[Responsibilities and status of the medical expert]

Expertising by assessment is an elementary, specific medical assignment, which in the history of medicine has early been linked to medical activity. No community can do without it, though all along critical voices have accompanied this occupation. The expert is in a field of tension between the claims of the individual and the reasonable interests of the community and the insurance companies. This results in points of attack and criticism challenging for the expert and his function. There should be consensus of opinion in respect of the responsibility and position of the medical expert among the members of the medical profession. This paper will make a contribution to this problem regarding the role of the expert and his self-image.