Walking through the New Errors and Omissions Minefield in Medical Malpractice Litigation
|
|
- Buddy Cobb
- 8 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 Walking through the New Errors and Omissions Minefield in Medical Malpractice Litigation R. Lee Akazaki This publication first appeared in Vol. 22, 1999 of the Advocates' Quarterly "Limitation periods are not enacted to be ignored." Like Miranda in Shakespeare's The Tempest announcing her discovery of life beyond her island, the Court of Appeal for Ontario thus heralded a brave new world for medical malpractice litigation in Ontario. On July 3 and 6, 1999, the first anniversaries of the Court's decisions in Findlay v. Holmes, [1998] O.J. No. 2796, unreported, Court File No. C21681, and in Soper v. Southcott (1998), 39 O.R. (3d) 737 (C.A.), have passed by without fanfare. Both unanimous decisions were authored by Dunnet J. (sitting ad hoc). The Court dramatically broadened the scope of cases in which actions must be commenced within a year of suspecting medical negligence or malpractice, whether or not the plaintiff has had the benefit of a qualified medical opinion. The One-Year Limitation under Gaudet v. Levy First anniversaries have always been heart-stopping occasions for members of the plaintiffs' medical malpractice bar. Under s. 17 of the Health Disciplines Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.4 (now s. 89 of the Health Procedural Code under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, c. 18), the legislature insulated medical doctors from any civil action arising from negligence or malpractice "unless such action is commenced one year from the date when the person commencing the action knew or ought to have known the fact or facts upon which the person alleges negligence or malpractice." It has long been a problematic limitation, not so much because it is brief but because it is often hard to determine when it started to run or even if it has started to run at all. The legislature has not enacted limitation periods to be ignored. Perhaps more importantly, however, it did not enact them to be confusing or equivocal. Apart from public lack of awareness or attorney 1
2 negligence, however, one would not have considered actual or wanton disregard for the limitation period to have been a matter of great moment. Perhaps the Court ought to have said: "This limitation period was enacted to be abhorred." The statute of limitations for medical malpractice has long had a subjectiveobjective "discoverability" component, long before this theory of deferral of the limitation period became a fixture in the general law of limitations. As a trade-off for a very short limitation period, the provision recognizes two important aspects of the cause of action: (1) due to the therapeutic setting, the element of iatrogenic damage does not usually accrue until the patient's condition plateaus or worsens irreversibly into a "bad result" (the patient may be encouraged not to sue if he shows signs of getting better); and (2) the medical issues of the community standard of care place the facts legally out of the reach of the patient or his counsel. Until these two decisions, the plaintiffs' bar was able to rely on the following extract from White J.'s decision in Gaudet v. Levy (1984), 47 O.R. (2d) 577, at "So the issue, as 1 see it, is one of fact. Did the plaintiff know, or in all the circumstances, ought he to have known of the fact or facts upon which he alleges negligence or malpractice one year before the commencement of the action? It would seem to me, that among the facts that he would have to know would be the fact of the appropriate standard of care which the medical practitioner was required to adhere to. That fact could normally only reside in a qualified professional opinion. A lay person even with legal advice would not necessarily be deemed to have been in possession of knowledge of the standard, nor would he be deemed to have been necessarily negligent in not acquiring knowledge of the standard at any given point, even after the glimmer of hope had been raised by a discussion as between his solicitor and a consultant doctor, that he might have a case. "It is a question of fact as to when the information developed by his solicitor or by himself has reached the stage that a reasonably prudent person, with appropriate access to medical knowledge (appropriate in the sense of that which could be discovered by a reasonably prudent solicitor, or plaintiff following a reasonably diligent investigation) would have determined that he had prima facie grounds for inferring that his doctor had been negligent or had engaged in malpractice upon him. Section 17 of the statute imports that all of the material facts were available, or ought to have been available to the plaintiff, including the meaning of the facts in terms of duty of care appropriate to the medical practitioner. Without medical advice interpreting it, the raw medical data cannot be presumed to mean anything to a layman. Now, if after a reasonably prudent person would have formed the 2
3 judgment that he has been a victim of negligence or malpractice, he fails to commence his action within the appropriate statutory period, it would appear to me that his cause of action is barred." The court in Gaudet did not condone lax legal practice, but in fact encouraged due diligence by plaintiffs in the investigation of potential claims. It meant that clients who consulted solicitors after the incidence of the alleged malpractice could wait until they knew there was merit to the case before starting the action, provided the attempts to obtain an independent medical opinion on the standard of care were carried out with some expedition. Gaudet also stood for the proposition that the passage of this limitation period, because of the knowledge component and inherent issues of credibility, could not be the subject of a motion for summary judgment: "Essentially, whether or not the plaintiff knew, subjectively, or whether or not the plaintiff ought to have known or was negligent in not knowing, is a question of fact which can only, in my opinion, be determined by a tribunal of fact capable of hearing the witnesses as to the facts, assessing credibility, looking at all of the circumstances including the complete history of the matter and hearing expert opinion evidence, and ruling, as a question of fact, whether applying the subjective test, the plaintiff knew, or whether applying the objective test he ought to have known of "the fact or facts", contemplated in s. 17 of the Act." (ibid, at 583) The New Test(s) under Findlay and Soper: Discord with the Substantive Law The Court of Appeal in Findlay accepted only that part of the reasoning of White J. in Gaudet concerning the need for the plaintiff to act with diligence in discovering the fact or facts upon which the action is to be founded. By implication, the appellate court rejected the remainder. In Findlay, the Court stated: "It is a question of fact, depending on the circumstances of the case as a whole, as to when knowledge of the material fact or facts was acquired by the plaintiff. While in many cases, as suggested by White J. [in Gaudet v. Levy (1984), 47 O.R. (2d) 577], the facts will only become known upon receipt of a medical opinion with respect to the applicable standard of care, there will also be cases where the plaintiff will have actual or deemed knowledge of the material facts: immediately after the surgery or treatment, some time later if the results are unexpected but the plaintiff is advised to wait until the problem resolves, or upon receipt of the clinical history." (Para. 31, Emphasis added. 3
