Mistake of Judgment: Calling Out for Clarity
May 28, 2004
In medical malpractice cases, it is a matter of hornbook law that health care providers bear no liability for poor outcomes resulting from the exercise of professional judgment, as long as they adhere to the relevant standard of care. In an attempt to facilitate jurors' understanding of this concept, courts across the country have given "mistake" or "error-of-judgment" charges, which typically instruct the jury that physicians are entitled to exercise their professional judgment in choosing either of two reasonable options.
AHLA Seeks Clarification on Malpractice Insurance
May 28, 2004
<b>Part One of a two-part article</b>. Proper malpractice coverage is essential to any physician's practice. When that coverage is not readily available or premiums skyrocket, that essential can seem like a luxury. Physicians facing other economic pressures in their practice not infrequently opt to reduce their insurance limits, increase their deductible, drop their coverage altogether, retire or leave the area, or discontinue what they view as high-risk portions of their practice (eg, serving on ER call rosters or accepting Medicaid or indigent patients). As a result, physicians' personal assets (and careers) are more at risk, hospitals face more liability exposure as the "deep pocket," and patients face significantly reduced access to care.
Verdicts
May 28, 2004
Recent rulings of importance to you and your practice.
Med Mal News
May 28, 2004
National news that affects your practice.
Revisiting Pretrial Protocol and Procedure
May 28, 2004
<b>Part Two of a two-part article.</b> In last month's issue, we discussed the defense problem of increasingly high med-mal verdicts. This month, we explore strategies that defendants anticipating their personal day in court should consider if they hope to buck the trend toward high jury verdicts in medical malpractice actions.
How Will It Play in New York?
May 28, 2004
Judge Marilyn O'Connor of Family Court, Monroe County, issued a controversial order in March barring a frequently homeless couple from having any more children until they can show that they will be able to care for the four children they already have.
Breaking Up with Clients
May 28, 2004
Every year or so, divorce lawyer Alton Abramowitz does something that would make many a lawyer lose sleep: He breaks up with a client. He would rather not show clients the door, but, he says, their unrealistic expectations sometimes leave him with no other choice.
