryan C. W. Hall

Authors
  1. Terri R. Day
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  2. Ryan C. W. Hall
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terri R. Day .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom

    Colin R. Martin

  2. FactyofLifeSci&Med,Diabts&NutrnSciRshDiv, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. DepartofBiomedicalSci,SchoolofLifeScienc, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Day, T.R., Hall, R.C.W. (2016). PTSD and Tort Law. In: Martin, C., Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08359-9_41

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