4 In Soper, the Court shifted the balance even further against the plaintiff: "Limitation periods are not enacted to be ignored. The plaintiff is required to act with due diligence in acquiring facts in order to be fully apprised of the material facts upon which a negligence or malpractice claim can be based. This includes acting with diligence in requesting and receiving a medical opinion, if required, so as not to delay the commencement of the limitation period. In some cases, a medical opinion will be necessary to know whether to institute an action. In other cases, it will be possible to know material facts without a medical opinion, and the medical opinion itself will simply be required as evidence in the litigation. In the latter instances, the time of receipt of the medical opinion is immaterial to the commencement of the running of the limitation period." (O.R., at 744, Emphasis added.) The change from "many" to "some," from Findlay to Soper, by the same judge on identically constituted panels adds to the equation an unfortunate ambiguity. Since no intent to correct the former was expressed in the latter, no doubt this was only an editorial oversight. Because Findlay was specifically mentioned in Soper, however, the distinction invites defence counsel to argue that Soper was a further retreat from Gaudet. Beleaguered trial and motions court judges would then be left scratching their heads. It is clear that the two rulings were made based on a perception that Gaudet had become a licence to flaunt the requirements of the statutory limitation period.' The practical impact was to expose cases commenced under Gaudet, as illustrated in the two subsequent lower court decisions discussed below, to summary dismissal for having been commenced outside the limitation period, with a consequential lawyers' malpractice trap. More fundamentally, the effect on the state of the law of malpractice in Ontario was to upset an elegant harmony under Gaudet between the application of the limitation and the substantive law. Such harmony is vital to the law of limitations because the statutes are designed to provide defendants with relief against stale suits, not to frustrate claims arbitrarily. In other words, unless the statute provides otherwise, the limitation must be presumed to fit the substantive elements of the cause of action. For evidence of the disconnect between the limitation and the substantive law caused by the Court of Appeal's decisions in Findlay and Soper, one need look no further than the Findlay court's application of the new regime to the facts of the case at bar: "The evidence as a whole, therefore, leads to the inevitable conclusion that the appellant must have known of the relationship between his osteoporosis, vertebral fractures and the prednisone treatment." (para. 36) 4
5 Although causation is no doubt one of the material facts contemplated by s. 17 (s. 89), the real controversy here is not causation but the standard of care. Herein lies the underlying flaw in the attempt to retreat from Gaudet. The shift from expert to lay opinion leads the court to equate damage or causation with the cause of action. The statute requires examination of knowledge of "negligence or malpractice." Knowledge of damage 'Ironically, Findlay has recently been considered in a case outside medical litigation as authority for the proposition that "discovery of the cause of action [for the reckoning of a limitation period] may have to without knowledge of breach of standard of care is insufficient. Moreover, it is a fundamental protection to defendant doctors that liability is imposed for negligence and not misadventure, which means that knowledge of iatrogenic causation also falls short of knowledge of malpractice. In the law of medical malpractice, there is a fork early in the road where the legal burden of proof diverges between causation and standard of care. The distinction was recently expressed by the House of Lords in Bolitho v. City and Hackney Health Authority. [1997] H.L.J. No. 47 (November 13, 1997), in describing the role of the "Bolam" test, the English version of the general rule requiring the plaintiff to show that the defendant physician's conduct fell below the standard of practice of a responsible body of doctors: "Therefore the Bolam test had no part to play in determining the first question, viz. what would have happened? Nor can I see any circumstances in which the Bolam test could be relevant to such a question." (para. 20) "There were, therefore, two questions for the judge to decide on causation: (1) What would Dr. Horn have done, or authorized to be done, if she had attended Patrick?2 and (2) If she would not have intubated, would that have been negligent? The Bolam test has no relevance to the first of those questions but is central to the second." (para. 22) "I emphasise that in my view it will very seldom be right for a judge to the conclusion that views genuinely held by a competent medical expert are unreasonable. The assessment of medical risks and benefits is a matter of clinical judgment which a judge would not normally be able to make without expert evidence." (para. 31) await delivery of expert reports": Greenaway v. Ontario (Min. of Transportation), [ O.J. No. 1289, unreported, April 14, 1999 (Gen- Div.), para The 5
6 question is thus phrased because the issue of causation arose out of the consequences of omission and delay of treatment. In Canada, the issue of proof of medical malpractice is similarly divided, although the case law remains less formulated than in England. One of the principles for which the leading case of Crits v. Sylvester, [1956] O.R. 132 (Ont. C.A.) stands is that the customary practice of medical professionals is not the final word on the standard of care. However, this and a line of Australian cases to the same effect shows the reluctance of the courts to hand over the domain of standard of care because cases such as Crits serve to remind them that custom, however widespread, can still defy common sense. Medical training has advanced since 1956, and the problems of medical error have become more technical, it would be the rare case where the medical custom (as opposed to the individual case at bar) can be determined without the aid of expert evidence. Technically, causation in medical cases is open to be decided by the court without following an expert opinion. In Snell v. Farrell (1990), 72 D.L.R. (4`h) 289 (S.C.C.), at 301 and 306, the Supreme Court of Canada held that it is not essential that the medical experts provide a firm opinion supporting the plaintiff's theory of causation, and that the court is entitled to draw an inference of causation. Snell established that the court may draw its own inferences from medical evidence and need not feel bound by an expert's opinion. It does not foresee a court making judgments about causation in the clinical setting in the complete absence of expert opinion. Snell indeed illustrates how difficult it would be for a plaintiff to prove causation, as a matter of fact and law, without the aid of some medical opinion evidence. See Brahams, "Superspecialists and the Bolam Test," The Lancet, Vol. 345 (March 4, 1995), p. 575: Akazaki, "Medical Malpractice in Crisis" (1999), 21 Adv. Q. 163, at p. 169, for a discussion of how medical advances have removed the issues in medical litigation to highly technical levels. Although Gaudet did not reach this far, a plain reading of the statutory limitation requires a recognition that medical opinions on both standard of care and causation are required before the plaintiff is possessed or could be possessed of all the elements of the cause of action. Any other interpretation of the statute offends the overriding discoverability principle, that the limitation period ought not be reckoned against the plaintiff until the plaintiff knows or ought to know of the existence of the cause of action. Commence the Action without an Expert Report at Thy Peril The facts in Soper were illustrative of the types of problems which face the lawyer 6
7 retained by a plaintiff who, typically, has come in search of legal advice after some period of self-help investigation. The role of the Ontario Legal Aid Plan can also be a factor. The following was the chronology: October, 1992 January-March, 1993 April 26, 1993 July, 1993 August, 1993 November, 1993 December 20, 1993 end of treatment under defendant's care referral to another orthopedic surgeon and treatment initial consultation with solicitor approval of investigation by Ontario Legal Aid Plan solicitor requested hospital records plaintiff's damages confirmed by her new orthopedic surgeon's advice that a high tibia] osteotomy or total knee replacement were required plaintiff's solicitor received medical records and commenced investigation of possible medical negligence by the original orthopedic surgeon January, 1994 report received from the new treating orthopedic surgeon suggesting that a total knee replacement was required June, 1994 solicitor sought approval from Legal Aid to obtain an opinion regarding medical negligence Late Fall, 1994 plaintiff instructed solicitor to discontinue investigation pursuant to the Legal Aid certificate and to retain an expert December 19, 1994 defendant underwent total knee replacement March 30, 1995 statement of claim issued May, 1995 solicitor received expert opinion of negligence by the original orthopedic surgeon The motions judge found that the plaintiff had sufficient facts to determine the existence of negligence on December 20, 1993, when the hospital records were obtained. In finding that the limitation period expired prior to the receipt of a medical opinion on the standard of care, McDermid J. attached considerable 7
