1

The expert assessment of physical injury is the crucial element that allows the granting of compensation to the victim of an accident or an offence. However, the length of time essential for the psychological development of the person involved may also have a direct financial impact on their life. Some may therefore be tempted to increase or even invent symptoms. What tools does the psychiatric expert have to uncover the malingerer? The author offers an updated review of current knowledge in this field, combining literature, clinical practice, and the developments in neuro-imaging. There are several kinds of malingerers. The examining conditions are paramount in an analysis of noticeable signs. Ultimately, malingering does not necessarily exclude psychological suffering, and can even be a matter of the interweaving of complex symptoms, both experienced and invented, whose analysis will require all of the examiner's awareness and experience.