Peacock Piper Tong + Voss LLP Invited to Speak at Thomas Miller/UK P&I Club Personal Injury Seminar on Defending Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome Claims

Peacock Piper Tong + Voss LLP partner Al Peacock was invited to give a presentation on defending Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) claims to the UK P&I Club’s members and claims team at the annual personal injury seminar held at the Club’s New Jersey offices. With over 35 years of experience defending personal injury cases, Al has handled dozens of PTSD claims and tried several of them to verdict in Hawaii and California. Al traced the history of PTSD from its first references as “Nostalgia,” “Soldier’s Heart,” “Shell Shock,” “Battle Fatigue” and “Post Vietnam Syndrome” to its subsequent, formalized clinical diagnosis in the DSM-III. He then discussed the changes made to the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-III-R through the current DSM- 5. Al then explained the importance of obtaining detailed pre- and post-trauma medical, psychological, educational and social histories and information; hiring psychiatric and neuropsychological experts and IME’s early; and challenging opposing expert’s opinions in defending against PTSD claims.