8 importance to the fact that the statement of claim was issued before the medical opinion was obtained: "If the statement of claim could be issued on March 30, 1995, before the expert's report was obtained, I do not see why it could not have been issued within one year from the date upon which the hospital records were received. The fact that the statement of claim was issued before the expert report was received and contained allegations of negligence that echoed the expert opinion demonstrates that the plaintiff was already in possession of sufficient facts with which to allege negligence." (Soper, pp o.r.) The issuance of a medical malpractice statement of claim has been fraught with the risk that it may be construed as crystallizing the state of the plaintiffs knowledge as of the last significant receipt of information from an outside source. (Usually the receipt of hospital records or doctor's clinical notes.) There is an irresistible logic to the notion that a plaintiff who institutes proceedings against a doctor should be deemed to possess the knowledge of the facts. A statement of claim issued in these circumstances is, philosophically, only a formal record of a lay (non-medical) opinion. Legally, however, because an action is void for prematurity if brought before the cause of action accrues, it is legally possible to presume that the cause of action has accrued with the knowledge of the plaintiff, for the purpose of the limitation period. This argument, although it may never have been so labeled, clearly describes an operation of the doctrine of estoppel of record. Thus, if a client's case occupied a temporal grey zone where over a year has passed since the damages accrued, the nature of the limitation period, especially as construed in Gaudet, would have led a prudent solicitor to refrain from commencing an action. (If the solicitor were retained within one year of the damage, it would, by contrast, be prudent to issue a claim prior to the expiry of that year.) From an errors and omissions perspective, to commence an action under these circumstances could be considered an act of solicitor's negligence. To start an action deems the plaintiff to have had sufficient information and means to do so at that time. The inquiry then looks back in time to see when the last time there was a material change in the access to the medical evidence. If there were no changes outside a year prior to the issuance of the statement of claim, the plaintiff's action is out of time. Under Gaudet, the solicitor had the legal tools to decide the timing of the suit and avoid this landmine by holding off on formal proceedings until an expert opinion was in hand. In Soper, the solicitor "jumped the gun" in issuing the claim a few months prior to the receipt of the expert opinion on the standard of care. It is arguable that the action could not have been saved from eventual dismissal, even 8
9 under Gaudet, due to this very fact. The Court of Appeal in Soper changed the terms of reference by deciding the question, not in terms of the implications of the issuance of a statement of claim (as did the motions judge), but by postulating an expanded genus of medical cases where medical opinion is deemed unnecessary before the plaintiff knows or ought to know whether to commence an action. 4 An Ontario solicitor is now more frequently required to add to the battery of questions for his opinion yet another: whether the client's particular complaint against â doctor falls within those cases which do not call upon a medical opinion as to the standard of care. This is a perilous, even unfair question, because unless the doctor's conduct defied common sense, the format of the question itself requires a medical opinion to answer it. The analogy in the legal profession is a question which lawyers also often face. Is the client's case one which requires a lawyer, or can the client represent himself? The only one qualified to answer the question is a lawyer. The logic is reminiscent of the annoying and permanent uncertainty of a Pascal's wager. 5 In short, lawyers are now called upon to give a medical opinion. As a matter of principle, this should in turn mean that the class of cases, such as in Crits, where the court may substitute a lay opinion for the standard of care exercised by the community, should also be considered expanded. It is beyond the scope of this paper to inquire whether Findlay and Soper have in fact altered the substantive law of malpractice. 'God exists or does not exist, but only God knows and one should avoid the consequences of not believing in Him- Decisions Following Soper and Findlay The experiences of plaintiffs in two cases following Soper and Findlay show how actions commenced under the Gaudet principles are now prone to attack on summary judgment motions. Starting with the more recent case, Urquhart v. Allen Estate, [1999] O.J. No. 663, unreported, Court File No /93, was less paradigmatic because, as in Soper, proceedings were started before the expert report on liability. Relying on Soper, the motions judge held that the limitation had passed before the action was commenced, and dismissed the action. The court attached some weight to the fact that the plaintiffs' solicitor had started the action against another doctor and the hospital "without any expert advice or report." A comment by Baines J., at paragraph 20 of the reasons for judgment, suggests that the response to the motion was made by the insurer of the plaintiff's solicitor to repair the case from becoming a claim in solicitor's negligence. Nevertheless, it was unsuccessfully argued on behalf of the plaintiff that she could not have known or ought to have known the facts upon which negligence or malpractice was alleged until she (or, 9
10 more precisely, her lawyer) received the expert's opinion that the defendant doctor had breached the standard of care. This would lead one to suspect that the lawyer had in fact relied on the test in Gaudet at the outset of handling the case, albeit with faulty compliance with the standard of legal practice at that time. The decision in Urquhart was partly overturned in the Court of Appeal, [1999] O.J. No. 2985, Court File No. C The court distinguished this case from Soper by stating that it fell into the category where a medical opinion was necessary to know whether or not to institute an action. Although the plaintiff's limitation problem was repaired on this issue, the issue of due diligence was deferred to the trial judge for further argument of the motion. Without sounding a retreat from Soper, the appellate court's decision in Urquhart illustrates the difficulty in determining, according to the new case law, which cases must be started even in the absence of an expert's report, and which ought to be deferred until such a report is in hand. In Lalani v. Woolford, [1998] O.J. No. 4509, unreported, Court File No. 95-CU ; reversed in part. [1999] O.J. No Court File No. 723/98, the motions judge granted only partial judgment dismissing the claim with regard to specific allegations of negligence expressed in a complaint to the College of Physicians and Surgeons more than a year prior to the commencement of the action. This consisted of a lay opinion that "something must have gone wrong," and a statement that one of nine other doctors she consulted told her "there was nothing wrong with me that time would not heal." The motions judge declined to grant judgment on facts ascertained in medical opinions received within the one-year period. On appeal by the defendant, the Divisional Court dismissed the entire action, on the basis that the opinions filed in response to the motion did not disclose evidence that the defendant's conduct fell below the standard of care. The ostensible discontinuity in logic in the appeal decision is in fact entirely consistent with Soper and Findlay. It amounts to a holding that the opinions were not relevant to or dispositive of the state of the pursuer's knowledge. The Divisional Court distinguished the appellate decision in Urquhart on the grounds that, there, the plaintiff had ultimately obtained an opinion on negligence. Lalani appears to be a more obvious example of a plaintiff's action simply caught stranded by the Court of Appeal's new test. Practical Strategies for Malpractice Practitioners: Avoidance and Repair of Cases Caught in the E. & O. Trap The trap for malpractice lawyers is not limited to cases in which the principle in Gaudet has been followed. Unless the limitation issue can be avoided with 10
