Every institution or organization providing professional liability insurance to osteopathic physicians shall send a complete report to the board of all malpractice settlements, awards, or payments in excess of twenty thousand dollars as a result of a claim or action for damages alleged to have been caused by an insured physician’s incompetency or negligence in the practice of osteopathic medicine. Such institution or organization shall also report the award, settlement, or payment of three or more claims during a year as the result of the alleged physician’s incompetence or negligence in the practice of medicine regardless of the dollar amount of the award or payment.

Washington Code 18.57.001

Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.

person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080

Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.

Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.

Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.

Reports required by this section shall be made within sixty days of the date of the settlement or verdict. Failure to comply with this section is punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars.

Legislative findings—1986 c 300: “(1) The legislature finds that medical malpractice will be reduced if hospitals establish coordinated medical malpractice prevention programs and provide greater scrutiny of physicians prior to granting or renewing hospital privileges.

(2) The legislature also finds that physician disciplinary boards can reduce medical malpractice if they have access to additional information on health care providers who are incompetent or impaired.” [ 1986 c 300 § 1.]

Severability—1986 c 300: “If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.” [ 1986 c 300 § 12.]