Although most medical malpractice cases allege that the defendant medical care provider’s breach of the standard of care was due to negligence, rather than an intentional act, there are key differences between an ordinary negligence claim and a medical malpractice claim. The Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, recently…
Rochester Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
New York Court Discusses Sufficiency of Expert Opinions in Surgical Malpractice Cases
The basis of any Rochester surgical malpractice claim is the assertion that a physician caused harm by deviating from the standard of care. Therefore, as the ordinary layperson does not have any knowledge regarding what level of care is required to comply with the standard, both parties in a medical…
Court Discusses Grounds for Granting an Extension to File a Complaint in a New York Hospital Malpractice Case
In any medical malpractice lawsuit, it is important to hire an attorney who is mindful of statutory filing obligations, as the failure to comply with deadlines can drastically impair a plaintiff’s right to recover damages. Recently, the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate division, discussed when it is appropriate to…
New York Court Analyzes Sufficiency of Evidence in a Case Alleging Malpractice Due to Failure to Diagnose
In New York, in any case alleging medical malpractice, the burden of proof moves from the plaintiff to the defendant and then back to the plaintiff. Thus, if the defendant sets forth an expert affidavit refuting the allegations in the plaintiff’s bill of particulars, the plaintiff can only avoid a…
Court Discusses Shifting Burden of Proof in NY Hospital Malpractice Case
In any case alleging hospital malpractice, the burden of proof as to whether the defendant deviated from the standard of care and thereby caused the plaintiff harm shifts from the plaintiff to the defendant and then back to the plaintiff. Recently, a New York appellate court discussed the evidence each…
Court Discusses Privilege Protecting Quality Assurance Review Meetings in New York Obstetric Malpractice Case
Generally, a party alleging obstetric malpractice is entitled to the disclosure of any facts and information that is necessary and material to pursue a lawsuit. While the policy typically favors liberal discovery, there are some privileges that provide exceptions to the general rule. For example, Education Law § 6537(3) protects…
New York Court Discusses Proof Needed to Establish a Doctor-Patient Relationship
There are several elements a person harmed by medical malpractice must prove to recover damages from the care provider that caused his or her harm. First, and perhaps most importantly, the injured party must show that he or she was a patient of the doctor that rendered the inadequate care.…
New York Court Discusses Medical Malpractice Cases Involving Multiple Defendants
It is not uncommon for a plaintiff in a medical malpractice case to allege that both the doctor that provided his or her treatment and the hospital where the treatment was rendered are liable for any harm caused by the treatment. There are numerous factual disputes that can arise in…
Court Discusses Purpose of Bill of Particulars in New York Oncology Malpractice Case
When a patient has a complex disease such as cancer, he or she will typically treat with more than one medical care provider. Thus, in lawsuits arising out of oncology malpractice, several physicians may be named as defendants responsible for the injured party’s harm. Regardless of how many defendants are…
Court Discusses Sufficiency of Expert Affirmation in New York Podiatry Malpractice Case
When people think of a malpractice case, they often think of cases involving high-risk procedures, but malpractice can and does occur in any practice area, including seemingly low-risk areas such as podiatry. Regardless of the nature of the underlying treatment, if a doctor’s care causes harm it is essential to…