11 certainty, a solicitor who, without expert help, tries to determine the question of whether a medical opinion is required to assess liability, has already ventured into the minefield. Although each case will present its own problems, the following strategies are offered to alert members of the plaintiffs' medical malpractice bar to be sensitive to the new dangers, and to assist those engaged as counsel to repair cases where a suspicion exists that the limitation period has been missed. (1)Prevention of Solicitor's Negligence Claims Where the Lawyer is Consulted within One Year of the Accrual of Damages There is no substitute for protecting oneself from the medical malpractice client from the outset. One should address the limitation issue in every case at the beginning of the solicitor-client relationship, and make the presence or absence of a retainer absolutely clear. Where appropriate, the fact that the limitation may already have passed should be communicated to the client in writing. Lawyers are now called upon to issue a statement of claim in virtually every action in which they are retained by a plaintiff within one year of the damages being incurred. It does not matter whether or not the lawyer has an expert opinion to support it. If the limitation period were enacted to discourage stale claims, the Court of Appeal has now encouraged the commencement of spurious ones. This is an unfortunate development, but the cost of issuing a pleading is well worth the avoidance of the risk. The writ should also not be required to lapse for want of service. It should be served on the doctor within the six-month grace period. A timely letter to defence counsel will permit the plaintiff's lawyer to continue with the investigation without incurring cost consequences. (2) Soliciting an Expert Opinion on the Limitation Issue If One Year Has Already Passed since the Accrual of Damages If a client comes to the solicitor after one year has passed since the damages have been suffered, it appears now incumbent upon the solicitor to seek, on preliminary question, the opinion of an expert opinion whether the breach of standard care in question is of the type of allegation which can be made without the benefit of expert help. This may seem a radical innovation to the practice. However, failure to do so could leave the lawyer exposed to a professional negligence claim for having failed to obtain evidence to meet the limitation argument. If the lawyer is retained under a legal aid certificate, a request for authorization to obtain such an opinion should be made on an expedited basis. It is important, at all times, for the solicitor to appear diligent in the investigation, even if this calls for self-serving letters to the expert or to the legal aid office. 11
12 Because, even under Gaudet principles, the commencement of the limitation period was always open to interpretation or extension, this type of case is also capable of being repaired by counsel appointed by the plaintiff's lawyer's insurer. The test involves a question of mixed fact and law as to whether the plaintiff did or did not require an expert opinion before knowing whether there was a viable case in malpractice. Because of the fact-dependent nature of the test, it is open for the plaintiff to augment the record with an expert opinion. In repair cases, quite arguably an affidavit from a reputable expert on this narrow issue should be considered a necessary part of the plaintiff's evidentiary record in response to a defendant's motion for summary judgment or the analogous limitation defence at trial. Any defence medical reports exonerating the doctors would also provide evidence that the plaintiff could not, as a lay person, be possessed of facts regarding standard of care or causation which is the subject of dispute between recognized experts. (In this regard, defence counsel are discouraged from disclosing their expert opinions at least until the issue of a preliminary motion on the limitation period has been addressed.) (3) Conflict of Interest A potentially dangerous area of conflict between the interest of the plaintiff and his solicitor exists in cases where the solicitor is retained more than one year past the time when a court might hold that the plaintiff knew or ought to have known about the malpractice. In particular, knowledge which causes the right of action to be extinguished before the lawyer is retained would serve to exonerate the lawyer of any error or omission. By contrast, the courts are more likely to defer the reckoning of the time until after the lawyer has been hired. This is an issue which will occasionally appear in repair cases, and one must be careful not to exacerbate the plaintiff's solicitor's problems with an allegation of conflict of interest on the part of the counsel appointed to attempt the repair. Conclusion: The Long-Term Consequences of Findlay and Soper In plaintiffs' personal injury litigation, medical malpractice is a most difficult subspecialty. It stands out in that field as the only type of claim in which the odds are stacked against the plaintiff's success on the issue of liability. b Against these odds, the heavy demand for legal representation in medical malpractice claims, combined with the diminishing returns of automotive accident claims, will turn many to it who might have referred such cases to others in the past. These market forces 12
13 are bound to divert an increasing number of malpractice claims into the limitations minefield. By contrast, solicitors who are familiar with the dangers will now be much more vigilant of new cases. The net effect of Findlay and Soper is that even the most careful practitioner is not immune from missing the limitation period. In the long run, one is compelled to be critical of the Court of Appeal's decisions in these cases, not only in terms of unnecessarily upsetting a balance between the limitation and the substantive law. The public must also brace itself for an undesirable knock-on effect on medical litigation practice. For both strategic and risk-management reasons, the short limitation period will now encourage even more plaintiffs to issue writs regardless of merit. An increased number of lawyers will probably find themselves missing the limitation period, either because they failed to commence proceedings or precisely because they did. In the short term, this will include those who started law suits, reasonably and prudently following the balanced approach in Gaudet. More experienced practitioners, sensitive to the new, bolder judicial application of the limitation period, will be wise to turn away good cases which they may once have accepted or further investigated under the old régime. 13
WALKING THROUGH THE NEW ERRORS AND OMISSIONS MINEFIELD IN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LITIGATION
WALKING THROUGH THE NEW ERRORS AND OMISSIONS MINEFIELD IN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LITIGATION R. Lee Akazakl" "Limitation periods are not enacted to be ignored." Like Miranda in Shakespeare's The Tempest announcing
More informationTORT AND INSURANCE LAW REPORTER. Informal Discovery Interviews Between Defense Attorneys and Plaintiff's Treating Physicians
This article originally appeared in The Colorado Lawyer, Vol. 25, No. 26, June 1996. by Jeffrey R. Pilkington TORT AND INSURANCE LAW REPORTER Informal Discovery Interviews Between Defense Attorneys and
More informationProvince of Alberta LIMITATIONS ACT. Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000 Chapter L-12. Current as of December 17, 2014. Office Consolidation
Province of Alberta LIMITATIONS ACT Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000 Current as of December 17, 2014 Office Consolidation Published by Alberta Queen s Printer Alberta Queen s Printer 5 th Floor, Park Plaza
More informationMedical Negligence. A client s guide. head and shoulders above the rest in terms of skills, experience and quality. The Legal 500
www.personalinjury.ffw.com Freephone 0800 358 3848 www.personalinjury.ffw.com Freephone 0800 358 3848 Medical Negligence A client s guide head and shoulders above the rest in terms of skills, experience
More informationMedical Negligence. A guide for clients. The team provides a first class service at all levels of experience. The Legal 500
www.ffw.com/personalinjury Freephone 0800 358 3848 www.ffw.com/personalinjury Freephone 0800 358 3848 Medical Negligence A guide for clients The team provides a first class service at all levels of experience.
