A guide through medicolegal assessments
Below you will find a list of commonly asked questions relating to medicolegal assessments with Dr Dushan Alponsu, if your question has not been answered, please get in touch using the form below.
Who can refer me for an assessment?
Your lawyer, employer, insurer, your GP, or if you are a Veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs or your DVA Advocate can refer you for an assessment and a report. We generally do not recommend self-referrals. Obtaining a referral from a professional will indicate the key purpose of assessment, specific areas to be covered in the report, and will contain specific questions for us.
How long would it take for an assessment?
An assessment for a comprehensive assessment would take about 90 minutes. So please make yourself free for one and half hours. Make sure your computer or phone is fully charged and you sit in a closed space with a good broadband/WiFi signal. Having little children who need attention may disrupt the interview process.
What sort of questions would be asked in the interview?
Dr. Alponsu may ask you about yourself, what your current symptoms are, any stressful incidents you may have experienced, any previous psychiatric and medical illnesses you may have had, the doctors and psychologists who have treated you, the medications you are on or have, and any hospital admissions you may have had in the past. It would be helpful if you have this information according to a timeline. Dr. Alponsu may ask you about your childhood, studies, relationships, occupations you held, your family, any family members who may have/had any medical or psychiatric illness, any past or present use of tobacco, alcohol, or other recreational substances, and whether you have/had any problems with the law. Providing accurate information will help Dr. Alponsu to compile a thorough assessment and a report.
You do not have to answer all the questions that Dr. Alponsu will ask you. However, if you refuse to answer any of the questions, Dr. Alponsu may write that down in his notes and the reports.
Why do I have to provide information that does not seem to be directly relevant to my report requirement?
Psychiatric interview and history taking is a systemic and a standard process across the world. We follow the same format. Legally you are not under any obligation to answer specific questions should you not wish to answer them and this will be noted in the report.
What about the confidentiality of my information?
Our medical records are kept with strict confidentiality in protected medical databases. We will not keep any hard copies of our notes or reports. However, after the report is released to the referrer, we are unable to guarantee data security from that end. A report for the courts may be accessible to all the parties involved in accordance with the principle of natural justice.
Do you record the interview?
Yes, we audio record the interview to facilitate the transcription. The audio will be deleted from the Dictaphone on completion of the transcription.
Can I request the report to be directly sent to me?
The report has to be sent directly to the referrer. It becomes a property of the person/service who paid for the report. You have the right to request a copy of the report from the referrer.
Do you provide prescriptions if required after an assessment?
No prescriptions will be given where the purpose of the assessment is only to provide a report.
Who is an Independent medical examiner?
An independent medical examiner is a medical doctor who is outside your treating team of doctors and does not have any professional or personal affiliations to yourself or the other party involved in your situation e.g., your employer or insurer. This means the report will be free of any biases. The aims of the assessment include reviewing the diagnosis, treatment, fitness for duty, whether the illness is likely to improve further, and further treatment options.
Fitness for duty / Work capacity assessments.
Fitness for duty is an assessment of your current ability/capacity to perform duties, whether you are fit to do a substantial role, an alternative role related to your substantial role, or whether you have the capacity to perform a totally different type of work, suitable duties, or alternative duties. The assessment also looks at how many hours a day and days a week you can work. Research shows that the rate of returning to work is lesser, the longer a worker stays away from work.
When can I request a permanent incapacity assessment done?
An illness is deemed to be at maximum medical improvement when all reasonable treatment options have been used, but the symptoms have not fully resolved. This is the end stage of a treatment course for an illness e.g., a depressive disorder may be deemed as having reached maximum medical improvement when several antidepressants have been used in addition to psychological treatments and there has been no response to a course of ECT. When such a state is reached, no further clinical improvement is expected during the following 12 months.
What our clients say
"I was nervous about it as I’ve undergone Workcover assessments and was concerned about conveying what I needed to. But I appreciated your approach and time. Thanks for your time today and well wishes."
an IME Examinee
"Good afternoon Dushan. Thank you so much for attending .... and promptly preparing the report."
WorkCover Claims Representative
"Thank you for completing the report so quickly."