Presenting Evidence of the Risk of the Procedure

Last month, we discussed the fact that a defendant should be permitted to offer evidence that the plaintiff's injuries could have occurred in the absence of negligence. Conversely, the defendant should not be permitted to offer evidence that might lead a jury to improperly infer that the mere fact that a complication is a known risk of the procedure is evidence that the defendant was not negligent in causing that complication. The discussion concludes herein.

15 minute read June 22, 2010 at 12:59 PM
By
Christopher D. Bernard
Presenting Evidence of the Risk of the Procedure

A common scenario in a medical malpractice case involves a patient who undergoes a medical or surgical procedure and is injured as a result of a complication that occurs during or following that procedure.

This premium content is locked for LawJournalNewsletters subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN LawJournalNewsletters

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Why advanced AI will change legal practice without making lawyers obsolete.The future value of lawyers will come less from generating first drafts and more from knowing how to choose, feed, test and deploy professional systems in a way that serves the client’s strategy.

June 30, 2026

Companies are no longer judging leaders on what they have already done. They are judging them on whether they can lead what is coming next. And what is coming next demands exactly the quality that defined the Oregon Trail generation: the ability to navigate genuine transformation, not just manage through disruption.

June 30, 2026

The legal industry is going through the same leadership reckoning playing out across the Fortune 1000. The pioneers are already on the far side of the river. The settlers are crossing. And the stragglers are still deciding whether to go. Which camp are you in? And more importantly, who are you learning from right now?

June 30, 2026