What is Malingering? How Can You and Your Lawyer Fight an Accusation of Malingering?
According to the American National Library of Medicine, malingering is something that occurs when someone actively tries to fake or exaggerate an illness. It could be something that is happening physically to their body, or something affecting their mind, like PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). This is different from Munchhausen’s Syndrome (a.k.a. Factitious disorder imposed on self) in that the person isn’t trying to go to the doctor for their attention, but instead, is trying to get some sort of benefit out of lying to the doctor about how hurt they are. This could be anything, like trying to get a leave from school so they don’t have to write their exams, or obtaining paid leave from work or trying to get other financial compensation, like in a lawsuit.