Psychological evaluation for legal questions
Dr. Colleen Long, Psy.D., provides psychological and neuropsychological assessment and attorney consultation for personal injury, civil litigation, workers’ compensation, and fitness-for-duty matters.
Based in Mission Viejo and serving Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside counties. California psychologist license PSY23911.
Personal injury and civil litigation
Assessment of psychological injury, emotional distress, trauma-related symptoms, and cognitive concerns following injury. Referral questions may address diagnosis, functional impact, prognosis, and treatment needs, with psychological or neuropsychological testing and validity assessment when appropriate.
Psychology QME and AME evaluations
Dr. Long is an appointed California Qualified Medical Evaluator in psychology and accepts panel QME and agreed medical evaluator assignments. Scheduling follows the applicable workers’ compensation selection and communication procedures.
Independent psychological evaluations / IMEs
Independent examination, records review, and consultation begin with a clearly defined referral question and review of the appropriate evaluation pathway.
Fitness-for-duty evaluations
Psychological assessment of an employee’s capacity to perform essential job functions, including public-safety and other high-risk roles. The referral question, job demands, informed consent, and limits of confidentiality are clarified before evaluation.
Clinical depth. Clear, independent opinions.
Dr. Long brings more than 15 years of psychological and neuropsychological assessment experience across the lifespan. Her work integrates records, interviews, behavioral observations, collateral information, and testing selected for the referral question.
Her background includes personal-injury and disability assessment, cognitive and functional questions associated with traumatic brain injury, and record-intensive reports for attorneys and other third parties. Clinical assessment experience is distinct from courtroom testimony; counsel can request a current CV and discuss experience relevant to a proposed engagement.
Selected qualifications
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, Health Emphasis — Spalding University, 2008.
California psychologist license PSY23911; California QME appointment, August 2026.
OrthoLegal 16-hour report-writing course, completed March 2026.
Continuing education in symptom and performance validity, disability, and neuropsychological assessment.
Request the current forensic CV →
How an attorney referral begins
Clarify the question. Identify the general matter type, jurisdiction, requested service, and deadline.
Confirm fit and scope. Discuss relevant experience, potential conflicts, records, examination needs, deliverables, fees, and availability.
Arrange the evaluation. Records transfer and communications are coordinated after the appropriate engagement or appointment process.
Opinions remain independent of the retaining party and the desired outcome. Every engagement is limited to Dr. Long’s training, licensure, and current qualifications.
Attorney resources
Read the California attorney resource guide →
Records preparation, IME/QME/AME pathways, emotional-distress assessment, competency proceedings, and specialized SVP referrals.
Attorney questions
Do you work with plaintiff and defense counsel?
Dr. Long welcomes inquiries from both plaintiff and defense counsel. The referral question and available evidence guide the evaluation; retaining an evaluator does not guarantee a particular conclusion.
Can I request records review or consultation without an examination?
Yes. Focused records review and attorney consultation may be appropriate when the question can be addressed within that scope. An opinion requiring direct assessment cannot be substituted by records review alone.
What records should I prepare?
Begin with the referral question and a record index. Relevant materials may include medical and mental-health records, prior assessments, treatment history, and records documenting functioning before and after the event. The appropriate records and transfer method are established for the specific matter.
How are fees, timing, and testimony handled?
Request current availability and fee information before committing to a deadline. Discuss examination, report, deposition, and trial needs at the outset so the accepted scope and any scheduling limitations are clear.
How do QME and AME inquiries differ?
Panel QME selection and AME agreement follow California workers’ compensation procedures. An inquiry through this website does not select or appoint an evaluator. Ask about administrative scheduling and the appropriate records and communication pathway; do not send substantive case information through a general contact email.
Is a forensic evaluation treatment?
No. A forensic evaluation addresses a defined legal or administrative question. Its purpose, recipients, and limits of confidentiality differ from psychotherapy. For clinical services, visit Clinical Care.
Contact for a medical-legal matter
Email talkdoc126@gmail.com with your name, firm, business contact information, general matter type, jurisdiction, and deadline. Please do not include client names, protected health information, confidential case details, or records in an initial email.
For workers’ compensation administrative scheduling, use the subject QME / AME Scheduling Inquiry. Confirm the required selection or appointment process before arranging an examination.