August 3, 2022
Licensing boards provide consumer protection in the form of regulation, but do not provide compensation. Patients who claim harm from malpractice use the civil court system to seek compensation. Board complaints are sometimes used by claimants to further a malpractice claim. The potential of civil liability is an important consideration when handling a board action, highlighting the need for…
July 12, 2022
West Virginia’s Medical Professional Liability Act (MPLA), W. Va. Code 55-7B-6(b), provides that at least thirty days before filing suit, a claimant must serve two pre-suit documents - a Notice of Claim and a Certificate of Merit - on each health care provider they intend to sue. Timely compliance with the statute can “toll” or extend the applicable statute of limitations. In Adkins v. Clark, No.…
August 20, 2021
Under Colorado law, the statute of limitations applicable to a minor’s cause of action for medical negligence does not begin to run until the minor reaches the age of eighteen, unless the minor has a court-appointed legal representative.1 An injury to a minor child essentially generates two separate causes of action: one for the pre-majority medical expenses; and one for post-majority medical…
June 30, 2021
The West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Bill 714 (“SB 714”) on April 9, 2021. The Governor signed the bill on April 21, 2021, and it will become effective on July 8th, 2021. SB 714 amends certain provisions relating to the Physician Assistants Practice Act.1 The key amendments are summarized below:
March 11, 2020
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading through the United States, and the CDC is forecasting continued infection. More and more people could develop symptoms and arrive at hospitals for help. So, what do we know about the standard of care for healthcare providers in these scenarios?
In most states, standard of care is defined by statute and is typically described as that level of care that a…
November 11, 2019
In Kruse v. Farid, Slip. Op. No. 18-0464 (W.Va. Nov. 8, 2019), the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed summary judgment “finding that [the defendant physician] did not have a duty to provide follow-up medical care after Ms. Kruse left Raleigh General Hospital against medical advice (‘AMA’).”
After Dr. Farid performed a procedure which included the placement of stents that had to be…
May 21, 2018
Since W. Va. Code § 29-12D-1a went into effect on July 1, 2016, there has been disagreement among counsel as to which party is responsible for paying the 1% assessment when a medical malpractice case is settled prior to trial. According to W. Va. Code § 29-12D-1a(c)(3) (2016), “[f]or any assessment levied pursuant to this subsection on a settlement entered into by the parties, the date on which…
February 17, 2016
On February 9, 2016, the West Virginia Supreme Court (“Supreme Court”) decided State ex rel. Wheeling Hospital, Inc. v. Wilson, No. 15-0558 (W. Va. February 9, 2016), which took up the issue of the Peer Review Privilege codified at W. Va. Code § 30-3C-1 et seq. In clarifying the meaning of the language contained in West Virginia’s Peer Review Statute, the Supreme Court recognized “an urgent need…
June 25, 2015
In the landmark case of King v. Burwell, the United States Supreme Court has upheld the ability of federally-run insurance exchanges to offer federal subsidy monies to Americans seeking health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The vote was 6-3, with Justices Alito, Scalia, and Thomas dissenting. Justice Kennedy joined Chief Justice Roberts and the majority from the National Federation of…
June 24, 2015
The Kentucky Supreme Court rendered an opinion on June 11, 2015, establishing the law in Kentucky on ex parte communications with a party’s non-expert treating physician, i.e. interviewing the Plaintiff’s treating physicians in advance of a deposition. In Caldwell v. Hon. A.C. McKay Chauvin, the plaintiff in an underlying medical negligence action sought a writ from the Kentucky…
April 7, 2015
The West Virginia Legislature recently amended the Medical Professional Liability Act, W.Va. Code 55-7B-1, et seq. (“MPLA”) through Senate Bill 6. These amendments accomplished several things including broadening the statutory definitions of “health care provider” and “health care” to encompass a wider range of health care professionals, health care related activities, and provide MPLA…
August 3, 2022
Licensing boards provide consumer protection in the form of regulation, but do not provide compensation. Patients who claim harm from malpractice use the civil court system to seek compensation. Board complaints are sometimes used by claimants to further a malpractice claim. The potential of civil liability is an important consideration when handling a board action, highlighting the need for…
July 12, 2022
West Virginia’s Medical Professional Liability Act (MPLA), W. Va. Code 55-7B-6(b), provides that at least thirty days before filing suit, a claimant must serve two pre-suit documents - a Notice of Claim and a Certificate of Merit - on each health care provider they intend to sue. Timely compliance with the statute can “toll” or extend the applicable statute of limitations. In Adkins v. Clark, No.…
August 20, 2021
Under Colorado law, the statute of limitations applicable to a minor’s cause of action for medical negligence does not begin to run until the minor reaches the age of eighteen, unless the minor has a court-appointed legal representative.1 An injury to a minor child essentially generates two separate causes of action: one for the pre-majority medical expenses; and one for post-majority medical…
June 30, 2021
The West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Bill 714 (“SB 714”) on April 9, 2021. The Governor signed the bill on April 21, 2021, and it will become effective on July 8th, 2021. SB 714 amends certain provisions relating to the Physician Assistants Practice Act.1 The key amendments are summarized below:
March 11, 2020
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading through the United States, and the CDC is forecasting continued infection. More and more people could develop symptoms and arrive at hospitals for help. So, what do we know about the standard of care for healthcare providers in these scenarios?
In most states, standard of care is defined by statute and is typically described as that level of care that a…
November 11, 2019
In Kruse v. Farid, Slip. Op. No. 18-0464 (W.Va. Nov. 8, 2019), the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed summary judgment “finding that [the defendant physician] did not have a duty to provide follow-up medical care after Ms. Kruse left Raleigh General Hospital against medical advice (‘AMA’).”
After Dr. Farid performed a procedure which included the placement of stents that had to be…
May 21, 2018
Since W. Va. Code § 29-12D-1a went into effect on July 1, 2016, there has been disagreement among counsel as to which party is responsible for paying the 1% assessment when a medical malpractice case is settled prior to trial. According to W. Va. Code § 29-12D-1a(c)(3) (2016), “[f]or any assessment levied pursuant to this subsection on a settlement entered into by the parties, the date on which…
February 17, 2016
On February 9, 2016, the West Virginia Supreme Court (“Supreme Court”) decided State ex rel. Wheeling Hospital, Inc. v. Wilson, No. 15-0558 (W. Va. February 9, 2016), which took up the issue of the Peer Review Privilege codified at W. Va. Code § 30-3C-1 et seq. In clarifying the meaning of the language contained in West Virginia’s Peer Review Statute, the Supreme Court recognized “an urgent need…
June 25, 2015
In the landmark case of King v. Burwell, the United States Supreme Court has upheld the ability of federally-run insurance exchanges to offer federal subsidy monies to Americans seeking health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The vote was 6-3, with Justices Alito, Scalia, and Thomas dissenting. Justice Kennedy joined Chief Justice Roberts and the majority from the National Federation of…
June 24, 2015
The Kentucky Supreme Court rendered an opinion on June 11, 2015, establishing the law in Kentucky on ex parte communications with a party’s non-expert treating physician, i.e. interviewing the Plaintiff’s treating physicians in advance of a deposition. In Caldwell v. Hon. A.C. McKay Chauvin, the plaintiff in an underlying medical negligence action sought a writ from the Kentucky…
April 7, 2015
The West Virginia Legislature recently amended the Medical Professional Liability Act, W.Va. Code 55-7B-1, et seq. (“MPLA”) through Senate Bill 6. These amendments accomplished several things including broadening the statutory definitions of “health care provider” and “health care” to encompass a wider range of health care professionals, health care related activities, and provide MPLA…
