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Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Torts

Truman V. Thomas: The Rise Of Informed Refusal, Thomas M. O'Neil Feb 2013

Truman V. Thomas: The Rise Of Informed Refusal, Thomas M. O'Neil

Pepperdine Law Review

Truman v. Thomas addresses the issue of whether or not a physician must inform a patient of the possible consequences of her refusal to submit to a diagnostic test. The California Supreme Court has determined that a physician has such a duty, and the author provides an examination of this decision and a view of previous case law in the area of informed consent. Although increasing the physician's burden of disclosure, the decision can be seen as a continuation of the trend of cases allowing patients more control over the care of their own bodies.


Liability Cure-All For Insidious Disease Claims, Susan Frankewich Jan 2013

Liability Cure-All For Insidious Disease Claims, Susan Frankewich

Pepperdine Law Review

Recent decisions handed down in various circuits have created virtual chaos in predicting the liability and damage amounts of insidious disease claims. At least three substantially divergent theories have been adopted to impute liability to the manufacturers of the disease catalysts. Additionally, a new trust fund concept has been used on a limited basis to reconcile differences in court decisions. The trust fund approach is relatively flexible and simple to apply in apportioning damages for insidious disease claims. The author examines and analyzes these three liability theories. In conclusion, the adoption of the trust fund concept is recommended.


Medical Malpractice: The Right To Recover For The Loss Of A Chance Of Survival, Patricia L. Andel Jan 2013

Medical Malpractice: The Right To Recover For The Loss Of A Chance Of Survival, Patricia L. Andel

Pepperdine Law Review

Traditionally, a plaintiff suffering from misdiagnosis has been precluded from recovery unless he could show that "but for" the misdiagnosis he would have had a better-than-even chance of recovery. While many courts have attempted to avoid this doctrine by reducing the standard of causation, this has led to inconsistent results. The better approach is to recognize that a "chance" of recovery has a compensable value in and of itself This comment will explore the concept of loss of a chance and trace its development as it relates to medical malpractice actions.


Vaccines And The Law, Michael Sanzo Ph.D. Nov 2012

Vaccines And The Law, Michael Sanzo Ph.D.

Pepperdine Law Review

The last twenty years have seen a sea-change in the area of proving causation in the toxic tort setting, with courts demanding stronger, scientifically tested evidence. At the same time, a closely related debate has been raging about separating cause from coincidence under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act compensation program for injuries that might have been the result of vaccinations. The Vaccine Act created a no-fault compensation fund financed by a tax on childhood vaccines to address harms resulting from those vaccines. Unfortunately, Congress gave little direction with regard to the level of causal certainty that would be required …


Assisted Suicide: A Tough Pill To Swallow, Mary Margaret Penrose Nov 2012

Assisted Suicide: A Tough Pill To Swallow, Mary Margaret Penrose

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.


The Fda Sends Smoke Signals To Big Tobacco: Will The Fda Suffer Backlash, Will Alcohol Be Regulated Next, And Will The Health Of Americans Prevail?, Angela Turriciano Oct 2012

The Fda Sends Smoke Signals To Big Tobacco: Will The Fda Suffer Backlash, Will Alcohol Be Regulated Next, And Will The Health Of Americans Prevail?, Angela Turriciano

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.


Medtronic, Inc. V. Lohr: Is Federal Pre-Emption A Heartbeat Away From Death Under The Medical Device Amendments?, Mark E. Gelsinger Oct 2012

Medtronic, Inc. V. Lohr: Is Federal Pre-Emption A Heartbeat Away From Death Under The Medical Device Amendments?, Mark E. Gelsinger

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.


Irreconcilable Differences: Why The Doctor-Patient Relationship Is Disintegrating At The Hands Of Health Maintenance Organizations And Wall Street, Mark O. Hiepler, Brian C. Dunn Oct 2012

Irreconcilable Differences: Why The Doctor-Patient Relationship Is Disintegrating At The Hands Of Health Maintenance Organizations And Wall Street, Mark O. Hiepler, Brian C. Dunn

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.


State Medical Reimbursement Lawsuits After Tobacco: Is The Domino Effect For Lead Paint Manufacturers And Others Fair Game? , Richard L. Cupp Jr. Oct 2012

State Medical Reimbursement Lawsuits After Tobacco: Is The Domino Effect For Lead Paint Manufacturers And Others Fair Game? , Richard L. Cupp Jr.

Pepperdine Law Review

In 1998 the tobacco industry reached a settlement with the government for $246 billion. The massive size and scope of the states' tobacco settlement will inevitably exert a powerful influence on tort litigation for decades. The proliferation of copycat lawsuits, such as lead paint claims, seeking to emulate the spectacular success of the tobacco lawsuits will be one of the first aftershocks. The appropriate legislative response to this copycat litigation is to enact legislation limiting mass tort claims by states and other government entities. Because politics and economics may be influencing the filing of these lawsuits, rather than a purer …


An Essay On Torts: States Of Argument, Marshall S. Shapo Jan 2012

An Essay On Torts: States Of Argument, Marshall S. Shapo

Pepperdine Law Review

This essay summarizes high points in torts scholarship and case law over a period of two generations, highlighting the “states of argument” that have characterized tort law over that period. It intertwines doctrine and policy. Its doctrinal features include the traditional spectrum of tort liability, the duty question, problems of proof, and the relative incoherency of damages rules. Noting the cross-doctrinal role of tort as a solver of functional problems, it focuses on major issues in products liability and medical malpractice. The essay discusses such elements of policy as the role of power in tort law, the tension between communitarianism …


International Tobacco Litigation's Evolution As A United States Torts Law Export: To Canada And Beyond?, Richard L. Cupp Jr. Jan 2012

International Tobacco Litigation's Evolution As A United States Torts Law Export: To Canada And Beyond?, Richard L. Cupp Jr.

Pepperdine Law Review

In the late 1990’s, the states’ healthcare reimbursement lawsuits against the tobacco industry were settled for approximately $246 billion. In the wake of this enormous settlement, many similar lawsuits were initiated in other nations or by other nations. Most of these early healthcare reimbursement lawsuits failed. However, in 2005, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was finalized by over 150 nations, and today has been ratified by 168 nations. The Framework encourages nations to consider tort litigation against tobacco sellers as a way to limit tobacco usage. Canada’s provinces have been particularly aggressive in seeking to use …