No matter what our level of experience, the use of reminder outlines should be part of our trial preparations. Commercisl pilots, with hundred hours of experience use checklists before flying the aircraft. Checklists serve not only as reminders, but allow us to have a basis for improvement. The checklist need not be detailed, but it should have the basic topics to cover. By keeping the outline on file you can use it in the future as well as serving as a basis for improvement. Here is a very basic outline for the direct examination of a brain injury expert as an example.

A.        INTRODUCTION

1.         NAME & ADDRESS: ROLE – WHY BEING CALLED AS A WITNESS?

B.        QUALIFICATIONS

1.         Profession:

2.         Employment: JOB – POSITION – ROLE

a.         NAME OF COMPANY OR PROFESSION

3.         Education: EDUCATION

a.         DEGREES

4.         Licenses:  LICENSES – BD CERTIFICATION

5.         Past Experience: PAST WORK/EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA

6.         Professional Societies: SOCIETIES

7.         Honors Received: HONORS

8.         Publications: PUBLICATIONS

C.        OPINIONS

1.         “REASONABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBABILITY” is STANDARD

D.        INITIAL CONTACT

1.         HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED IN CASE

SEE CLINIC NOTES OR REPORT

2.         1ST CONTACT WITH CLIENT

a.         WHEN

3.         INFORMATION PROVIDED & OBTAINED

a.         HISTORY OBTAINED – FROM WHERE

4.         TESTING:

a.         WHAT TESTING – WHY

b.         RESULTS

(1)       IQ vs CHRONOLOGICAL AGE

c.         SIGNIFICANCE – RELIABILITY

5.         INITIAL DIAGNOSIS

a.         DSM III DESIGNATION (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

6.         PROBLEMS – EFFECT ON DAILY LIFE

1. SEE INJURY POSTER

E.        CAUSATION

1.         CAUSATION

2.         MECHANICS OF PRODUCING INJURY

SEE MEDICAL ILLUSTRATIONS

F.         TREATMENT

1.         HISTORY OF VISITS AND TREATMENT

2.         ADDITIONAL TESTING & RESULTS – RESULT IN DIAGNOSIS REVISED?

G.        PROGNOSIS

1.         PRESENT SITUATION:

a.         PRESENT PROBLEMS- SEE DISABILITY LIST

b.         EFFECT ON DAILY LIFE

(1)       SCHOOLING (SPECIAL ED vs MAIN STREAMING)

(2)       COMPETITIVE LABOR MARKET

(3)       INDEPENDENT LIVING

(4)       SOCIAL: MARRIAGE/PARENTING

2.         PERMANENT

a.         EFFECT IN FUTURE LIFE – AGE____

3.         FUTURE NEEDS & TREATMENT

a.         NEED – NATURE

b.         COST 4.        

BILLS: BILLS TO DATE – REASONABLE & NECESSARY?