Ethical Issues in Expert Opinions and Testimony

Abstract

As the private sector rehabilitation industry matures, certain ethical and malpractice issues have emerged. This article provides an overview of ethical issues in private for-profit practice, with particular focus on expert testimony, using examples from a sample of claims filed with the National Association of Rehabilitation Professionals in the Private Sector (NARPPS), malpractice insurance companies, selected court cases, and complaints submitted to NARPPS Standards Compliance Review Board Committee and the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. It is evident that complaints have a direct relationship to at least half of the ethical canons of the Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors because they most frequently involve issues related to competence, the client-counselor relationship, professional relationships, confidentiality, and use of the certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) designation.

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