2012 PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY UPDATE - Eckert Seamans

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Venue ...................................................................................................... 102Remittitur .............................................................................................. 103Ostensible Agency ................................................................................. 103Insurance Reform ............................................................................................. 104Rules ............................................................................................................................... 108Certificate of Merit ........................................................................................... 108Amendments to Rule 1042.1, 1042.2, and 1042.3; Renumbering ofRule 1042.6 as 1042.7, Renumbering of Rule 1042.7 as 1042.8;Renumbering of Rule 1042.8 as 1042.9; and Promulgation of NewRule 1042.6............................................................................................. 110Failure to Timely File/Substantial Compliance ................................. 112Failure to Timely File/Excuses for Delay ................................ 112Timeliness of Notice of Intent to Enter Judgment of Non Pros..................................................................................................... 115Substantial Compliance ............................................................ 116Applicability of the Rule ....................................................................... 120Is It a Professional Negligence Claim? .................................... 120Applicability of Federal and State Law in Federal Court..... 125Expert Testimony ...................................................................... 128Dragonetti Act Claims .............................................................. 128Amendments to the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure Governing ProfessionalLiability .......................................................................................................................... 129Certificate of Merit ........................................................................................... 129Venue – Pa. R. Civ. P. 1006 .............................................................................. 129Other Rules ........................................................................................................ 136New/Amended Rules of Civil Procedure - Effective Since Last Update................................................................................................................. 136New Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 234.2 -- EffectiveSeptember 1, 2009 ..................................................................... 136New Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1036.1 -- EffectiveMarch 1, 2009 ............................................................................ 136The Fair Share Act – Changes To 42 Pa.C.S.A §7102 ............................................... 137Preemption of Vaccine Design Defect Claims by National Childhood Vaccine InjuryAct................................................................................................................................... 138MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES ................................................................................................... 139Discovery of Experts ..................................................................................................... 139FRCP 26 – Discovery – Work Product Protection Expanded to IncludeExpert Witness Drafts and Communication with Counsel – Duty to Disclose;General Provisions Governing Discovery ....................................................... 139Pa. R. Civ. Pro. 1036.1 – Reinstatement of a Party to a Negligent Action – AJudicial Mechanism Created to Reinstate a Party Who Was Dismissed Uponiv
Filing an Affidavit of Non-Involvement Premised on False Inaccurate Facts –Reinstatement of Claim Dismissed Upon Affidavit of Noninvolvement ...... 140Rule 10.05(4)(m) - Amendments of the Wisconsin Rules of Civil Procedure –Professional Assistance Program Guidelines – Mandated and Voluntary –Board of Governors. State Bar Assistance Programs................................... 140Civil Procedure Case Law ................................................................................ 141Discovery of Experts ............................................................................. 141Barrick v. Holy Spirit Hosp. of the Sisters of Christian Charity..................................................................................................... 141Release ............................................................................................................................ 142Maloney v. Valley Med. Facilities, Inc., 984 A.2d 478 (Pa. 2009) ................. 142Tindall v. Friedman, 970 A.2d 1159 (Pa. Super. 2009) .................................. 142No Tort for Negligent Spoliation of Evidence ............................................................ 143Zaleppa v. Seiwell, 2010 Pa. Super. 208 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010) ..................... 144LEGAL MALPRACTICE ....................................................................................................... 144Elements of a Cause of Action for Legal Malpractice – Negligence ......................... 144Elements of a Cause of Action for Legal Malpractice – Breach of Contract ......... 148The “Increased Risk of Harm” Standard Does Not Apply ....................................... 148Settlement ...................................................................................................................... 149Damages ......................................................................................................................... 151Collectability .................................................................................................................. 154Privity ............................................................................................................................. 155Waiver of Meritorious Defense .................................................................................... 158Duty to Keep Client Informed ..................................................................................... 158Statute of Limitations ................................................................................................... 158Contributory Negligence Defense ................................................................................ 163Subrogation ................................................................................................................... 164Venue .............................................................................................................................. 164Certificate of Merit ....................................................................................................... 165Requirement and Substance of Expert Testimony / Expert Qualifications ............ 168v
Page 3: EMTALA CASES ......................
