20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Psychological Evaluation in Personal Injury and Civil Rights Cases is presented by William E. Foote, PhD. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Civil Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

The development and current status of tort and civil rights law are described, with a focus on how psychological injuries are conceptualized in personal injury and civil rights cases. Research on sexual harassment and sexual assault is reviewed, and a five-stage model for evaluating plaintiffs in civil rights and personal injury cases is presented and discussed. The evaluation of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in civil plaintiffs is highlighted, as is the use of assessment measures to assist in the determination of whether or to what extent an evaluee is feigning or exaggerating. The process of evaluation, including preparation, data collection, interpretation, report writing, and testimony, is also discussed.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the development and current status of tort and civil rights law
  • 2 Describe how psychological injuries occur in personal injury and civil rights cases
  • 3 Describe the research in sexual harassment
  • 4 Describe the research in sexual assault
  • 5 Describe a 5 stage model for evaluating plaintiffs
  • 6 Describe how to assess PTSD in civil contexts
  • 7 Describe assessment measures to determine exaggeration or malingering
  • 8 Describe legal standards for establishing psychological injury in tort and civil rights cases
  • 9 Describe the role of expert testimony in civil cases involving psychological injury
  • 10 Describe ethical considerations in conducting psychological evaluations for personal injury and civil rights litigation

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and legal professionals involved in forensic evaluation, personal injury, and civil rights cases, with a focus on the assessment of psychological injuries and PTSD. It is particularly valuable for those conducting or planning to conduct forensic evaluations, as well as for legal professionals representing plaintiffs or defendants in civil rights and personal injury litigation.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Attorney
    • Legal Counsel
    • Specialist in Forensic Evaluation
    • Specialist in Personal Injury Cases
    • Specialist in Civil Rights Cases

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals seeking foundational knowledge in conducting forensic evaluations in personal injury and civil rights cases.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to forensic mental health or have limited experience with personal injury and civil rights evaluations. They are seeking to understand the legal context, foundational concepts, and best practices for psychological assessment, report writing, and testimony in these cases.
    • Foundation: Participants may have some clinical experience but are unfamiliar with the application of psychological evaluation in legal contexts, including the assessment of PTSD, malingering, and the use of empirical research in civil litigation.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who participate in this training typically work in environments where mental health and legal expertise intersect. These settings often involve collaboration between clinicians and legal professionals, with a focus on evaluating psychological injuries, preparing expert reports, and providing testimony in legal proceedings related to personal injury and civil rights cases. The work environment may include offices for confidential client interviews, access to psychological testing materials, and facilities for conducting comprehensive assessments and consultations.

    Examples of practice settings:

    • Forensic mental health clinics or departments within hospitals
    • Private practices specializing in forensic psychological or psychiatric evaluation
    • Law firms handling personal injury or civil rights litigation
    • Government agencies (e.g., public defender’s office, prosecutor’s office, civil rights commissions)
    • University-based research centers or training clinics
    • Social service agencies involved in trauma assessment and advocacy
    • Court-appointed expert panels or independent evaluation services

Presented By

William E. Foote, PhD, Private Practice

Dr. William E. Foote received his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1978. He has been in private practice as a forensic psychologist since 1979 and has conducted over 3000 forensic evaluations. Dr. Foote has been a consultant to the Indian Health Service concerning forensic issues. He has consulted with the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police in criminal investigations.

View More Programs from this Presenter
William E. Foote, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Foundation: Participants review and discuss key components of the legal context for forensic evaluations in personal injury and civil rights cases.
    Legal Context
    Forensic Mental Health Concepts
    Empirical Foundations and Limits

  • Application: Participants will learn about how to conduct forensic evaluations in personal injury and civil rights cases.
    Preparation for the Evaluation
    Data Collection
    Interpretation
    Report Writing & Testimony

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
View Certificates

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.