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.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors)
    • Legal professionals (attorneys, legal counsel)
    • Specialists in forensic evaluation
    • Professionals involved in personal injury and civil rights cases

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for mental health professionals at various stages of experience in forensic evaluation for personal injury and civil rights cases.

    • Beginner: Participants new to forensic mental health will gain foundational knowledge of tort and civil rights law, psychological injury concepts, and the basics of evaluation and testimony.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic or clinical evaluation will deepen their understanding of research on sexual harassment and assault, assessment of PTSD, and application of a five-stage plaintiff evaluation model.

    • Advanced: Participants with significant forensic experience will refine their skills in complex assessment measures, advanced report writing, expert testimony, and ethical considerations in high-stakes civil litigation.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals practice in forensic and clinical environments evaluating psychological injuries and PTSD within civil litigation. Work spans structured, multi-stage evaluations, records review, standardized measures to assess feigning/exaggeration, report writing, and expert testimony across healthcare, legal, and governmental contexts. Services may be delivered in person or via secure telehealth within tort and civil rights frameworks.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Private forensic mental health practices (IME, record review, evaluations)
    • Hospital- or academic medical center–based forensic clinics
    • Law firms, in-house counsel, and government legal offices
    • Civil courts, mediation, and deposition venues for testimony
    • Independent medical evaluation (IME) and medico-legal consulting firms
    • VA/trauma and specialty PTSD clinics collaborating on litigation matters
    • Correctional or detention healthcare programs addressing civil rights claims
    • University-affiliated research clinics supporting litigation-focused assessments
Presented By

William Foote, PhD, ABPP

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. Dr. Foote has taught courses in Psychology and the Law for the University of New Mexico School of Law and Department of Psychology. He has also served on the adjunct faculty of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine Psychiatry and Family Practice services. Dr. Foote has served as an officer in a number of professional organizations. He is a past President of the New Mexico Psychological Association and of APA’s Division 31. He was the Chair of the APA Committee on Legal Issues and of the Committee On Professional Practice and Standards, and served on the Board of Governors of the APA National College. He is a past-president of the American Psychology-Law Society (APA Division 41). He is a Diplomate by the American Board of Forensic Psychology since 1984.


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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).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

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), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #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. Palo Alto University 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. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by 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.