Code of Alabama
Ala. Code § 6-5-542 (2026)
Definitions.
✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
(1) HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. A medical practitioner, dental practitioner, medical institution, physician, dentist, hospital, or other health care provider as those terms are defined in Section 6-5-481.
(2) STANDARD OF CARE. The standard of care is that level of such reasonable care, skill, and diligence as other similarly situated health care providers in the same general line of practice, ordinarily have and exercise in like cases. A breach of the standard of care is the failure by a health care provider to comply with the standard of care, which failure proximately causes personal injury or wrongful death. This definition applies to all actions for injuries or damages or wrongful death whether in contract or tort and whether based on intentional or unintentional conduct.
(3) FUTURE DAMAGES. Damages for future medical treatment, care, or custody, loss of future earnings, future loss of earning capacity, future loss of bodily function, future loss of consortium, or future pain and suffering.
(4) PERIODIC PAYMENT. The payment of money or delivery of other property to the judgment creditor at regular intervals.
(5) SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. Substantial evidence is that character of admissible evidence which would convince an unprejudiced thinking mind of the truth of the fact to which the evidence is directed.
(Acts 1987, No. 87-189, p. 261, §3.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 82
cases (21 in the last 5 years), 1988–2026 · leading case: Cackowski v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 767 So. 2d 319 (Ala. 2000).
Cackowski v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 767 So. 2d 319 (Ala. 2000). “This Court affirmed the summary judgment, concluding that the Red Cross came within the phrase "other health care provider," as defined out in §§ 6-5-542 and 6-5-481: "The record in the instant case reveals that when Wilson received the allegedly defective blood, the Red Cross…”
Ex Parte Trinity Indus., Inc., 680 So. 2d 262 (Ala. 1996). “Code 1975, § 12-21-12(d), which was enacted before the new Workers' Compensation Act and which pertains to "all civil actions brought in any court of the State of Alabama"; this Court has defined the term "substantial evidence," as it is used in § 12-21-12(d), to mean "evidence…”
Barton v. Am. Red Cross, 829 F. Supp. 1290 (M.D. Ala. 1993). “” Ala.Code 1975 § 6-5-542(2). With this standard, the AMLA “establish[es] a relative standard of care for health care providers.”
Clements v. Dr. John Alvan Stewart, P.C., 595 So. 2d 858 (Ala. 1992). “1989) ("substantial evidence" was there defined as "evidence of such weight and quality that fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment can reasonably infer the existence of the fact sought to be proved"), we cannot find that plaintiffs in actions against health…”
George H. Lanier Mem'l Hosp. v. Andrews, 901 So. 2d 714 (Ala. 2004). “" Ala.Code 1975, § 6-5-542. Section 6-5-481, in turn, includes within the definition of "other health care provider" a "person employed by .”
Noland Health Servs., Inc. v. Wright, 971 So. 2d 681 (Ala. 2007). “In support, the main opinion cites § 6-5-542(2), Ala. Code 1975, a part of the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987, § 6-5-540 et seq.”
McAfee v. Baptist Med. Ctr., 641 So. 2d 265 (Ala. 1994). “" "[S]tandard of care," as defined by the Act, is "that level of such reasonable care, skill, and diligence as other similarly situated health care providers in the same general line of practice, ordinarily have and exercise in like cases," § 6-5-542(2). That subsection also…”
Campbell v. Williams, 638 So. 2d 804 (Ala. 1994). “Campbell next contends that the trial court erred in instructing the jury on the definition of "substantial evidence" as that term is used in the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987, Ala.Code 1975, § 6-5-542(5). He argues that the jury should have been given the definition of…”
Christian Lewis v. Sheila D. Moore, 886 F.3d 1058 (11th Cir. 2018). “" Ala. Code § 6-5-542 (2). As to proving a breach of that standard: "A breach of the standard of care is the failure by a health care provider to comply with the standard of care, which failure proximately causes personal injury or wrongful death .”
Christian Lewis v. Sheila D. Moore, 861 F.3d 1303 (11th Cir. 2017). “Ala. Code § 6-5-542 (3), “applies in any action for injury or damages or wrongful death, whether in contract or in tort, against a health care provider for breach of the standard of care.”
