Practice Areas
Civil Litigation
Personal Injury & TBI: Quantifying cognitive and emotional impairment following catastrophic injury or medical negligence.
Emotional Damages: Objective assessment of PTSD and psychological trauma in workplace harassment or liability claims.
Workers' Compensation: IME/AME evaluations and Fitness for Duty assessments.
Civil Competency: Comprehensive evaluations for Testamentary Capacity, Conservatorship, and Guardianship.
Criminal Forensics
Adjudicative Competence: Evaluations for Competency to Stand Trial and Criminal Responsibility (Insanity/NGRI).
Violence Risk Assessment: Evidence-based analysis of risk factors and mitigation.
Juvenile Forensics: Specialized neuropsychological profiling for youth involved in the justice system.
Family Law
High-Conflict Divorce: Neuropsychological assessments of children and parents to determine developmental needs and parental fitness.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Diagnosis of Autism (ASD), ADHD, and Learning Disabilities in contested custody or educational matters.
Medical-Legal Evaluator Services: AME | IME
Dr. Long provides high-caliber, objective evaluations within the California Workers’ Compensation system and civil litigation sectors. Leveraging over 15 years of diagnostic experience, she specializes in complex cases where neuropsychological clarity is required to determine causation, impairment, and future care needs.
Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME): Trusted by both applicant and defense counsel, Dr. Long serves as an AME to provide definitive psychological and neuropsychological opinions. Her reputation for objectivity facilitates the resolution of even the most contentious claims.
Independent Medical Examinations (IME): Dr. Long conducts comprehensive IMEs for civil litigation, disability claims, and insurance matters. These evaluations provide a rigorous assessment of psychological injury, TBI, and functional capacity, ensuring that legal decisions are grounded in robust clinical data.
Key Evaluative Focus:
Causation & Apportionment: Precise analysis of industrial vs. non-industrial factors.
Permanent Disability & Impairment: Utilizing objective psychometric testing to quantify functional limitations.
Malingering & Validity: Specialized screening to ensure the integrity of subjective symptom reporting.
Treatment Recommendations: Practical, evidence-based roadmaps for psychiatric and psychological recovery.
Medical-Legal & Forensic Services
Bridging the Gap Between Complex Neuropsychology and the Courtroom
With over 15 years of experience and more than 8,000 evaluations conducted, Dr. Colleen Long provides objective, evidence-based neuropsychological and forensic assessments that withstand the highest levels of legal scrutiny.
Specializing in the entire developmental lifespan; from pediatrics and adolescents to adults and the geriatric population, Dr. Long is an authority on psychological diagnostics. Her work is characterized by the sophisticated interpretation of data that answers the critical psycholegal questions at the heart of your case.
The Diagnostic Authority: Why Choose Dr. Long?
In the forensic arena, a list of test scores is not enough. Attorneys require an expert who can articulately defend a diagnosis under cross-examination.
Beyond the Scores: Dr. Long’s reports provide a deep-dive Differential Diagnosis. She doesn't just state a finding; she explains the "why", detailing exactly why a diagnosis is accurate, how it was differentiated from other conditions, and its specific functional implications in a legal context.
Malingering & Validity Testing: Integrity is paramount. Every evaluation utilizes advanced psychometric tools to assess for malingering, symptom exaggeration, or performance invalidity, ensuring the findings are scientifically unassailable.
Lifespan Expertise: Rare dual-competency in both Pediatric Neuropsychology (including high-complexity cases and Geropsychology (Capacity and Conservatorship).
Court-Ready Communication: As a seasoned expert witness and media contributor, Dr. Long translates dense neurological data into a clear, persuasive narrative for judges and juries.
Our Process
Dr. Long provides a streamlined, professional experience for legal counsel:
Initial Case Consultation: Determining case fit and scope of work.
Comprehensive Record Review: A meticulous analysis of medical, educational, and legal histories.
Neuropsychological Testing: Utilizing the latest psychometric batteries tailored to the individual.
The "Defensible Report": A robust, evidence-based document that bridges the gap between clinical findings and legal standards.
Expert Testimony: Persuasive, high-caliber testimony delivered with composure and clarity.