COMPENSATION NEUROSIS
The older medical research literature is conflicted about the validity of this concept. The prediction that unexplained disability will evaporate after legal resolution was sometimes elevated to the status of a medical diagnosis.

Of 18 accident litigants referred to a psychiatrist for psychological symptoms, nearly half reported improvement after litigation was completed[1].

In a study of 50 litigation clients with post-traumatic headache, 4 reported an improvement in the pattern of headaches after their claims were finalised, and all 50 had persistent headaches more than a year later[2].

Of 760 personal injury litigants, a third were both traceable and not working at the conclusion of litigation. Three-quarters of the group were still not working an average of 23 months later[3].

 
PRACTICE POINT

Unless psychological symptoms are present, "Compensation Neurosis" has doubtful validity.


 

Copyright © 2008 Electronic Handbook of Legal Medicine