More informationLIMITATION UPDATE. 1. Recently, the Courts have been looking at three areas of limitation law and
LIMITATION UPDATE 1. Recently, the Courts have been looking at three areas of limitation law and practice. One is when it is permissible to introduce a new claim in pending proceedings after the limitation
More informationThe Insurance Amendment Act One Year Later
The Insurance Amendment Act One Year Later Andrew P. Loewen Fillmore Riley LLP 1700-360 Main Street Winnipeg, MB R3C 3Z3 (204) 957-8360 Email: andrewloewen@fillmoreriley.com 1 On September 1, 2014, the
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Pursuant to Ind.Appellate Rule 65(D), this Memorandum Decision shall not be regarded as precedent or cited before any court except for the purpose of establishing the defense of res judicata, collateral
More informationCHAPTER 2011-233. Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for House Bill No.
CHAPTER 2011-233 Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 479 An act relating to medical malpractice; creating ss. 458.3175, 459.0066,
More informationCHBA Briefing Note on Liability in the Residential Building Industry
CHBA Briefing Note on Liability in the Residential Building Industry Introduction Objectives The objective of this report is to present some recent developments in Canada on the topic of liability in the
More informationThe Effect of Product Safety Regulatory Compliance
PRODUCT LIABILITY Product Liability Litigation The Effect of Product Safety Regulatory Compliance By Kenneth Ross Product liability litigation and product safety regulatory activities in the U.S. and elsewhere
More informationIN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
IN THE THE STATE MARLEN REZA, Appellant, vs. STACEY HUDSON, M.D., Respondent. No. 54140 FILED MAY 17 2011 TRACIE K. LINDEMAN CLERK ORDER REVERSAL AND REMANDBY- -- DEPUTY CLER This is an appeal from a district
More informationClinical Negligence. Investigating Your Claim
www.lees.co.uk Clinical Negligence Investigating Your Claim Lees Solicitors LLP 44/45 Hamilton Square Birkenhead Wirral CH41 5AR Tel: 0151 647 9381 Fax: 0151 649 0124 e-mail: newclaim@lees.co.uk 1 The
More informationBill 34 The New Limitation Act: Significant Changes and Transition Issues Explained
Bill 34 The New Limitation Act: Significant Changes and Transition Issues Explained A Presentation for CLE Employment Law Conference 2013 Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver, BC May 9, 2013 Carman J. Overholt,
More information2015 IL App (1st) 141985-U. No. 1-14-1985 IN THE APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
2015 IL App (1st) 141985-U No. 1-14-1985 NOTICE: This order was filed under Supreme Court Rule 23 and may not be cited as precedent by any party except in the limited circumstances allowed under Rule 23(e)(1).
More informationHow To Prove That An Insured Person Is Not Acting In Good Faith
Attacking Claims of Privilege in a Bad Faith Action Particularly with the advent of no-fault insurance schemes, more and more people are finding themselves embroiled in litigation with their insurance
More informationCOURT OF QUEEN S BENCH OF MANITOBA
Date: 20080219 Docket: CI 07-01-50371 (Winnipeg Centre) Indexed as: Pickering v. The Government of Manitoba et al Cited as: 2008 MBQB 56 COURT OF QUEEN S BENCH OF MANITOBA BETWEEN: ) COUNSEL: ) THERESA
More informationWhat Trustees Should Know About Florida s New Attorneys Fee Statute. By David P. Hathaway and David J. Akins. Introduction
What Trustees Should Know About Florida s New Attorneys Fee Statute By David P. Hathaway and David J. Akins Introduction More and more lawsuits are filed in Florida alleging that the trustee of a trust
More informationUNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA Richmond Division
PUBLISHED UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA Richmond Division IN RE: WILLIAM G. DADE ) Case No. 00-32487 ANN E. DADE ) Chapter 7 Debtors. ) ) ) DEBORAH R. JOHNSON ) Adversary
More informationSFS 2002:599 Group Proceedings Act Introductory provisions Group action Section 1 Group proceedings Section 2
1 Swedish Code of Statutes SFS 2002:599 issued by the printers in June 2002 Group Proceedings Act issued on 30 May 2002. The following is enacted in accordance with a decision1 by the Swedish Riksdag.
More informationPROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE ACTIONS EFFECTIVE EXPERT OPINION EVIDENCE
PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE ACTIONS EFFECTIVE EXPERT OPINION EVIDENCE ) - \ These materials were prepared by Jeffrey Scott of.jeffreyd. Scott Legal Professional Corporation,. Regina, Saskatch13wan for the
More informationIN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA. Memorandum and Order
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA CAROSELLA & FERRY, P.C., Plaintiff, v. TIG INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant. CIVIL ACTION NO. 00-2344 Memorandum and Order YOHN,
More informationNOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION TWO
Filed 8/27/14 Tesser Ruttenberg etc. v. Forever Entertainment CA2/2 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying
More informationHowHow to Find the Best Online Stock Market
NOT DESIGNATED FOR PUBLICATION STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL FIRST CIRCUIT NO 2007 CA 0424 EVELYN SCHILLING LAWRENCE CONLEA Y RONALD CONLEAY NELDA CARROL AND BETTY VERRET t 01 VERSUS GRACE HEALTH
More informationNOT ACTUAL PROTECTION: ACTUAL INNOCENCE STANDARD FOR CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS IN CALIFORNIA DOES NOT ELIMINATE ACTUAL LAWSUITS AND ACTUAL PAYMENTS
NOT ACTUAL PROTECTION: ACTUAL INNOCENCE STANDARD FOR CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS IN CALIFORNIA DOES NOT ELIMINATE ACTUAL LAWSUITS AND ACTUAL PAYMENTS By Celeste King, JD and Barrett Breitung, JD* In 1998
More informationLEGAL MALPRACTICE AND THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY By Peter L. Ostermiller
LEGAL MALPRACTICE AND THE CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY By Peter L. Ostermiller Occasionally, a defendant, while incarcerated and apparently having nothing better to do, will file a Motion under RCr. 11.42,
More informationReflections on Ethical Issues In the Tripartite Relationship
Reflections on Ethical Issues In the Tripartite Relationship [click] By Bruce A. Campbell 1 Introduction In most areas of the practice of law, there are a number of ethical issues that arise on a frequent
More informationOntario Supreme Court Ross v. Christian & Timbers Inc. Date: 2002-04-30 Mark Ross, Plaintiff. and. Christian and Timbers, Inc.
