Finding a Lawyer Who Accepts HPSO Insurance to Defend Healthcare Providers
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Healthcare professionals such as pharmacists, licensed mental health counselors, advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), and massage therapists often struggle to find experienced lawyers in Florida who will accept their professional liability insurance after receiving complaints from the Department of Health (DOH). Specifically, in this blog, the insurance provider in question is Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance. Advantages of Having HPSO Insurance. The medical professionals HPSO Insurance covers can give a sigh of relief knowing they have excellent insurance coverage. HPSO Insurance provides professional [...]
HHS Announces Voluntary Resolution Agreement With University Of Southern California Medical School to Settle Sex Discrimination Complaints
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On June 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the University of Southern California (USC), along with its medical enterprise, Keck Medicine of USC (KMUSC), entered into a voluntary resolution agreement or settlement. In a statement released to the public, HHS said the agreement would resolve a compliance review of KMUSC Entities’ policies and procedures for responding to sex discrimination complaints made by students, employees, or patients employed by, or participating in, any programs [...]
Mental Health Counselors: Follow These Rules To Prevent Complaints and Keep Your Professional License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Licensed mental health counselors, psychologists, and other mental health care professionals are potential targets of licensure complaints from clients in any practice setting. Many legal situations and cases arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing the many disciplinary complaints and lawsuits I have handled, I have put together a list of simple "straightforward" rules. Following these rules can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish and thousands of dollars in attorney's fees [...]
Finding a Lawyer Who Accepts NORCAL Insurance to Defend Your License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many nurses, nurse practitioners, and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) carry professional malpractice insurance through NORCAL Mutual Insurance or one of the other similar insurance companies. This insurance is inexpensive and provides excellent coverage. What you may not realize, however, is that such insurance provides many added benefits, other than just coverage on nursing liability lawsuits, provided you have obtained the additional coverage from it. It will pay for legal defense expenses if there is a complaint filed against your nursing license. It will [...]
NC Medical Malpractice Suit Against the U.S. Dismissed Due to 4-Year Time Limit
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm On July 18, 2023, a federal judge in North Carolina granted a motion to dismiss a suit against Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune based on a state law four-year time bar on malpractice claims. Background Facts. We have the facts from the court's decision in this case. On December 3, 2016, the plaintiff patient arrived at the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune Emergency Department with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. After examination, she was diagnosed with a [...]
Nurses: You Must Insure Your Legal Protection
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law I have news for you: You need professional liability insurance! But you only need the kind that includes professional liability insurance coverage, and in the amount of $25,000 or more. Are you a traveling nurse? Are you a nurse who works for a hospital or nursing home? Are you a nurse who works in a doctor's office? Are you the nurse who is going to tell me: "I think I have insurance coverage through my employer?"--WRONG! Not professional license complaint defense insurance. You need [...]
Harvard May Fight Liability Claims for Morgue Manager’s Sale of Cadaver Body Parts
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law, and Hartley Brooks, Law Clerk, The Health Law Firm To read the indictment, click here. On June 14, 2023, the previous Harvard morgue manager, his wife, and three others were indicted on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods in relation to their scheme of selling body parts from the Harvard medical school morgue. Following this indictment, two proposed class actions and a third claim have been filed against Harvard alleging it was negligent in its supervision of the morgue. To learn [...]