M.C. v. Tallassee Rehab., P.C., 201 So. 3d 525 (Ala. 2015). “does, however, argue that, for someone who does not fall within any of the categories expressly named in § 6-5-542 to be considered a health-care provider for purposes of the AMLA, that person must be “carrying out the physician’s orders and be inextricably linked to a…”
Hayes Ex Rel. Est. of Billarreal v. Luckey, 33 F. Supp. 2d 987 (N.D. Ala. 1997). “See Ala.Code § 6-5-542(2) (1975)(1993 Replace.”
— Ala. Code § 6-5-542(1) — 16 cases
Ex Parte HealthSouth Corp., 851 So. 2d 33 (Ala. 2002).
Mock v. Allen, 783 So. 2d 828 (Ala. 2000).
Cackowski v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 767 So. 2d 319 (Ala. 2000). “This Court affirmed the summary judgment, concluding that the Red Cross came within the phrase "other health care provider," as defined out in §§ 6-5-542 and 6-5-481: "The record in the instant case reveals that when Wilson received the allegedly defective blood, the Red Cross…”
Ex Parte Anderson, 789 So. 2d 190 (Ala. 2000).
Dowdy v. Lewis, 612 So. 2d 1149 (Ala. 1992).
— Ala. Code § 6-5-542(2) — 14 cases
Barton v. Am. Red Cross, 829 F. Supp. 1290 (M.D. Ala. 1993). “” Ala.Code 1975 § 6-5-542(2). With this standard, the AMLA “establish[es] a relative standard of care for health care providers.”
Noland Health Servs., Inc. v. Wright, 971 So. 2d 681 (Ala. 2007). “In support, the main opinion cites § 6-5-542(2), Ala. Code 1975, a part of the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987, § 6-5-540 et seq.”
George H. Lanier Mem'l Hosp. v. Andrews, 901 So. 2d 714 (Ala. 2004). “" Ala.Code 1975, § 6-5-542. Section 6-5-481, in turn, includes within the definition of "other health care provider" a "person employed by .”
Cackowski v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 767 So. 2d 319 (Ala. 2000). “This Court affirmed the summary judgment, concluding that the Red Cross came within the phrase "other health care provider," as defined out in §§ 6-5-542 and 6-5-481: "The record in the instant case reveals that when Wilson received the allegedly defective blood, the Red Cross…”
Clements v. Dr. John Alvan Stewart, P.C., 595 So. 2d 858 (Ala. 1992). “1989) ("substantial evidence" was there defined as "evidence of such weight and quality that fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment can reasonably infer the existence of the fact sought to be proved"), we cannot find that plaintiffs in actions against health…”
— Ala. Code § 6-5-542(5) — 20 cases
Ex Parte Trinity Indus., Inc., 680 So. 2d 262 (Ala. 1996). “Code 1975, § 12-21-12(d), which was enacted before the new Workers' Compensation Act and which pertains to "all civil actions brought in any court of the State of Alabama"; this Court has defined the term "substantial evidence," as it is used in § 12-21-12(d), to mean "evidence…”
Campbell v. Williams, 638 So. 2d 804 (Ala. 1994). “Campbell next contends that the trial court erred in instructing the jury on the definition of "substantial evidence" as that term is used in the Alabama Medical Liability Act of 1987, Ala.Code 1975, § 6-5-542(5). He argues that the jury should have been given the definition of…”
McAfee v. Baptist Med. Ctr., 641 So. 2d 265 (Ala. 1994). “" "[S]tandard of care," as defined by the Act, is "that level of such reasonable care, skill, and diligence as other similarly situated health care providers in the same general line of practice, ordinarily have and exercise in like cases," § 6-5-542(2). That subsection also…”
Cackowski v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 767 So. 2d 319 (Ala. 2000). “This Court affirmed the summary judgment, concluding that the Red Cross came within the phrase "other health care provider," as defined out in §§ 6-5-542 and 6-5-481: "The record in the instant case reveals that when Wilson received the allegedly defective blood, the Red Cross…”
Clements v. Dr. John Alvan Stewart, P.C., 595 So. 2d 858 (Ala. 1992). “1989) ("substantial evidence" was there defined as "evidence of such weight and quality that fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment can reasonably infer the existence of the fact sought to be proved"), we cannot find that plaintiffs in actions against health…”
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