Ontario Supreme Court Ross v. Christian & Timbers Inc. Date: 2002-04-30 Mark Ross, Plaintiff and Christian and Timbers, Inc., Defendant Ontario Superior Court of Justice Swinton J. Heard: April 18, 2002
More informationGADSBY WICKS SOLICITORS EXPLANATION OF LEGAL TERMS
EXPLANATION OF LEGAL TERMS Affidavit: After the event litigation insurance: Application notice: Bar Council: Barrister: Basic Charges: Before the Event Legal Expenses Insurance: Bill of costs: Bolam test:
More informationMilwaukee Bar Association Fee Arbitration
Milwaukee Bar Association Fee Arbitration Attached are the Rules for the arbitration of fee disputes on behalf of the Milwaukee Bar Association. In consideration of the arbitration services to be rendered,
More informationLIMITATIONS. The Limitations Act. being
1 LIMITATIONS c. L-16.1 The Limitations Act being Chapter L-16.1* of The Statutes of Saskatchewan, 2004 (effective May 1, 2005), as amended by the Statutes of Saskatchewan, 2007, c.28. *NOTE: Pursuant
More informationS.116 Of The Courts of Justice Act Can Defendants Impose A Structured Settlement on the Plaintiff? Robert Roth
S.116 Of The Courts of Justice Act Can Defendants Impose A Structured Settlement on the Plaintiff? Robert Roth Historically, at common law, a plaintiff was not obliged to accept a structured settlement,
More informationTHE MAJOR IMPACT OF THE NEW MINOR INJURIES CATEGORY
THE MAJOR IMPACT OF THE NEW MINOR INJURIES CATEGORY By Cary N. Schneider September, 2010 VOL. 4, ISSUE 4 Cary N. Schneider is a partner at Beard Winter LLP who specializes in accident benefit and tort
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT NASHVILLE December 02, 2014 Session
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT NASHVILLE December 02, 2014 Session CONNIE REDMOND v. WALMART STORES, INC., ET AL. Appeal from the Circuit Court for Davidson County No. 13C3247 Joseph P. Binkley,
More informationHP0868, LD 1187, item 1, 123rd Maine State Legislature An Act To Recoup Health Care Funds through the Maine False Claims Act
PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney. Be it enacted by the People of the
More informationCIVIL TRIAL RULES. of the COURTS OF ORANGE COUNTY, TEXAS. Table of Contents GENERAL MATTERS. Rule 1.10 Time Standards for the Disposition of Cases...
CIVIL TRIAL RULES of the COURTS OF ORANGE COUNTY, TEXAS Table of Contents GENERAL MATTERS Addendum to Local Rules Rule 1.10 Time Standards for the Disposition of Cases...2 Rule 1.11 Annual Calendar...3
More information2013 IL App (3d) 120130-U. Order filed September 23, 2013 IN THE APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS THIRD DISTRICT A.D., 2013
NOTICE: This order was filed under Supreme Court Rule 23 and may not be cited as precedent by any party except in the limited circumstances allowed under Rule 23(e)(1). 2013 IL App (3d) 120130-U Order
More informationEffective Use of Experts. Litigating the Medical Malpractice Claim Ontario Bar Association
Introduction Effective Use of Experts By: Peter Kryworuk & Tyler Kaczmarczyk Lerners LLP Litigating the Medical Malpractice Claim Ontario Bar Association April 29, 2013 The importance of expert opinion
More informationDefendant has a duty to act as a reasonable person would in like or similar circumstances to avoid causing unreasonable risk of harm to others.
NEGLIGENCE (Heavily Tested) (Write On the Bar): In order for Plaintiff to recover in Negligence, she or he must plead and prove: DUTY, BREACH OF DUTY, ACTUAL CAUSATION, PROXIMATE CAUSATION, AND DAMAGES.
More informationSenate Bill No. 292 Senator Roberson
Senate Bill No. 292 Senator Roberson CHAPTER... AN ACT relating to civil actions; providing immunity from civil actions for a board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school
More informationLegal Action / Claiming Compensation in Scotland
Legal Action / Claiming Compensation in Scotland This help sheet explains your legal rights if you have been injured as a result of medical treatment and the steps involved in seeking compensation through
More informationContents COLLINGBOURNE HENNAHLAW. A GUIDE TO Clinical Negligence
A GUIDE TO Clinical Negligence A GUIDE TO Clinical Negligence The aim of this booklet is to provide some assistance in the field of clinical negligence. Contents 02 Introduction 03 Clinical Negligence
More informationAN ACT. To amend chapter 383, RSMo, by adding thereto thirteen new sections relating to the Missouri health care arbitration act.
3721L.01I AN ACT To amend chapter 383, RSMo, by adding thereto thirteen new sections relating to the Missouri health care arbitration act. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI,
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
FOR PUBLICATION ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT: MICHAEL J. ADLER Adler Law LLC Indianapolis, Indiana ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEES: LEE F. BAKER ABBEY JEZIORSKI State Farm Litigation Counsel Indianapolis, Indiana IN
More informationReed Armstrong Quarterly
Reed Armstrong Quarterly January 2009 http://www.reedarmstrong.com/default.asp Contributors: William B. Starnes II Tori L. Cox IN THIS ISSUE: Joint and Several Liability The Fault of Settled Tortfeasors
More informationONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE
COURT FILE NO.: CV-07-0159-00B1 DATE: October 08, 2009 ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE B E T W E E N: 1013952 ONTARIO INC., operating as the No one attending for Plaintiff Silverado Restaurant and Nightclub
More informationCAN A PLEADING BE AMENDED BECAUSE OF A LAWYER S MISTAKE?
1 CAN A PLEADING BE AMENDED BECAUSE OF A LAWYER S MISTAKE? By Bill McNally and Bottom Line Research & Communications 1 A lawyer frequently finds him or herself in the position where he or she has made
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION EIGHT
Filed 10/11/13 CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION EIGHT ED AGUILAR, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. B238853 (Los Angeles County
More informationExpert Medical Evidence: The Australian Medical Association s Position
Expert Medical Evidence: The Australian Medical Association s Position The Australian Medical Association and its members have had an increasing interest in this field for many years, with the level of
More informationSUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA
REL: 9/12/08 Notice: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the advance sheets of Southern Reporter. Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Alabama Appellate
More informationBridging the Common Law Civil Law Divide in Arbitration
Bridging the Common Law Civil Law Divide in Arbitration by SIEGFRIED H. ELSING * AND JOHN M. TOWNSEND * * INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION has evolved as a system for resolving disputes among parties from different
More informationRE: 1562860 ONTARIO LTD. c.o.b. as SHOELESS JOE S Plaintiff v. INSURANCE PORTFOLIO INC. and CHRISTOPHER CONIGLIO. Defendants v.
COURT FILE NO.: 4022A/07 (Milton) DATE: 20090401 SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE - ONTARIO RE: 1562860 ONTARIO LTD. c.o.b. as SHOELESS JOE S Plaintiff v. INSURANCE PORTFOLIO INC. and CHRISTOPHER CONIGLIO Defendants
More informationMedical Malpractice Litigation. What to Expect as a Defendant
Medical Malpractice Litigation What to Expect as a Defendant Being named as a defendant in a malpractice suit may be your first exposure to civil litigation. You will probably wish it would just go away.
