Legal News

Stories about physicians and other healthcare professionals involved in lawsuits—as either a plaintiff or a defendant—or accused of breaking the law. Various legal updates or unusual stories in the news may land here.

State sues AI company after bot impersonates doctor
The digital entity gave at least one end-user a phony medical-license number. Unfortunately for the chatbot, that end-user was a state investigator.
Hospitals sue Anthem over policy prohibiting use of out-of-network radiologists
Anthem defended the policy in response to the lawsuit, contending patients shouldn’t have to worry about surprise medical bills when visiting in-network hospitals.
Maggot therapy? Wrongful termination lawsuit claims nursing home had a severe sanitation problem
Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center called claims made in the lawsuit by a former employee, Nuella Joseph, “unsubstantiated.” Joseph, a nurse, said the facility has a cleanliness problem that led to bug infestations in resident rooms.
DOJ unveils West Coast ‘Strike Force’ as new tactic used to tackle healthcare fraud
Federal authorities said the shift to regional “Strike Force” models has proven successful, with 6,200 defendants prosecuted nationwide. The DOJ said this latest unit will take a special interest in Northern California.
Radiologists among physician specialists facing higher risk of being sued, AMA says
About 38% of rads surveyed said they had defended against at least one lawsuit, with such specialists at a higher risk than others in internal medicine.

Psychiatric hospital sued for $150M over ‘encouraging’ fight between juveniles

A new lawsuit claims a 15-year-old girl was used as an enforcer of bad behavior at a psychiatric facility in Michigan, resulting in her severely beating a 10-year-old boy.

An Illinois appellate judge upheld a pervious trial victory that cleared and central Illinois cardiologist Amit Dande, MD, and Prairie Cardiovascular Consults LLP of alleged misdiagnosis of the severity of a patient's heart condition that led to his death prior to a schedule percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Cardiologist sues health system that called him an ‘immediate threat to the public’

The health system, meanwhile, said it stands by its decision to terminate the interventional cardiologist after working with him for several years.

Breached Change Healthcare server lacked multifactor authentication, UnitedHealth CEO admits

UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty told the Senate Finance Committee that systems have been rebuilt “from scratch” in light of the oversight.

Appeals court revives suit alleging radiology practice used nonmedical-grade monitors to submit $6M in false claims

The case dates to June 2019 when whistleblower and Arizona IT executive Eric Stenson first filed suit against Tucson-based Radiology Limited.

money gavel court lawsuit legal judge judgement

Philips settles cases over faulty sleep apnea machines for $1.1B

The litigation stems from a 2023 recall of CPAP machines and ventilators that caused users to inhale pieces of foam during use. The faulty units were linked to at least 561 deaths.

AMGA condemns FTC ban on noncompetes in healthcare

The healthcare employers’ trade group said a nationwide ban on noncompete contracts will stifle investment in new technologies.

Against malpractice for using clinical AI, the best defense is a good offense

If a clinician you care about counts on AI to help make medical decisions, remind them: Tort law principles hold that doing so means risking liability should a patient sue over harm done.

Which healthcare entities will be affected by ban on noncompetes? Look to business practices, not tax status

The new rule will give healthcare workers more options, but are non-profit hospitals exempt from the law?

Legal News

State sues AI company after bot impersonates doctor

Hospitals sue Anthem over policy prohibiting use of out-of-network radiologists

Maggot therapy? Wrongful termination lawsuit claims nursing home had a severe sanitation problem

DOJ unveils West Coast ‘Strike Force’ as new tactic used to tackle healthcare fraud

Radiologists among physician specialists facing higher risk of being sued, AMA says