[Medicolegal evaluation of traumatic brain injury]

The present state of medicolegal evaluation of persons with traumatic brain injury is discussed in this contribution. Both the ICD and German jurisdiction see a strict separation between structural and only functional brain damage that can be reliably evaluated through neurological, neuropsychological and neuroradiological means. However, there is evidence mainly from MRI investigations that there can be structural changes that presently cannot be detected in the single case, e.g. anisotropy. Furthermore, the neurological and neuropsychological differentiation of directly traumatic and psychogenic disorders can be difficult and requires expertise.