Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Ahead of Print
  • Past Issues
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Print Subscriptions
  • About
    • About the Journal
    • About the Academy
    • Editorial Board
  • Feedback
  • Alerts
  • AAPL

User menu

  • Alerts

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
  • AAPL
  • Alerts
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Ahead of Print
  • Past Issues
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Print Subscriptions
  • About
    • About the Journal
    • About the Academy
    • Editorial Board
  • Feedback
  • Alerts
Review ArticleARTICLES

Asbestos Exposure and Psychic Injury—A Review of 48 Claims

Irwin N. Perr
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online December 1992, 20 (4) 383-393;
Irwin N. Perr
MD, JD
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Asbestos exposure has been a common occupational risk resulting in much litigation. Where pulmonary dysfunction has been minimal or even absent, psychic injury has been made an element in claimed damages. Analysis of psychiatric and psychologic claims in 48 cases reveals that diagnoses often do not conform to professional standards, are based on insufficient data sampling, lack adequate overall history as well as medical history, and do not comport with the standard of probability usually required for litigation. The group studied was elderly (mean age—62.6), mostly retired (71%), with some significant medical illnesses (18% on medical retirement). None were retired for pulmonary reasons. As expected, conflict in opinion between the opposing professional medical participants was frequent. Commonly the patients did not substantiate the complaints reported in the medicolegal reports; some ridiculed statements made on their behalf. Many psychological reports reflected simplistic or erroneous concepts of medicine or ignored relevant medical data. This study indicates that in this group claims of psychic injury due to asbestos exposure have little justification and supports the view that the current system of utilization of expert opinions is not reliable or in conformity with reasonable professional standards. Correspondingly, these claims did not result in augmented awards.

  • Copyright © 1992, The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online: 20 (4)
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
Vol. 20, Issue 4
1 Dec 1992
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in recommending The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law site.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Asbestos Exposure and Psychic Injury—A Review of 48 Claims
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Asbestos Exposure and Psychic Injury—A Review of 48 Claims
Irwin N. Perr
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Dec 1992, 20 (4) 383-393;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Asbestos Exposure and Psychic Injury—A Review of 48 Claims
Irwin N. Perr
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Dec 1992, 20 (4) 383-393;
del.icio.us logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • A Clinical Study of Competency in Psychiatric Inpatients
  • Capacity to Consent to Voluntary Hospitalization: Searching for a Satisfactory Zinermon Screen
  • Prearraignment Forensic Evaluations: Toward a New Policy
Show more ARTICLES

Similar Articles

Site Navigation

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Ahead of Print
  • Archive
  • Information for Authors
  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Feedback
  • Alerts

Other Resources

  • Academy Website
  • AAPL Meetings
  • AAPL Annual Review Course

Reviewers

  • Peer Reviewers

Other Publications

  • AAPL Practice Guidelines
  • AAPL Newsletter
  • AAPL Ethics Guidelines
  • AAPL Amicus Briefs
  • Landmark Cases

Customer Service

  • Cookie Policy
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Order Physical Copy

Copyright © 2025 by The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law