Lawyer Monthly - January 2022 Edition

an you tell us a little about your background in speech-language pathology? I have been a speech-language pathologist (SLP, speech pathologist, speech therapist) for over 50 years and have an earned doctorate (PhD) in my profession. For over 35 years I have worked independently in my private practice as an expert witness. I was a university professor for 35 years and taught courses primarily in neurology and neurological disorders, but also several other areas. I have presented all-day seminars on a variety of topics C The Underutilised Profession of Speech-Language Pathology as Expert Witnesses Speech-language pathologists possess a wealth of expertise that allows them to assess, diagnose and treat a wide range of disorders. However, their skills are often misunderstood by lawyers and so are rarely called upon to provide opinions as expert witnesses. Lawyer Monthly hears from Paul Fogle, doctor and Professor Emeritus, on this little-utilised profession and the specialised knowledge that its practitioners can provide a court. EXPERT WITNESS 81 JAN 2022 | WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM to SLPs, physical therapists, occupational therapists and educators in cities throughout the US and in several foreign countries, and have presented numerous programs at state, national and international conferences and conventions. I have authored or co-authored six textbooks and four therapy manuals, all of which are used both nationally and internationally. I have also been a clinician providing speech, language, cognitive and swallowing therapy in my private practice working with both children and adults, specialising in neurological disorders, voice disorders and stuttering. While teaching at the university, during summers between semesters, I worked as a staff speech pathologist in acute, subacute and convalescent (long-term care) hospitals. What is a speech- language pathologist? According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a speech- language pathologist is specifically educated and trained to work with people of all ages – from infants to the elderly – to prevent, assess, diagnose and treat speech, language, cognitive and swallowing disorders. More specifically, SLPs work with speech sound disorders, receptive and expressive language disorders, neurological disorders (e.g. stroke, TBI) with their language and cognitive impairments, motor speech disorders (apraxia and dysarthria), voice disorders (including laryngectomees), cleft lip and palate, fluency disorders (stuttering, stammering) and swallowing disorders (dysphagia). Some SLPs specialise in working with deaf and hard of hearing children and adults. What training and skills can speech- language pathologists be expected to possess? Speech-language pathologists are educated and trained to assess, diagnose and treat each of the above disorders. The minimum educational level Speech- language pathologists can provide valuable information and testimony for either the plaintiff or defence.