Citation

Fine EW, Baratta AJ. Am. J. Forensic Psychiatr. 2006; 27(2): 25-32.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American College of Forensic Psychiatry, Publisher R. Shlensky)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

This article describes two real cases in which the patients committed suicide and the psychiatrists were sued for malpractice. Issues involved in such cases are described with special emphasis being given to the roles of attorneys reviewing any potential psychiatric malpractice cases, and any psychiatrist offering an expert opinion regarding the conduct of a treating psychiatrist in a suicide case. The conclusion is that a jury is not going to blame the psychiatrist if the suicide is not predictable, and if the patient is not bereft of reason, the jury will blame the patient who committed suicide for their own demise, regardless of how predictable the suicide was. It is suggested that these two questions should be given primary consideration by attorneys and expert witnesses involved in cases of this kind. Copyright 2006 American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry.

Language: en

Keywords

human; suicide; review; psychiatrist; law suit; malpractice; expert witness; legal liability; lawyer