February 2022
2022 Limitation on Noneconomic Damages
On January 28, 2022, the State of Michigan Department of Treasury released the 2022 limitations on noneconomic damages for claims alleging medical malpractice. The “upper cap” was adjusted to $887,500 (an increase of $36,500 compared to 2021). The “lower cap” was adjusted to a limitation of $497,000 (an increase of $20,400 compared to
On January 13, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) struck down the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate that was to apply to all large employers. That same day, the Supreme Court upheld the administration’s vaccine mandate that applies to healthcare workers at healthcare facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid.
These
The Michigan Supreme Court has amended the Michigan Court Rules to eliminate the requirement that all civil cases go through the Case Evaluation process. Instead, the parties will now be able to stipulate to an alternative process to resolve the case – facilitation or mediation. Additionally, the amendments remove the
FBMJ attorney, Anthony D. Pignotti recently co-authored an article titled, “Litigating the Value of Medical-Expense Damages,” published in the Michigan Defense Quarterly (Vol. 38, No.1, 2021), a publication of the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC). The article discusses recoverable economic damages in civil actions and focuses specifically on issues related to medical-expenses damages.
September 2021
Credentialing Case Closed: COA Rules Ambulatory Surgical Center Credentialing File Privileged
Is an ambulatory outpatient surgical center’s credentialing file discoverable and admissible at trial? No and no, according to the Michigan Court of Appeals’ published decision in Dorsey v. Surgical Institute of Michigan, where the Court extended the statutory protection for credentialing files beyond hospitals to also include ambulatory surgical centers.
The
April 2021
Unlicensed = Uncapped?
Claims against an unlicensed medical assistant employed by a non-profit medical institution sound in ordinary negligence and are not subject to the non-economic medical malpractice damages cap—at least according to the Michigan Court of Appeals’ recent published decision in Estate of John Swanzy v. Edward J. Kryshak, M.D., et al.
If it
It was just last year that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA, celebrated its 20th anniversary. During that time, the U.S. Supreme Court has never issued a substantive opinion on a religious land use matter based on RLUIPA. However, the Supreme Court has now issued an
February 2021
Pharmacist Attorney Kim Sveska Publishes Article for MPA Journal – “Don’t Forget to Sue the Pharmacist”
FBMJ pharmacist attorney, Kim Sveska, recently published the article “Don’t Forget to Sue the Pharmacist” in the Michigan Pharmacist Journal (2021 Vol. 59 Issue 1), a publication of the Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA). The article discusses recent legal precedents that could lead to greater liability for pharmacists.
The Michigan Pharmacists Association
January 2021
2021 Michigan NonEconomic Damages Announced
On January 27, 2021, the State of Michigan Department of Treasury released the 2021 limitations on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases. The “upper cap” limitation was adjusted to $851,000. The “lower cap” was adjusted to a limitation of $476,600.
Michigan has placed a limitation on the total amount of damages