Page 8 and 9: II.PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY - AN OVER
Page 10 and 11: The Superior Court reversed the tri
Page 12 and 13: to a third party pursuant to the st
Page 14 and 15: After approximately five months, De
Page 16 and 17: learned the day after the surgery t
Page 18 and 19: conduct to the delay in colon cance
Page 20 and 21: court admitted the expert’s testi
Page 22 and 23: (b)(c)other reasonable causes, incl
Page 24 and 25: corroborated his testimony. The cou
Page 26 and 27: husband’s estate. Plaintiff alleg
Page 28 and 29: Other notable federal cases arising
Page 30 and 31: The Superior Court found that in re
Page 32 and 33: § 1303.512(b). The court, however,
Page 34 and 35: In Neidig v. United States, No. 07-
Page 36 and 37: Additionally, the Supreme Court not
Page 38 and 39: were not indicated for her conditio
Page 40 and 41: surgeon is the same as it would be
Page 42 and 43: It should be noted that the Superio
Page 44 and 45: Finally, the court held that the tr
Page 46 and 47: The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania r
Page 48 and 49: nurses deviating from applicable st
Page 50 and 51: certainty, the court reviews expert
Page 52 and 53: Under Pennsylvania law, the Court n
Page 54 and 55:
testimony, Defendant presented his
Page 56 and 57:
Following Cooper v. Roberts, 286 A.
Page 58 and 59:
Plaintiff developed chronic diarrhe
Page 60 and 61:
where payment is made by Medicaid w
Page 62 and 63:
accomplished. In Valles v. Albert E
Page 64 and 65:
In 1980, the Pennsylvania Superior
Page 66 and 67:
Plaintiff had a routine monitoring
Page 68 and 69:
Plaintiff’s Contract ClaimsThe Co
Page 70 and 71:
is a failure to report changes in a
Page 72 and 73:
unit to assure post-surgical patien
Page 74 and 75:
sliced his wrist and arm with a raz
Page 76 and 77:
licensed professionals for whom the
Page 78 and 79:
(c)Limitations of Corporate Neglige
Page 80 and 81:
Even more recently, our Superior Co
Page 82 and 83:
(a)HMO IssuesIn McClellan v. Health
Page 84 and 85:
affidavit submitted by Defendants o
Page 86 and 87:
treatments while at VA’s faciliti
Page 88 and 89:
[s]ubstantively, we believe that a
Page 90 and 91:
The party claiming the benefit of t
Page 92 and 93:
deprive (him) of civil rights guara
Page 94 and 95:
found that the District Court was w
Page 96 and 97:
With respect to fraudulent concealm
Page 98 and 99:
would be applied in situations wher
Page 100 and 101:
they had not raised them in the cou
Page 102 and 103:
(a)Informed ConsentUnder MCARE, a p
Page 104 and 105:
civil enforcement provisions and ma
Page 106 and 107:
MCARE also changes the manner in wh
Page 108 and 109:
whose death, in 2005, was allegedly
Page 110 and 111:
vicariously liable if the plaintiff
Page 112 and 113:
health center or its equivalent or
Page 114 and 115:
In Pennsylvania Medical Society, th
Page 116 and 117:
to any professional who is alleged
Page 118 and 119:
Since the 2005 amendments, there ha
Page 120 and 121:
ule, but who intentionally ignores
Page 122 and 123:
the original Complaint was delivere
Page 124 and 125:
foreclose all challenges against th
Page 126 and 127:
number of boxes), which was support
Page 128 and 129:
questions of professional judgment
Page 130 and 131:
deviated from any professional stan
Page 132 and 133:
The Third Circuit affirmed the Dist
Page 134 and 135:
claims and cross-claims remain agai
Page 136 and 137:
By an Amendatory Order dated March
Page 138 and 139:
The court acknowledged that there i
Page 140 and 141:
apply and that the trial court misa
Page 142 and 143:
Barbados had enough litigation-spec
Page 144 and 145:
E. Preemption of Vaccine Design Def
Page 146 and 147:
2. Pa. R. Civ. Pro. 1036.1 - Reinst
Page 148 and 149:
Barrick, at *34-35.Furthermore, the
Page 150 and 151:
(b) the utility of the defendant’
Page 152 and 153:
2006). In this case, Plaintiffs bro
Page 154 and 155:
B. Elements of a Cause of Action fo
Page 156 and 157:
decision in Muhammad precluded Mr.
Page 158 and 159:
considered speculative “only if t
Page 160 and 161:
underlying cause of action involved
Page 162 and 163:
In Capital Care Corp., the Superior
Page 164 and 165:
The court found, however, to state
Page 166 and 167:
of reasonable diligence. The standa
Page 168 and 169:
not be set aside. On July 7, 2005,
Page 170 and 171:
complete bar to recovery. Since a l
Page 172 and 173:
On appeal, Plaintiffs claimed that
Page 174 and 175:
In Liggon-Redding, 659 F.3d at 265,
Page 176 and 177:
elieved of those minimum standards
Page 178 and 179:
elevant to the proceedings, the com
Page 180 and 181:
establish professional misconduct b
Page 182 and 183:
Upholding the Superior Court’s Or
Page 184 and 185:
Id.Rejecting revocation and suspens
Page 186 and 187:
order as a sanction under Rule 4019
Page 188:
{1009912]182
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2012 PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY UPDATE - Eckert Seamans

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