A personality disorder is a long-standing and rigid pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. Present since at least adolescence or early adulthood, and apparent in virtually all areas of life, personality disorders cannot, by definition, be caused by a workplace injury, or any other life stressor. Still, personality disorders have come to play a disproportionate role in sexual harassment and other litigation, either as an alleged precipitant or as an exacerbation of damages. Diagnosing personality disorders and teasing out their role – if any – in any contested litigation is a difficult and time consuming process, one often given short shrift by the busy evaluator. Let FCA, with our long experience in this area of assessment, provide the detailed and comprehensive assessment necessary to appropriately handle this potential “hot button” issue.
