Florida Statute 766.201 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XLV
TORTS

Chapter 766
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE AND RELATED MATTERS

View Entire Chapter

F.S. 766.201

766.201 Legislative findings and intent.—

(1) The Legislature makes the following findings:

(a) Medical malpractice liability insurance premiums have increased dramatically in recent years, resulting in increased medical care costs for most patients and functional unavailability of malpractice insurance for some physicians.

(b) The primary cause of increased medical malpractice liability insurance premiums has been the substantial increase in loss payments to claimants caused by tremendous increases in the amounts of paid claims.

(c) The average cost of a medical negligence claim has escalated in the past decade to the point where it has become imperative to control such cost in the interests of the public need for quality medical services.

(d) The high cost of medical negligence claims in the state can be substantially alleviated by requiring early determination of the merit of claims, by providing for early arbitration of claims, thereby reducing delay and attorney’s fees, and by imposing reasonable limitations on damages, while preserving the right of either party to have its case heard by a jury.

(e) The recovery of 100 percent of economic losses constitutes overcompensation because such recovery fails to recognize that such awards are not subject to taxes on economic damages.

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide a plan for prompt resolution of medical negligence claims. Such plan shall consist of two separate components, presuit investigation and arbitration. Presuit investigation shall be mandatory and shall apply to all medical negligence claims and defenses. Arbitration shall be voluntary and shall be available except as specified.

(a) Presuit investigation shall include:

1. Verifiable requirements that reasonable investigation precede both malpractice claims and defenses in order to eliminate frivolous claims and defenses.

2. Medical corroboration procedures.

(b) Arbitration shall provide:

1. Substantial incentives for both claimants and defendants to submit their cases to binding arbitration, thus reducing attorney’s fees, litigation costs, and delay.

2. A conditional limitation on noneconomic damages where the defendant concedes willingness to pay economic damages and reasonable attorney’s fees.

3. Limitations on the noneconomic damages components of large awards to provide increased predictability of outcome of the claims resolution process for insurer anticipated losses planning, and to facilitate early resolution of medical negligence claims.

History.—s. 48, ch. 88-1; s. 57, ch. 2003-416.

F.S. 766.201 on Google Scholar

F.S. 766.201 on Casetext

Amendments to 766.201

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 766.201

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 766.201.

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 766.201

Total Results: 20

Christopher Moncrief, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Melissa Marie Moncrief v. Charles Edward Kollmer, M.D., and New Smyrna Orthopedics, P.A.

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2024-11-15

Snippet: However, this definition applies only to sections 766.201 through 766.212. And, critically, those statutes

PHENGSANITH PRADAXAY v. JAMES ERASMUS KENDRICK, IV, M.D., FLORIDA HOSPITAL MEDICAL GROUP, INC. D/B/A ADVENTHEALTH

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2024-05-17

Snippet: prompt resolution of medical negligence claims.” § 766.201(2), Fla. Stat. (2021). The Florida Supreme Court

Piero Palacios v. Sharnice Lawson

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2024-03-06

Snippet: by decreasing the costs of defending claims. § 766.201(1), Fla. Stat. (2020); see also Univ. of Miami

ADVENTIST HEALTH SYSTEM/SUNBELT, INC. D/B/A FLORIDA HOSPITAL ALTAMONTE AND WILLIAM HUETHER, III, M.D. vs SALLY MACHALEK AND MATTHEW APTER, M.D.

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2023-10-06

Snippet: purport to cover the full range of statutes [§§ 766.201-.212, .1065] under which a motion to dismiss may

University of Florida Board of Trustees v. Laurie Carmody

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2023-07-06

Snippet: against meritless medical negligence claims. See § 766.201(2), Fla. Stat. (“It is the intent of the Legislature

ESTHER MARIN-CASARIEGO, M.D. v. SOPHIA LINALE

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2022-11-10

Snippet: notice and screening. See § 766.104, 766.106, 766.201- .212, Fla. Stat. (2021). Where a complaint is

HEALTHCARE UNDERWRITERS GROUP, INC., AMARNATH VEDERE, M.D. and CARDIOLOGY PARTNERS, P.L. v. DEBORAH SANFORD, as Personal Representative of the ESTATE OF GERALD L. SANFORD

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2022-03-30

Snippet: intent in establishing arbitration in section 766.201(2)(b), which states: Arbitration shall provide:

DIAL 4 CARE, INC. v. ELIJAH BRINSON

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2021-03-17

Snippet: malpractice suits. See, e.g., §§ 766.104, 766.106, 766.201–.212, Fla. Stat. Among these requirements is that

Tuyuana L. Morris, etc. v. Orlando S. Muniz, M.D.

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-09-06

Citation: 252 So. 3d 1143

Snippet: 2011) (citation omitted); see § 766.201(2), Fla. Stat. (2011) ("It is the intent of the

Manzaro v. Hca

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-07-18

Citation: 254 So. 3d 576

Snippet: applicable to claims of medical malpractice (sections 766.201 - .212, Florida Statutes (2015)), and the expiration

Diane Rodriguez and David Rodriguez, etc. v. Ernst Nicolitz, M.D. and Lenka Champion, M.D.

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-05-18

Citation: 246 So. 3d 550

Snippet: for “prompt resolution of medical claims.” See 766.201(2), Fla. Stat. (2012) (statement of

The National Deaf Academy, LLC, etc. v. Denise Townes, etc.

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2018-04-26

Citation: 242 So. 3d 303

Snippet: 203(2); see generally id. § 766.201-.212. The restrictions that chapter 766 places

Eileen Hernandez, M.D. v. Lualhati Crespo

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2016-12-22

Citation: 211 So. 3d 19, 41 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 625, 2016 WL 7406537, 2016 Fla. LEXIS 2718

Snippet: objective of the Legislature set forth in section 766.201” but also “the public policy embodied in the Florida

Bery v. Fahel

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2016-07-06

Citation: 194 So. 3d 1099, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 10359, 2016 WL 3611022

Snippet: the reasonable investigation requirements of ss. 766.201-766.212, including a review of the claim and a

Estate of Michelle Evette McCall v. United States

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2014-03-13

Citation: 134 So. 3d 894, 39 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 104, 2014 WL 959180, 2014 Fla. LEXIS 933

Snippet: malpractice premiums and health care. See Fla. Stat. § 766.201. The means that Florida chose, a per incident cap

Franks v. Bowers

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 2013-06-20

Citation: 116 So. 3d 1240, 38 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 416, 2013 WL 3064807, 2013 Fla. LEXIS 1222

Snippet: prompt resolution of medical negligence claims.” § 766.201(2), Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). The Legislature

Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Inc. v. Pilgrim

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2013-02-15

Citation: 107 So. 3d 505, 2013 WL 561464, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 2315

Snippet: services.” § 766.106(l)(a). As used in sections 766.201 through 766.212, " '[m]edical negligence’ means

Berry v. Padden

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2012-03-28

Citation: 84 So. 3d 1145, 2012 WL 1020048

Snippet: the reasonable investigation requirements of ss. 766.201-766.212, including a review of the claim and a

Staples v. Duerr

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2011-12-30

Citation: 76 So. 3d 1114, 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 20849, 2011 WL 6851181

Snippet: reasonable investigation requirements of sections 766.201-766.212, including a review of the claim and a

TELLAM v. Mumford

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2011-09-27

Citation: 69 So. 3d 1096, 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 15240, 2011 WL 4445983

Snippet: reasonable investigation requirement of sections 766.201-766.212, Florida Statutes (2009). See Martin Mem'l