Opinion ID: 1725488
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Heading: louisiana medical malpractice act

Text: The section of the statute at issue today, La.R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(5), is part of the broader Louisiana Medical Malpractice Act which was enacted in 1975 in response to a perceived crisis in the delivery of health care, ostensibly prompted by the prohibitive costs associated with medical malpractice insurance. Thomas v. Insurance Corporation of America, 93-1856 (La. 2/28/94); 633 So.2d 136, quoting Everett v. Goldman, 359 So.2d 1256, 1261 (La.1978). In an attempt to reduce medical malpractice insurance costs, the Act imposes a scheme under which claims against health care providers who are qualified in accordance with La.R.S. 40:1299.42(A) are first submitted to a medical review panel. Further, the Act limits the amount of recovery by any one patient for medical malpractice against a qualified health care provider to $100,000. Damages for medical malpractice damages in excess of $100,000 up to a limit of $500,000, exclusive of future medical care and related benefits, can be recovered from the PCF. La.R.S. 40:1299.42. [4] La.R.S. 40:1299.44 outlines the creation, powers and obligations of the PCF, which is funded by collections of an annual surcharge from qualified health care providers. La. R.S. 40:1299.44(C) delineates the procedure for collecting from the Fund in the event a malpractice plaintiff has been paid $100,000 from the health care provider or his insurer, yet the claimant demands an amount in excess of the settlement. The claimant files a petition in court seeking approval of the agreed settlement and the court's entertaining his demand for additional damages from the PCF. A copy of the petition is served on the PCF Oversight Board, the health care provider and his or her insurer at least ten days before the filing of the petition. La. R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(2). The Board may agree to the demand or file objections within twenty days after the petition is filed. La.R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(3). The district court shall set a hearing date on the claimant's petition. La.R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(4). La.R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(5) provides the procedure for the district court to follow in approving a settlement. [5] If there is no agreement between the parties on the amount of excess damages to be paid by the Fund, the court has the responsibility to determine the amount of such damages. In approving a settlement or in determining the amount to be paid from the Fund in a case where the qualified health care provider's insurer has tendered $100,000 in settlement to claimant, then the court shall consider the liability of the health care provider as admitted and established .... [6] La.R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(7) imposes a requirement of good faith and reasonable care upon the insurer of the health care provider in considering and acting upon settlement. The Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight Board is created under the terms of La.R.S. 40:1299.44(D) and is specifically empowered with numerous duties. The Medical Malpractice Act's limitations on the liability of a health care provider constitute special legislation in derogation of the rights of tort victims, and as such, the coverage of the Act should be strictly construed. Sewell v. Doctors Hospital, 600 So.2d 577 (La.1992). Because the statute grants immunities or advantages to a special class in derogation of general rights, it must be strictly construed against limiting the tort claimant's rights against the wrongdoer. Branch v. Willis-Knighton Medical Center, 92-3086 (La. 4/28/94); 636 So.2d 211; Kelty v. Brumfield, 93-1142 (La. 2/25/94); 633 So.2d 1210; and Williams v. St. Paul Ins. Cos., 419 So.2d 1302 (La.App. 4th Cir.1982). Keeping this in mind, we turn to consideration of La.R.S. 40:1299.44(C)(5) and whether its admission of liability clause satisfies the plaintiff's burden of proving a causal connection between the acts of malpractice and corresponding injuries and damages.