Tag: Sexual Exploitation

Sexual Abuse by a Gynecologist Meets Tort Reform

astein Leave a comment

By Alex Stein

A gynecologist’s patient filed a suit alleging that he touched her inappropriately and made sexually charged comments during her office visits. The suit was filed against the gynecologist and his employer. The plaintiff’s allegations against the gynecologist included medical negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Her cause of action against the employer consisted of negligent supervision and negligent infliction of emotional distress. After settling her suit against the gynecologist for an undisclosed amount, the plaintiff attempted to proceed with her action against the employer. The employer moved for summary judgment, which was granted by the trial judge and affirmed by the court of appeals. The plaintiff’s appeal to the Supreme Court of Kansas was equally unsuccessful: Cady v. Schroll, — P.3d —-, 2014 WL 265551 (Kan. 2014).

Here is why: Read More

Medical Malpractice Law as a Triumph of Procedure Over Substance

astein Leave a comment

By Alex Stein

When Sir Henry Maine wrote (here, on page 389) that early substantive law was “secreted in the interstices of procedure,” he did not know that he was coining a long-lasting adage. Even less did he anticipate that this adage will aptly describe our today’s system of medical malpractice.

This system normally requires plaintiffs to accompany their suits with an affidavit or certificate of merit from an eligible medical expert. The expert must show that s/he practices medicine in the same field or specialty as the defendant doctor and is familiar with the standards, protocols and procedures followed by physicians working in that field or specialty (in some jurisdictions, the expert only needs to satisfy the familiarity condition). The expert also must identify the malpractice: the defendant’ deviation from one of those standards, protocols or procedures. Finally, the expert must certify that there is a reasonable medical possibility that the defendant’s malpractice has injured the plaintiff or aggravated her condition. When a plaintiff fails to submit an affidavit that satisfies this checklist requirement, the court must dismiss her suit. The checklist requirement thus creates a “safe harbor” for doctors who go by the rules and blocks away unmeritorious suits. For details, see here.

The Supreme Court of Idaho has recently taken the checklist requirement to its extreme. This unfortunate development took place in Hall v. Rocky Mountain Emergency Physicians,— P.3d —-, 2013 WL 4768310 (Idaho 2013). Read More