Speech-Language Pathologists As Expert Witnesses

Book excerpt: This groundbreaking book provides a comprehensive resource for speech-language pathologists who may already serve as expert witnesses, for those wanting to broaden their practice to include expert witnessing and for those who may find themselves involved in a dispute or due process hearing. Complex concepts are explained through numerous case studies as examples of disputes in all work settings.Brenda Chafin Seal and Lissa Power-deFur draw on their many years of experience as speech-language pathologists and as expert witnesses to help you understand all of the following:the roles and responsibilities of expert and fact witnessesthe ethical issues involved in both agreeing to serve as a witness and in serving as a witnesspreliminary and contractual tasks required of expert witnesseslegal terminology and procedures used across the nation and in different statesthe legal framework and background for different types of disputesthe importance of documentation, including clear communication, throughout the processbusiness considerations, including conflicts of interest as well as financial issues, and employment issueshow following best practice can avoid or mitigate litigationhow reflection and assessment can improve expert witnessing under the scope of practiceSpeech-language pathologists are uniquely positioned to offer expertise in communication and swallowing disorders disputes and to disambiguate confusion in complex cases. This book will give you the insights you need as a confident and knowledgeable witness to represent yourself, your client, and your profession in malpractice, health care disputes, privacy and confidentiality breaches, abuse, child custody, fraud, special education conflicts, criminal cases, civil rights claims, and more.