Encountering Personal Injury

Book excerpt: "Encountering Personal Injury is written for anyone who has professional contact with adolescents and adults who have a disability arising from a personal injury. The text provides a comprehensive introduction to the major injury groups for postgraduate students. It covers the conditions commonly experienced in everyday practice, such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, psychiatric impairment, mood disorder, anxiety and stress disorder, substance abuse, musculoskeletal injury, whiplash, back pain, amputation, burn injury, chronic pain, stroke, vision impairment or hearing impairment. The text arose from a background of some 30 years’ teaching, research and clinical practice in this field. Each condition is introduced to the reader. Its educational, vocational and psychosocial implications are explored. Medical terminology is defined and explained. Anatomical and physiological illustrations are provided. Reports from court cases are used to provide realistic examples of the multiple effects of injury on learning, working and living. A total of 24 clinical case studies, discharge summaries and medical reports provide a holistic and bio-psychosocial approach to disability. Examples of questionnaire and relevant assessment instruments are provided. This text is written in an informal, easy-to-read and straightforward style. There is no pre-requisite knowledge. It will find applications wherever personal injury is encountered in career development, vocational and rehabilitation psychology, rehabilitation counselling, social work, occupational therapy and physiotherapy."