Court decision will help physicians defend malpractice cases

Monday, June 16, 2014 06:14 PM

The Colorado Supreme Court today issued an important case decision that will help physicians in the defense of malpractice cases. The Colorado Medical Society submitted an Amicus, or friend of the court, brief on behalf of two defendant physicians and helped persuade the Colorado Supreme Court to rule in their favor and clarify Colorado hearsay rules in favor of physicians defending malpractice cases. A radiologist and internal medicine specialist were the two physician defendants in the case.

CMS recognized the importance of the issue to all physicians and recruited additional organizations - the American Medical Association, who provided substantial financial resources; the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; the Colorado Radiological Society; and the Colorado Society of Anesthesiologists - to join in the brief on behalf of the defendant physicians.

The decision will assist physicians in defending malpractice claims as it broadens the scope of admissible evidence that may be useful in proving alternative theories of causation. Click here for more information.