More informationUnited Kingdom. Tristan Hall Sarah Hills Sedgwick Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP. 1. Directors duties
Tristan Hall Sarah Hills Sedgwick Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP 1. Directors duties 1.1 Nature of the duties In the United Kingdom, directors owe fiduciary duties and a duty of care to their companies. Until
More informationASSEMBLY BILL No. 597
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 14, 2015 california legislature 2015 16 regular session ASSEMBLY BILL No. 597 Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley February 24, 2015 An act to amend Sections 36 and 877 of, and
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
FOR PUBLICATION APPELLANT PRO SE: LLOYD G. PERRY ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEES: Attorneys for Anonymous Hospital 1, Inc. and Anonymous Medical Facility 1, Inc. MARK W. BAEVERSTAD ANDREW L. PALMISON Rothberg
More informationHOUSE BILL NO. HB0106. Medical malpractice-use of expert witnesses. A BILL. for. AN ACT relating to medical malpractice actions; providing
00 STATE OF WYOMING 0LSO-0 HOUSE BILL NO. HB0 Medical malpractice-use of expert witnesses. Sponsored by: Representative(s) Gingery A BILL for AN ACT relating to medical malpractice actions; providing for
More informationFactors to Consider When Handling a Long Term Disability Benefits Case. Several issues may arise in the course of a lawsuit for long term disability
Factors to Consider When Handling a Long Term Disability Benefits Case Several issues may arise in the course of a lawsuit for long term disability benefits. This paper provides strategic suggestions on
More informationPRACTICE GUIDE TO THE ASSESSMENT OF COSTS
Introduction PRACTICE GUIDE TO THE ASSESSMENT OF COSTS Since the commencement of the Civil Proceedings Rules 1998 (CPR), Judges are, for the first time, required to assess costs (a) (b) summarily at the
More informationLaw Office Searches: A Primer 1. Ian R. Smith Fenton, Smith Barristers Toronto, Ontario
Law Office Searches: A Primer 1 by Ian R. Smith Fenton, Smith Barristers Toronto, Ontario Introduction This paper is intended for the lawyer who finds him- or herself in the following unpleasant situation:
More informationStrata Corporations and the new Limitation Act By Shawn M. Smith Cleveland Doan LLP
Strata Corporations and the new Limitation Act By Shawn M. Smith Cleveland Doan LLP The application of limitation periods has generally not been given much consideration in the strata community. That is
More information2014 IL App (1st) 122440-U. No. 1-12-2440 IN THE APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
2014 IL App (1st) 122440-U SECOND DIVISION July 29, 2014 No. 1-12-2440 NOTICE: This order was filed under Supreme Court Rule 23 and may not be cited as precedent by any party except in the limited circumstances
More informationOklahoma Supreme Court Declares Oklahoma s Lawsuit Reform Act of 2009 Unconstitutional
Oklahoma Supreme Court Declares Oklahoma s Lawsuit Reform Act of 2009 Unconstitutional On June 4, 2013, the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued two opinions invalidating as unconstitutional numerous Oklahoma
More informationIN THE MANCHESTER COUNTY COURT No.2QT66034. 1 Bridge Street West Manchester M60 9DJ. Claimant. Defendant
1 0 1 0 1 IN THE MANCHESTER COUNTY COURT No.QT0 1 Bridge Street West Manchester M0 DJ 0 th November B e f o r e:- DISTRICT JUDGE MATHARU COMBINED SOLUTIONS UK Ltd. (Trading as Combined Parking Solutions)
More informationPERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS
PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS Frequently Asked Questions 1. Can I make a claim? If you have been injured because of the fault of someone else, you can claim financial compensation through the courts. The dependants
More informationILLINOIS OFFICIAL REPORTS
ILLINOIS OFFICIAL REPORTS Appellate Court Hart v. Kieu Le, 2013 IL App (2d) 121380 Appellate Court Caption LYNETTE Y. HART, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. LOAN KIEU LE, Defendant-Appellee. District & No. Second
More informationAssume that the following clause was included in the retainer agreement between SK Firm LLP and the Corporation (the Relieving Clause ):
ETHICAL SCENARIO #3 I. FACT PATTERN A Saskatchewan law firm ( SK Firm LLP ) acts on behalf of an out of province (e.g. national) corporation (the Corporation ). SK Firm LLP s role has been solely to file
More informationMODEL DIRECTIONS FOR CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE CASES (2012) - before Master Roberts and Master Cook
MODEL DIRECTIONS FOR CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE CASES (2012) - before Master Roberts and Master Cook Introductory note. These are the Model Directions for use in the first Case Management Conference in clinical
More informationLTD Benefits vs. The Duty to Accommodate
Accommodating Employees Who Have Made LTD Claims By: Lauren M. Bernardi Employers are sometimes confused about how LTD benefits and the duty to accommodate fit together. This articles attempts to dispel
More informationMedical Negligence. A client s guide
Medical Negligence A client s guide What is medical negligence? This note is intended to give you a broad outline about medical negligence (sometimes called clinical negligence) cases. It is not a substitute
More informationS.B. 88 126th General Assembly (As Introduced)
Elizabeth Dominic Bill Analysis Legislative Service Commission S.B. 88 126th General Assembly (As Introduced) Sens. Coughlin, Goodman BILL SUMMARY Requires the Superintendent of Insurance to establish
More informationGuidelines for Guardians ad Litem for Children in Family Court
Guidelines for Guardians ad Litem for Children in Family Court Preamble The following are guidelines for attorneys and non-lawyer volunteers appointed as guardians ad litem for children in most family
More informationA Practical Summary of the New Supreme Court Civil Rules for Clark Wilson LLP Insurance Clients
A Practical Summary of the New Supreme Court Civil Rules for Clark Wilson LLP Insurance Clients by: Jennifer Loeb Clark Wilson LLP tel. 604.891.7766 jrl@cwilson.com Edited by: Larry Munn Clark Wilson LLP
More informationJAMAICA THE HON MR JUSTICE MORRISON JA THE HON MR JUSTICE BROOKS JA THE HON MS JUSTICE LAWRENCE-BESWICK JA (AG) BETWEEN GODFREY THOMPSON APPELLANT
[2014] JMCA Civ 37 JAMAICA IN THE COURT OF APPEAL SUPREME COURT CIVIL APPEAL NO 41/2007 BEFORE: THE HON MR JUSTICE MORRISON JA THE HON MR JUSTICE BROOKS JA THE HON MS JUSTICE LAWRENCE-BESWICK JA (AG) BETWEEN
More informationREPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA IN THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA GAUTENG LOCAL DIVISION, JOHANNESBURG CASE NO: 13/33469 (1) REPORTABLE: YES / NO (2) OF INTEREST TO OTHER JUDGES: YES/NO (3) REVISED... DATE...
More informationAlani Golanski, for appellants. Christian H. Gannon, for respondent. A statute requires anyone who brings a lawsuit against
================================================================= This opinion is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the New York Reports. -----------------------------------------------------------------
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT JACKSON Assigned on Briefs April 26, 2012
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT JACKSON Assigned on Briefs April 26, 2012 JANICE RIDDLE v. KEITH CARLTON Direct Appeal from the Circuit Court for Shelby County No. CT-001065-II Kay Spalding Robilio,
More informationPLEASE NOTE. For more information concerning the history of this Act, please see the Table of Public Acts.
