What are the Contingent Fees in a New York Medical Malpractice Case?

New York's Judiciary Law Section 474-A provides that in a medical malpractice case the attorney's fee is 30% of the first $250,000 of the "net sum" recovered. For the next $250,000 recovered, the fee is 25%. For the next $500,000 recovered the fee is 20%. For the next $250,000 recovered the fee is 15%. After that for any amount recovered over $1,250,000 the fee is 10%. The "net sum" recovered is the gross amount of the judgment or settlement, minus the amount of money the attorney has laid out for the expenses of the case. The expenses usually include fees for expert witnesses, court filings, transcripts, subpoenas, medical records and other similar expenses. As an example, if there is a gross settlement of $1million and expenses of $50,000, the fee would be calculated as follows: $1 million minus $50,000 equals $950,000 (the net sum recovered). 30% of the first 250,000 = 75,000 25% of the next 250,000 = 62,500 20% of remaining $450,000 = 90,000 Total fee = 227,500 Net to client = $772,500

Is an Expert Required in Order to File a Complain in a New York Medical Malpractice Case?

Yes. Pursuant to New York Civil Practice Law and Rules section 3012-A, a certificate of merit must accompany the complaint which states that the attorney for the plaintiff has consulted with an expert physician and that on the basis of that expert review, there is a reasonable ground for the commencement of a medical malpractice case. If there is insufficient time to obtain this medical review before the statute of limitations expires, then the attorney can state that in the certificate and later file a supplemental certificate when the expert review has been obtained.

What is a Notice of Medical Malpractice in New York?

Pursuant to section 3406 of the NY Civil Practice Law and Rules, the notice of medical malpractice action is a mandatory form that must be filled by the plaintiff with the clerk of the Court within 60 days of the service of answers by all defendants

What is the statute of limitations for a medical malpractice case in New York?

Answer: Pursuant to section 214-a of the NY Civil Practice Law and Rules, the basic medical malpractice statute of limitations is 2 and ½ years from the date of the malpractice or the last date of continuous treatment by the physician or hospital sought to be held responsible for the same injury or condition that gave rise to the malpractice. This statute of limitation applies to private physicians, hospitals, nurses and other health care providers.

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice by New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation? (NYCHHC)

Answer: There are special rules applicable to malpractice by public hospitals run by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, such as Bellevue, Jacoby, Elmhurst, Metropolitan, Lincoln and others. Pursuant to Section 7401 of the NY Unconsolidated Laws, a medical malpractice lawsuit against the NYCHHC must be commenced within one year and ninety days. There is also the requirement that a notice of claim be filed with NYCHHC within ninety days in conformity with NY General Municipal Law 50-e.

What is the statute of limitations for a malpractice in failing to diagnose cancer?

Answer: Section 214-a of the NY Civil Practice Law and Rules provides that the statute of limitations for cancer misdiagnosis is 2 and ½ years from the date that the cancer was diagnosed, or that the patient should have known of the diagnosis of cancer. This is a special provision applicable only to cancer that measures the 2 and ½ years from the date of discovery of the cancer, rather than the date of misdiagnosis. This provision was added by the legislature to remedy the situation where a misdiagnosis is made and the patient is unaware of the cancer for a prolonged period of time until it is discovered.

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice that causes the wrongful death of the patient?

Answer: When medical malpractice causes the death of the patient, there is a claim for the patient's injuries, pain and suffering up to the time of death, that is governed by Section 214-a of the NY Civil Practice Law and Rules, which provides for a 2 and ½ year statute of limitations measured from the date of the malpractice, the last date of continuous treatment, or in the case of cancer misdiagnosis, from the date of discovery of the cancer. There is also a separate claim for the wrongful death of the patient. Pursuant to Section 5-4.1 of the NY Estates, Powers and Trusts Law, the claim for wrongful death must be brought within 2 years from the date of death by the legal representative of the patient's estate, e.g, an executor or administrator.

醫生未檢出腦部先天畸形萊特律師為女教師爭取500萬美元賠償

2019年4月8日，纽约皇后区的一个陪审团作出一致判决，支持原告Wanda Ronda女士獲賠500萬美元。被告是两名放射科医生，原告表示，在连续两次脑部磁共振检查中，被告未能报告异常發現，這兩次檢查分別發生在2013年9月和2014年9月。

據原告聲明以及陪审团發現，两位放射科医生都未能报告Ronda女士的小脑扁桃体处于”低位”状态，這種狀態意味著大脑的基部过度伸入枕骨大孔（枕骨大孔是头骨底部的开口，大脑通过该开口与脊髓连通）。这种情况發生時，可以引起各种症状，包括严重的头痛、头晕和肌肉无力，這被稱為症状性Chiari畸形1型（symptomatic Chiari malformation Type 1）。

患者最终在2015年被诊断为Chiari畸形，并进行多次手术加以纠正，但效果有限。陪审团裁定，两名放射科医师的医疗事故造成诊断延误是造成患者伤害的重要因素，使患者遭受疼痛、痛苦和永久性伤害。 Ronda女士在医疗事故发生时是一名特殊教育教师，但在最终被诊断并接受Chiari畸形治疗时，她已成为残疾人。陪审团裁定對過去損失的赔偿金額为200万美元，對未来損失的赔偿金额为300万美元。原告由強納森•萊特(Jonathan C. Reiter)律师所代表，该审判由最高法院法官Hon. Kevin J. Kerrigan主持。

Chiari畸形1型涉及到后颅窝（脑干和小脑附近头骨中的小空间）的先天性发育不全，以及小脑扁桃体突出到枕骨大孔中。在正常人中，小脑扁桃体位于枕骨大孔的开口上方，或者在其下方最多3毫米处，而在Chiari畸形类型1中，小脑扁桃体突出进入枕骨大孔超过3毫米，这可能导致脑干压迫和脑脊液流动中断。枕部（头部后方）头痛是最典型的症状，伴有双重视力、头晕、耳鸣、颈部和肩部疼痛，发作性恶心和呕吐等症状。虽然Chiari畸形1型是先天性的，即出生时就存在，并且可能引起幼儿症状，但它的突发典型症状也可能在成年时首次出現。由于头痛、头晕等许多症状、體徵也存在于其他疾病中，患者可能會被误诊多年。

诊断Chiari畸形1型的”金标准”是脑部磁共振，如果能正确解讀磁共振，將有助临床医生做出正确诊断。正如神经外科医生Holly S. Gilmer博士－一位Chiari 1畸形领域公认的专家－所報告的那樣，大脑手术减压可以缓解许多儿科和成人Chiari畸形患者的症状。

手术通常包括移除枕骨区域中一部分颅骨，打开覆蓋腦的硬脑膜，并切除或烧灼小脑扁桃体{附註}。医生需要警惕Chiari畸形1型的症状和体征，因为误诊或延迟诊断該疾病的后果可能是灾难性的。疾病得不到治疗的时间越长，导致永久性脑损伤、终生疼痛、痛苦和残疾的可能性越大。

附註）参见Gilmer, H. et. al., Surgical Decompression for Chiari Malformation Type 1: An Age-Based Outcomes Study Based on the Chicago Chiari Outcome Scale; World Neurosurgery 107:285-290, 2017。

聯繫萊特律師：212-736-0979（24小時免費專線）、646-886-6258（華人服務專線）

Jonathan C. Reiter NYC Injury Lawyer

New York City Personal Injury Lawyer / Aviation Accident Attorney

醫生未檢出腦部先天畸形 萊特律師為女教師爭取500萬美元賠償

醫生未檢出腦部先天畸形萊特律師為女教師爭取500萬美元賠償