The neuropsychiatric aspects of expert reports after whiplash injury of the cervical spine

Considerable familiarity with the symptoms of whiplash injury and a knowled ge of the risk factors contributing to delayed recovery are requirements fo r the professionals who write expert reports. In addition, good skills in e valuating the factors influencing pain and illness behavior are necessary, as is the assessment of cognitive performance. Knowing there factors allows an integrative assessment of whiplash patients and is preferebly performed by psychiatrists or physicians trained in psychosomatic medicine.