Avoiding Liability Bulletin – September 2006
… Practitioners must pay attention to advertising issues because when they advertise they put themselves in the spotlight, not only with prospective patients, but also with regulatory boards, colleagues, and others. Some therapists and counselors proudly advertise their credentials, their experience, and their “expertise.” When one does this, it is critical to make sure that everything advertised is accurate and not overstated. Further, it is important to realize that if you hold yourself out as an expert, you will likely be held to a higher standard of care than the average therapist or counselor. Thus, if there is litigation concerning the quality of your services, rather than being judged by the standard of the reasonably prudent practitioner under like circumstances, you may be held to the higher standard of the reasonably prudent expert practitioner under like circumstances.
