Why can the deaf person just bring a family member to interpret?
There are a number of factors that come into play — ethical concerns, privacy, security, emotions and, perhaps most important, liability. Especially in 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, subjects may come up that are inappropriate for a family member to be part of. Also, there is more danger of liability issues if a family member makes a mistake in the midst of stress or confusion. Incorrect medicine could be given, credit decisions could be misdirected and situations could go awry resulting in actions that could adversely affect the deaf person’s life. It could even result in serious illness, injury or death. Qualified interpreters, specifically appropriate for the situation presented, should always be employed to facilitate the most favorable results and avoid problems.
