Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

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

Different State, Different Outcome: Medical Malpractice v. Common Law Negligence

By Janice G. Inman
September 01, 2016

Last month, we discussed Flores v. Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital, 2016 Cal. LEXIS 2561 (Cal. 5/5/16), a recent California case in which the state's high court was asked to determine whether a lawsuit was properly pleaded as one for common law negligence, rather than medical malpractice. The answer was crucial to the parties, as it would determine whether the case could go to trial or must be dismissed. California's Supreme Court dealt the plaintiff a blow when it sided with the defense to find that the case of the faulty bed rail did indeed sound in malpractice, and the claim must be dismissed because it was filed after the statute of limitations for medical malpractice actions had passed.

Another recent case ' this one out of Tennessee ' also dealt with a motion for summary judgment turning on the question of whether the plaintiff's claim was one for medical malpractice or for common law negligence. It was decided in a very different way from the Flores case because Tennessee has a unique statutory framework for medical negligence claims.

This premium content is locked for LJN Newsletters 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.

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.

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.

Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability Image

This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.