News and briefs: Physicians not responsible for third-parties

The Connecticut Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of physicians, by protecting them from being sued by victims of physicians’ patients. According to amednews.com, the court said physicians owe no duty to non-patients who are harmed because of a patient’s medical condition. In its ruling, the judges wrote that holding physicians responsible for non-patients could adversely affect the way they treat patients.

The ruling stems from a case in which John Jarmie sued Frank Troncale, MD, after being hit by a car driven by Dr. Troncale’s patient, Mary Ann Ambrogio. Troncale treated Ambrogio for liver and kidney ailments. While she was driving home from her appointment, she passed out and hit Jarmie. In his lawsuit, Jarmie argued Troncale did not provide the standard of care because he did not warn Ambrogio of the risks of driving with her medical condition. Troncale denied any wrongdoing and a trial court ruled in his favor. Jarmie then appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court.

After the ruling was issued by the state supreme court, Layne Gakos, general counsel for the Connecticut State Medical Society said the decision will prevent physicians from having to change the way they practice medicine or alter their physician-patient relationships.

Similar cases in other states have gone the way of the third-party plaintiff. To read more, click here.