PLEASE NOTE This document, prepared by the Legislative Counsel Office, is an office consolidation of this Act, current to December 19, 2009. It is intended for information and reference purposes only.
More informationIn the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District
In the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District STEVE AUSTIN, Appellant, v. JOHN SCHIRO, M.D., Respondent. WD78085 OPINION FILED: May 26, 2015 Appeal from the Circuit Court of Clinton County, Missouri
More informationASSEMBLY BILL No. 597
california legislature 2015 16 regular session ASSEMBLY BILL No. 597 Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley February 24, 2015 An act to amend Sections 36 and 877 of, and to add Chapter 6 (commencing with
More informationEMPLOYERS LIABILITY AND THE ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM ACT 2013
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY AND THE ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM ACT 2013 By Justin Valentine Section 69 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amends section 47 of the Health and Safety at Work
More informationREAL PROPERTY QUESTION CORNER: (By Kraettli Q. Epperson) THE ELUSIVE LEGAL MALPRACTICE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR ATTORNEY TITLE OPINIONS
REAL PROPERTY QUESTION CORNER: (By Kraettli Q. Epperson) THE ELUSIVE LEGAL MALPRACTICE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR ATTORNEY TITLE OPINIONS (PARTS I AND II OF II PARTS) PUBLISHED IN THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY BAR
More informationOffice of the Comptroller v. Colonial Roofing Company, Inc. OATH Index No. 632/13, mem. dec. (Feb. 19, 2013)
Office of the Comptroller v. Colonial Roofing Company, Inc. OATH Index No. 632/13, mem. dec. (Feb. 19, 2013) In prevailing wage case, contractor sought summary judgment dismissing petition due to delay
More informationTitle XLV TORTS. Chapter 768 NEGLIGENCE. View Entire Chapter
Title XLV TORTS Chapter 768 NEGLIGENCE View Entire Chapter 768.28 Waiver of sovereign immunity in tort actions; recovery limits; limitation on attorney fees; statute of limitations; exclusions; indemnification;
More informationTHE DEFENSE LAWYER S TOOL KIT FOR WORKING WITH MEDICAL EXPERTS
THE DEFENSE LAWYER S TOOL KIT FOR WORKING WITH MEDICAL EXPERTS ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Medicine and Law Committee Annual Meeting August 1, 2009 Jessie L. Harris Williams Kastner 601
More informationMISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2013
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2013 By: Representative Turner To: Judiciary A HOUSE BILL NO. 529 1 AN ACT TO REQUIRE CLAIMANTS IN ASBESTOS TORT ACTIONS TO MAKE 2 CERTAIN DISCLOSURES PERTAINING
More informationIN THE CIRCUIT COURT THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS PART FIVE - LAW DIVISION AMENDED COURT RULES
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS PART FIVE - LAW DIVISION AMENDED COURT RULES RULE 1. MEDIATION IN MALPRACTICE CASES In order to alleviate the burden to the parties
More informationRe Sunforest Investment Corp et al. and Ontario New Home Warranty Program *
Re Sunforest Investment Corp et al. and Ontario New Home Warranty Program * [Indexed as: Sunforest Investment Corp. v. Ontario New Home Warranty Program] 32 O.R. (3d) 59 [1997] O.J. No. 128 Court File
More informationA Practical Guide to. Hiring a LAWYER
A Practical Guide to Hiring a LAWYER A PRACTIAL GUIDE TO HIRING A LAWYER I. Introduction 3 II. When do you Need a Lawyer? 3 III. How to Find a Lawyer 4 A. Referrals 4 B. Lawyer Referral Service 5 C. Unauthorized
More informationNSW COURT OF APPEAL DECISION SUPPORTS LITIGATION FUNDING MARKET
NSW COURT OF APPEAL DECISION SUPPORTS LITIGATION FUNDING MARKET Introduction 1. The New South Wales Court of Appeal, in a unanimous Judgment on Thursday 31 March 2005, sent some clear messages to legal
More informationColorado s Civil Access Pilot Project and the Changing Landscape of Business Litigation
Colorado s Civil Access Pilot Project and the Changing Landscape of Business Litigation On January 1, 2012, new rules approved by the Colorado Supreme Court entitled the Civil Access Pilot Project ( CAPP
More informationDel O'Roark, Loss Prevention Consultant, Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co. of Ky.
So You've Been Accused of Legal Malpractice? Well, Don't Just Do Something - Sit There! Del O'Roark, Loss Prevention Consultant, Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co. of Ky. KBA Bench & Bar, Vol. 58 No. 1, Winter
More informationDel O'Roark, Loss Prevention Consultant, Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co. of Ky.
The Kentucky Malpractice Statute of Limitations The Supreme Court Clears The Air Del O'Roark, Loss Prevention Consultant, Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co. of Ky. KBA Bench & Bar, Vol. 58 No. 4, Fall 1994 In
More informationAddressing Abusive Lawyer Conduct in Relation to Litigation Proceedings
Author: Attorney Dan A. Riegleman N63 W23965 Main Street Sussex, Wisconsin 53089 Prepared: 06/01/10 WHITE PAPER: DR2504 Addressing Abusive Lawyer Conduct in Relation to Litigation Proceedings There are
More informationPaper to be delivered at the Law Society of Upper Canada Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2007
PROPERTY TAX UPDATE: CURRENT ISSUES AND DISPUTES Paper to be delivered at the Law Society of Upper Canada Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2007 By: Michael Steinberg February 2007 Michael S. Steinberg
More informationIN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT JACKSON Submitted On Briefs November 18, 2009
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE AT JACKSON Submitted On Briefs November 18, 2009 JOE HENRY MOORE v. STATE OF TENNESSEE Direct Appeal from the Tennessee Claims Commission No. 20-101-047 Nancy C. Miller
More informationLIMITATION OF CERTAIN ACTIONS ACT
LIMITATION OF CERTAIN ACTIONS ACT CHAPTER 7:09 Act 36 of 1997 Amended by 2 of 2000 Current Authorised Pages Pages Authorised (inclusive) by L.R.O. 1 18.. L.R.O. 2 Chap. 7:09 Limitation of Certain Actions
More informationHow To Pass A Bill In The United States
S.B. SENATE BILL NO. SENATOR ROBERSON MARCH, Referred to Committee on Judiciary SUMMARY Revises provisions relating to certain civil actions involving negligence. (BDR -) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government:
More information(129th General Assembly) (Amended Substitute House Bill Number 380) AN ACT
(129th General Assembly) (Amended Substitute House Bill Number 380) AN ACT To enact sections 2307.951, 2307.952, 2307.953, and 2307.954 of the Revised Code to require claimants in asbestos tort actions
More information