Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Medical Malpractice Law & StrategyLJN NewslettersNewsSections

Pending Decision May Influence Measure of Medical Damages

By David S. Ettinger

Measuring the extent of medical damages, for a medical malpractice claim as for any other type of negligence claim, is an important part of any case. Normally, when a defendant causes harm that sends a plaintiff to a hospital or doctor, three different measures may be relevant to determining the defendant's liability ' the amount the plaintiff herself has paid for medical care, the amount the plaintiff's health insurance has paid on her behalf, and the amount a health care provider has billed as its “usual and customary” charge.

The first amount is not controversial because a plaintiff is, of course, entitled to be compensated for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The second amount, too, is usually not in dispute; it is generally agreed that a defendant is also liable for medical expenses the plaintiff did not pay, but which were instead paid by her health insurance carrier. That additional recovery is the result of the common-law collateral source rule, although many states have modified the rule by statute to reduce such recoveries. As stated by the California Supreme Court, the collateral source rule provides that “if an injured party receives some compensation for his injuries from a source wholly independent of the tortfeasor, such payment should not be deducted from the damages which the plaintiff would otherwise collect from the tortfeasor.” Helfend v. Southern Cal. Rapid Transit Dist. (1970) 2 Cal.3d 1, 6.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Judge Rules Shaquille O'Neal Will Face Securities Lawsuit for Promotion, Sale of NFTs Image

A federal district court in Miami, FL, has ruled that former National Basketball Association star Shaquille O'Neal will have to face a lawsuit over his promotion of unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency tokens and that he was a "seller" of these unregistered securities.

Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners Image

Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.

Coverage Issues Stemming from Dry Cleaner Contamination Suits Image

In recent years, there has been a growing number of dry cleaners claiming to be "organic," "green," or "eco-friendly." While that may be true with respect to some, many dry cleaners continue to use a cleaning method involving the use of a solvent called perchloroethylene, commonly known as perc. And, there seems to be an increasing number of lawsuits stemming from environmental problems associated with historic dry cleaning operations utilizing this chemical.

Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?