Criteria for Major Depressive Episode

The personal injury lawyers at Michigan Auto law have received the largest reported Michigan jury verdict for depression and other psychiatric injuries. To be successful, the personal injury lawyer involved must first understand the diagnostic criteria for these types of personal injury cases.

A. Psychiatric injuries are often diagnosed as major depressive episodes when five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period, and represent a change from previous functioning; At least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

1. An psychiatric injury that causes an individual to be in a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.
2. An psychiatric injury that causes an individual to have markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)
3. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to experience significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.
4. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to suffer from insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
5. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to experience psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)
6. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to experience fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
7. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to have feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)
8. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to have a diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)
9. A psychiatric injury that causes an individual to have recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

B. Psychiatric injuries are often diagnosed as major depressive episodes when the symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.
C. Psychiatric injuries are often diagnosed as major depressive episodes when the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. Psychiatric injuries are often diagnosed as major depressive episodes when the symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).
E. Psychiatric injuries are often diagnosed as major depressive episodes when the symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.

Michigan automobile accidents resulting in psychiatric injury are often the subject of litigation. To protect your legal rights following a Michigan car accident resulting in a psychiatric injury, it is generally wise to consult an experienced Michigan psychiatric injury lawyer.

A Michigan psychiatric injury attorney can help "level the playing field" by providing psychiatric injury victims with information regarding the practical and legal aspects of Michigan personal injury law.

For a review of your claim, please contact us .

For more information on Psychiatric Injuries resulting from a Michigan auto accident, please see:

• Michigan Emotional Injury Attorney

Psychiatric Injuries | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Acute Stress Disorder | Adjustment Disorders | Major Depressive Episode