“You Can’t Handle the Truth?”
In California Workers’ Compensation Law, Injured Workers who have emotional, stress or mental health claims may attend a Psychological Evaluation by a mental health practitioner for which a medical report is generated. Frequently, these reports contain language within them similar to this language:
“This psychiatric mental health report is confidential and privileged. This report is meant for the use of qualified professionals only and those with the need to know. If the applicant wishes to review this report, he or she should only review it under the supervision of a therapist or psychiatrist because the report may be easily misinterpreted by the applicant. Some individuals and family members may misunderstand and/or distort the information in this report. This may result in the significant psychological harm to the applicant or may interfere with treatment and recovery from illness. For individuals with self-destructive or violent tendencies, the consequences of disclosure of this report may be serious. Persons breaching the confidential nature of this report are acting against medical advice and assume any and all risks and liabilities of doing so.” Continue reading