Why can’t the Deaf person just bring a family member to interpret for him or her?
There are a number of factors that come into play here. Ethical concerns, privacy, security, emotions, and perhaps most importantly, liability. Especially in cases of emergency situations, it would be highly unethical to place a family member in the middle of a communication process when they need to be focusing on personal matters. In addition, there may be subjects that will come up in conversation that may be inappropriate for the family member to be party to. Also, liability can become onerous if a family member makes a mistake in the midst of stress, or confusion. Incorrect medicine can be given, credit decisions can be misdirected, many situations can go awry resulting in actions that could adversely affect the Deaf person’s life. It could even result in serious illness or even death. Qualified interpreters, specifically appropriate to the situation presented, should always be employed to avoid unfavorable results.
