Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Medical Malpractice Claim or EMTALA Violation?

By Janice G. Inman
June 21, 2013

When a patient enters a hospital emergency room, there is always the possibility that he will be unsatisfied with the care he receives, justifiably or not. The patient might then bring a state-law medical malpractice action, but he might also seek to recover damages for violation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), 42 U.S.C. ' 1395dd.

EMTALA was enacted to prevent the practice of “patient dumping,” where an emergency medical facility refuses to treat a patient, generally because he is unlikely to be able to pay for services rendered. It provides that when a patient presents at a covered hospital with an emergent condition (as defined by ' 1395dd(e)(1)), the facility must adequately screen him to evaluate his condition (' 1395dd(a)) and transfer him to a more appropriate place for treatment or discharge him only after properly stabilizing his condition
(' 1395dd(b)).

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • 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

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.