Medico-Legal Psychological Services

Medico-legal psychological evaluations require clinical expertise, objectivity, careful records review, and a clear understanding of the legal context in which the evaluation is being requested. These evaluations are often used to help answer complex questions related to psychological injury, disability, apportionment, causation, work capacity, treatment needs, and functional impairment. Dr. Tara Meskowsky is a licensed clinical psychologist and Qualified Medical Evaluator who provides comprehensive, independent psychological evaluations for a range of clinical and medico-legal referral questions. Her evaluations are grounded in thorough clinical assessment, psychological testing when appropriate, detailed review of records, careful diagnostic formulation, and clear, well-organized written reports.

Qualified Medical Evaluator Services

As a Qualified Medical Evaluator, Dr. Meskowsky conducts psychological evaluations in workers’ compensation matters involving alleged psychiatric injury, emotional distress, trauma-related symptoms, chronic pain, workplace stress, functional impairment, and related psychological concerns.

QME evaluations may address issues such as:

Diagnosis

Causation

Apportionment

Permanent and stationary/MMI status

Permanent disability

Work restrictions

Treatment recommendations

Future medical care

Functional impact of psychological symptoms

Dr. Meskowsky’s reports are designed to be comprehensive, objective, and useful to attorneys, claims administrators, physicians, employers, and other parties involved in the medico-legal process.

SIBTF Evaluations

Dr. Meskowsky also provides psychological evaluations in connection with Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund matters. These evaluations may involve review of pre-existing psychological, neurodevelopmental, cognitive, emotional, or psychiatric conditions and how those conditions may have affected the individual’s functioning prior to a subsequent industrial injury.

SIBTF psychological evaluations often require careful attention to historical records, prior symptoms, treatment history, functional limitations, work history, and psychological factors that may have existed before the subsequent injury. Dr. Meskowsky provides detailed analysis to help clarify the presence, nature, and functional impact of pre-existing psychological disability when relevant to the referral question.

IME and AME Evaluations

Dr. Meskowsky provides independent psychological evaluations, including IME and AME evaluations, for cases requiring an objective clinical opinion. These evaluations may be requested by attorneys, insurers, employers, agencies, or other referral sources when there are questions about psychological diagnosis, injury, impairment, treatment needs, functional capacity, or disability.

Depending on the referral question, evaluations may include clinical interview, psychological testing, review of medical and legal records, behavioral observations, diagnostic analysis, and a detailed written report addressing the specific issues presented.

Clinical and Forensic-Informed Assessment

Medico-legal evaluations differ from treatment because the purpose is not psychotherapy, but independent assessment. Dr. Meskowsky approaches each evaluation with professionalism, neutrality, and attention to the specific legal-medical questions being asked.

Her evaluation process may include:

Comprehensive clinical interview

Review of medical, psychological, employment, and legal records

Mental status examination

Psychological testing when appropriate

Assessment of response style and symptom validity when clinically indicated

Diagnostic formulation

Analysis of causation and apportionment when relevant

Functional assessment

Clear written opinions and recommendations

Thorough Reports and Clear Opinions

A strong medico-legal psychological report must be clinically sound, clearly organized, and responsive to the referral questions. Dr. Meskowsky provides detailed written reports that integrate history, records, clinical presentation, test findings, diagnostic impressions, and medico-legal analysis.

Reports are designed to provide clear, objective, and clinically grounded opinions that can assist attorneys, claims professionals, physicians, employers, agencies, and triers of fact in understanding the psychological issues involved.

Areas Commonly Evaluated

Dr. Meskowsky evaluates a wide range of psychological and functional concerns, including:

Depression and anxiety

Posttraumatic stress symptoms

Adjustment-related conditions

Workplace stress and harassment-related claims

Psychological effects of chronic pain and medical injury

Cognitive or neuropsychological concerns

Somatic symptom presentations

Pre-existing psychological conditions

Functional impairment and work limitations

Treatment needs and prognosis

Fitness-for-duty and return-to-work considerations

Professional, Objective, and Clinically Grounded Evaluations

Dr. Meskowsky brings experience, integrity, and careful clinical judgment to each medico-legal evaluation. Her goal is to provide thorough, impartial, and clinically meaningful opinions that address the referral questions clearly and professionally.

For attorneys, claims administrators, physicians, agencies, or other referral sources seeking a licensed psychologist and Qualified Medical Evaluator for QME, SIBTF, IME, AME, or related medico-legal psychological evaluations, Dr. Meskowsky provides comprehensive assessment services with timely scheduling, detailed reporting, and careful attention to the legal-medical issues involved.