Shawn K. Acheson, Ph.D. Expert Witness
Curriculum Vitae

Contact this Expert Witness

  • Company: Clinical Neuroscience Services of WNC
  • Phone: 919-768-2243
  • Fax: (919) 433-9876

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

General Specialties:

Neuropsychology and Psychology

Keywords/Search Terms:

neuropsychological assessment, traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, PTSD, malingering, fitness for duty, return to work, return to play, competency, substance abuse, somatoform disorder, conversion disorder, functional neurological disorder

Education:

Residency / Fellowship, Duke University School of Medicine; Ph.D., Southern Illinois University - Carbondale; M.A., Western Carolina University; B.A., North Carolina State University

Years in Practice:

25

Additional Information

Dr. Acheson is a Forensic Neuropsychologist in private practice in Asheville, NC. He provides neuropsychological evaluations in civil, criminal and administrative courts. He also performs independent medical evaluations, fitness for duty evaluations, and record reviews. Dr. Acheson provides evaluation of and expert testimony on a variety of neuropsychological conditions including concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, brain tumor, neurodevelopmental abnormalities (e.g., fetal alcohol exposure), and neurotoxic exposures (e.g., lead, organic solvents, mold). He also provides evaluation of and expert testimony on mental health conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), conversion / functional neurological disorder, as well as malingering and factious disorder. He has worked with clients from early adolescence through late adulthood. For most of his career, Dr. Acheson was an educator, researcher, and clinician at Western Carolina University, Duke University Medical Center, Durham Veteran’s Hospital, and the University of NC School of Medicine. While at Duke he served as Lead Psychologist in the Duke Center for Psychiatry and Law. Dr. Acheson views his expert witness work as an opportunity to assist judges’, juries’, and attorneys’ understand how brain damage and dysfunction impacts a person’s behavior, cognition and emotion. His opinions are often sought to assist the trier of fact in determining responsibility in personal injury cases. Dr. Acheson has also been retained for opinions in criminal matters where questions may arise regarding diminished capacity, mitigation at sentencing, or similar issues. Dr. Acheson’s office is located in Asheville, North Carolina where is a licensed psychologist (https://tinyurl.com/achesonlicense). He has also provided forensic services to attorneys in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Texas, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. He has obtained the PSYPACT certification for interjurisdictional practice and telepsychology which allows him to provide forensic services in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Dr. Acheson may be available in other states depending on local state laws.