Nebraska Statutes 27-1201. Unanticipatedoutcome of medical care; civil action; health care provider or employee; useof certain statements and conduct; limitations
(1) In any civil action brought by an alleged victim of an unanticipated outcome of medical care, or in any arbitration proceeding related to such civil action, any and all statements, affirmations, gestures, or conduct expressing apology, sympathy, commiseration, condolence, compassion, or a general sense of benevolence which are made by a health care provider or an employee of a health care provider to the alleged victim, a relative of the alleged victim, or a representative of the alleged victim and which relate to the discomfort, pain, suffering, injury, or death of the alleged victim as a result of the unanticipated outcome of medical care shall be inadmissible as evidence of an admission of liability or as evidence of an admission against interest. A statement of fault which is otherwise admissible and is part of or in addition to any such communication shall be admissible.
Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 27-1201
- Action: shall include any proceeding in any court of this state. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Attorney: shall mean attorney at law. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Person: shall include bodies politic and corporate, societies, communities, the public generally, individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and associations. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
- State: when applied to different states of the United States shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories organized by Congress. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
(2) For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Health care provider means any person licensed or certified by the State of Nebraska to deliver health care under the Uniform Credentialing Act and any health care facility licensed under the Health Care Facility Licensure Act. Health care provider includes any professional corporation or other professional entity comprised of such health care providers;
(b) Relative means a patient’s spouse, parent, grandparent, stepfather, stepmother, child, grandchild, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, half sister, or spouse’s parents. Relative includes persons related to the patient through adoptive relationships. Relative also includes any person who has a family-type relationship with the patient;
(c) Representative means a legal guardian, attorney, person designated to make health care decisions on behalf of a patient under a power of attorney, or any person recognized in law or custom as a patient’s agent; and
(d) Unanticipated outcome means the outcome of a medical treatment or procedure that differs from the expected result.