Elder abuse, child abuse, and domestic violence, abuse and neglect – whether physical or psychological – can leave lasting emotional and psychiatric scars on the victim. Different forms of abuse may involve physical, psychological, sexual abuse and/or neglect of the victim. The forensic psychiatrists of The Forensic Panel rely on available evidence and interviewing skills in assessing patients who present before them with a host of signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect.
Psychiatric & Physical Effects of Abuse
- Abuse of the elderly. In questions of elder abuse and neglect, the psychiatrist will pay careful attention to signs of unexplained injury, head trauma, concussions, cognitive dysfunction (e.g., communication, memory) and emotional trauma.
- Child Avuse & Neglect. In child abuse or neglect cases a psychiatrist, beyond checking records for obvious signs of abuse, will focus on areas of poor development, such as lack of communication, and other cognitive, emotional, and physical areas of development. Often these developmental markers serve as latent “red flags” for child abuse and neglect.
- Domestic Violence. In domestic violence abuse cases The Forensic Panel’s forensic psychiatrists will assess similar features of cognitive and physical dysfunction with an emphasis on emotional distress to account for issues such as post traumatic stress from verbal or physical abuse.
Peer Reviewed Abuse Assessment from The Forensic Panel
At times, signs of abuse, domestic violence, and neglect are clearly reflected in medical records; at others, it is not so clear. The Forensic Panel’s unique peer-review oversight endows confidence that conclusions reflects standards relating to the determination of child or elder abuse as well as domestic violence and ensure medical certainty whenever possible in such oft-inscrutable cases.