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
On October 22, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed into law House Bill 6159, creating a Pandemic Health Care Immunity Act to protect health care workers against liability for claims arising out of care provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This law was part of a package of COVID-related bills signed
By: Nicole Joseph-Windecker
In its unanimous unpublished decision of Estate of Kevin Karl Gottschalk, by Kathleen Tocco, Personal Representative. v. Plumbrook Pharmacy, et al., the Michigan Court of Appeals held that pharmacies cannot be sued for medical malpractice as a matter of law. This ruling on September 17 was consistent with
September 2020
FBMJ Attorneys Featured Presenters at MSHRM Event
FBMJ attorneys, Clyde M. Metzger and Mitchell C. Jackson, presented “Avoiding (Digital) Skeletons in the (Electronic) Closet” to the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management (MSHRM) on September 16, 2020, as part of its Webinar series.
The presentation covered current trends and legal issues surrounding the preservation of electronically-stored information (“ESI”),
FBMJ attorney Anthony Pignotti authored “Summary and Analysis of Executive and Administrative Orders Issued in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Impact on the Legal System” for the September 2020 issue of Michigan Defense Quarterly Volume 37, No. 1 – 2020.
The article addresses how COVID-19-related executive and administrative orders
FBMJ Attorneys recently prevailed in convincing the Michigan Court of Appeals to require more stringent causation proofs from plaintiffs in toxic tort cases. The case will have far reaching consequences for all toxic tort cases, as the opinion brought causation analysis in Michigan toxic tort cases in-line with the causation
Remote notarizations will continue to be permitted through August 31, 2020 under a new order Gov. Whitmer issued this week. Executive Order 2020-158 extended a previous order encouraging the use of electronic signatures and remote witnessing of signatures due to COVID-19 and suspending in-person notarization and signing requirements.
NOTARIZATION
As with the
FBMJ attorney, Anthony D. Pignotti, presented “Use and Disclosure of Electronically Stored Information in Healthcare” to the Michigan Society of Healthcare Risk Management (MSHRM) on July 15, 2020, as part of its Summer Webinar Series. The presentation covered the potential types of ESI generated and maintained in healthcare systems, the legal rules
Foley, Baron, Metzger & Juip, PLLC, is pleased to announce that Carlos Escurel has joined the firm as an Associate Principal.
Escurel brings extensive experience in the area of medical malpractice to the firm, having defended healthcare professionals and institutions for over 17 years. His primary focus is handling complex medical