1 Introduction -- 2 Sources of Liability -- 2.1 Forms of Legal Complaints -- 2.1.1 Tort Law -- 2.1.2 Fraud -- 2.1.3 Contract Law -- 2.2 Legal Initiatives -- 2.2.1 Federal Regulations -- 2.2.2 State Regulations -- 2.2.3 Criminal Complaints -- 2.2.4 Organizational Requirements -- 2.3 Private Practice -- 2.3.1 Partnerships -- 2.3.2 Billing -- 2.4 Industry/Technology -- 2.5 Reproductive Technology -- 2.6 Research -- 2.6.1 Human Subjects -- 2.6.2 Gene Transfer -- 2.6.3 Clinical Testing on Research Samples -- 2.6.4 Institutional Review Boards -- 2.6.5 Epidemiology -- 2.7 Trainees -- 3 Duty as an Element of a Lawsuit: -- 3.1 Duty Element -- 3.2 Establishing a Professional Relationship -- 3.2.1 Abandonment -- 3.3 Obligations and Duties -- 3.3.1 Standard of Care -- 3.3.2 Specialty Practitioners -- 3.3.3 Good Practice -- 3.3.4 Nongeneticists Providing Genetic Services -- 4 Duty as an Element of a Lawsuit: -- 4.1 Test for a Standard -- 4.2 Sources for Standards -- 4.2.1 Scope of Practice: -- 4.2.2 Code of Ethics -- 4.2.3 Professional Organizations -- 4.2.4 Professional Literature -- 4.2.5 Professional Guidelines -- 4.2.6 Credentials -- 4.2.7 Expert testimony -- 5 Duty as an Element of a Lawsuit: -- 5.1 Medical Records -- 5.1.1 Chart Contents -- 5.1.2 Ownership -- 5.1.3 Storage of Medical Records -- 5.1.4 Shadow Charts -- 5.2 Failure to FollowPolicies and Procedures -- 5.2.1 Informed Consent -- 5.2.2 Confidentiality -- 5.3 Improper Techniques -- 5.3.1 Nondirective -- 5.3.2 Nonjudgmental/Value Neutral -- 5.3.3 Transcultural Competency -- 5.3.4 Defenses for the Duty Element -- 6 Breach, Causation and Damages as Elements of a Lawsuit -- 6.1 Breach -- 6.1.1 Decision Makers -- 6.1.2 Defense to Breach Element -- 6.2 Causation -- 6.2.1 Remote Causation -- 6.2.2 Proximate Cause -- 6.2.3 Informed Consent Cases -- 6.2.4 Defense to the Causation Element -- 6.3 Damages -- 6.3.1 General Damages -- 6.3.2 Compensatory Damages -- 6.3.3 Noneconomic Damages -- 6.3.4 Punitive Damages -- 6.3.5 Assessing Damages -- 6.3.6 Defense to the Damage Element -- 7 Defenses to a Lawsuit -- 7.1 Helping Yourself -- 7.2 Affirmative Defenses to Malpractice Lawsuits -- 7.2.1 Statute of Limitations -- 7.2.2 Contributory Negligence -- 7.2.3 Comparative Negligence -- 7.2.4 Assumption of the Risks -- 7.2.5 Good Samaritan Statute -- 7.2.6 Indemnity or Release -- 7.3 Countersuits -- 7.3.1 Malicious Prosecution -- 7.3.2 Abuse of Process -- 7.3.3 Defamation -- 7.3.4 Negligence -- 7.3.5 Intentional Torts -- 8 Communication -- 8.1 Face-to-Face -- 8.2 Electronic Communication -- 8.2.1 Internet -- 8.3 Privacy -- 8.3.1 Transmission of Information -- 8.4 Managing Your Malpractice Exposure in Cyberspace -- 9 Conclusions: Lessons Learned -- 9.1 Defensive Practice -- 9.2 Advice from Experience -- Appendix -- A.1 Definition of Genetic Counseling -- A.1.1 1975 -- A.1.2 2006 -- A.2 Scope of Practice -- A.3 The Code of Ethics of the National Society of Genetic Counselors -- A.4 Suggested Readings -- Notes -- Index .-. Lessons Learned Risk Management Issues in Genetic Counseling Susan Schmerler, Children's Hospital of St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey Malpractice suits are filed every day. Even the most experienced practitioners are not immune to potentially career-ending malpractice charges. With so much at stake, how do you avoid lawsuits and protect yourself against legal action? Susan Schmerler, a lawyer and expert witness, as well as a respected genetic counselor for more than 30 years, will help you survive and thrive in today's litigious society. The only book devoted exclusively to this specialty, Lessons Learned details the risk management issues involved in genetic counseling practice, and offers solid strategies for minimizing the risk of costly, career-damaging malpractice suits. Schmerler clearly identifies areas of practitioner liability and demonstrates how they may be averted, so counselors can better manage their practice while lowering the risk of legal action. Examples drawn from relevant court cases illustrate typical issues in malpractice, negligence, and breach of contract suits. With this in-depth knowledge, readers can refine their goals toward increased self-protection as well as client care. Included in the coverage: Sources of liability in genetic counseling practice. Case examples involving wrongful birth/life, confidentiality, billing, supervision issues. Anatomy of a malpractice suit-obligations, duties, standards, defense. Proper documentation. Guidelines for professional response to lawsuits. Plus helpful summaries, charts, tables, graphics, and online research ideas. This is must reading for genetic counselors and trainees. But the lessons of Lessons Learned extend far beyond the field, making the book a significant resource for health care risk managers and administrators, attorneys, marriage and family counselors, and other professionals in psychology and public health.