Breakfast Seminar with Dr Ashwani Garg

⫶☰ Overview:

Psychiatric evidence frequently plays a pivotal role in personal injury mediations, particularly where issues of impairment, causation, credibility, and future care are contested. Despite this, many matters proceed to mediation with incomplete psychiatric investigations, poorly explored trauma histories, or impairment assessments that do not accurately reflect the claimant’s presentation.

This practical seminar will explore the real-world medico-legal challenges psychiatrists observe in the lead-up to mediation, including the consequences of inaccurate or incomplete psychiatric assessment, the ongoing tension surrounding impairment evaluation, and the broader impact these issues can have on settlement outcomes.

Drawing on practical experience in medico-legal psychiatric assessment, this session will provide solicitors with a clearer understanding of how psychiatric evidence is formed, where assessments commonly go wrong, and how to better identify matters requiring further psychiatric investigation prior to mediation.

🗹 Seminar Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will:

Understand the role of psychiatric evidence in shaping mediation outcomes.

Distinguish primary and secondary psychiatric injuries in causation and impairment.

Identify when psychiatric issues are underexplored and when further investigation or IME is required prior to mediation.

Recognise common sources of error in psychiatric assessment, including missed trauma histories, bias, and inconsistencies in impairment evaluation.

Appreciate the systemic and ethical challenges in medico-legal psychiatry and their impact on fairness and claim resolution.

◷ Session Length:

90 minutes.

This session is presented by the Australian Academy of Medico-Legal Education (AAMLE), VERIFY’s education and training division, as part of its complimentary, CPD-eligible program for legal, insurance, and medical professionals.