FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1184
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEWALSHMOORE.
2508H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection538.205,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtotort
actionsbasedonimproperhealthcare.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section538.205,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection538.205,toreadasfollows:
538.205.Asusedinsections538.205to538.230,thefollowingtermsshallmean:
2 (1)"Catastrophicpersonalinjury",aphysicalinjuryresultingin:
3 (a)Quadriplegiadefinedasthepermanentlossoffunctionaluseofallfourlimbs;
4 (b)Paraplegiadefinedasthepermanentlossoffunctionaluseoftwolimbs;
5 (c)Lossof[two]oneormorelimbs;
6 (d)Aninjurytothebrainthatresultsinpermanentcognitiveimpairmentresultingin
7thepermanentinabilitytomakeindependentdecisionsorengageinoneormoreofthe
8followingactivitiesofdailyliving:eating,dressing,bathing,toileting,transferring,and
9walking;
10 (e)Aninjurythatcausesirreversiblefailureofoneormoremajororgansystems;or
11 (f)Visionlosssuchthatthepatient'scentralvisualacuityisnomorethantwenty/two-
12hundredinthebettereyewiththebestcorrectionorwhosefieldofvisioninthebettereyeis
13restrictedtoadegreethatitswidestdiametersubtendsananglenogreaterthantwenty
14degrees;
15 (2)"Economicdamages",damagesarisingfrompecuniaryharmincluding,without
16limitation,medicaldamages,andthosedamagesarisingfromlostwagesandlostearning
17capacity;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18 (3)"Employee",anyindividualwhoisdirectlycompensatedbyahealthcareprovider
19forhealthcareservicesrenderedbysuchindividualandothernonphysicianindividualswho
20aresuppliedtoahealthcareproviderbyanentitythatprovidesstaffing;
21 (4)"Equitableshare",theshareofapersonorentityinanobligationthatisthesame
22percentageofthetotalobligationastheperson'sorentity'sallocatedshareofthetotalfault,as
23foundbythetrieroffact;
24 (5)"Futuredamages",damagesthatthetrieroffactfindswillaccrueafterthe
25damagesfindingsaremade;
26 (6)"Healthcareprovider",anyphysician,hospital,healthmaintenanceorganization,
27ambulatorysurgicalcenter,long-termcarefacilityincludingthoselicensedunderchapter
28198,dentist,registeredorlicensedpracticalnurse,optometrist,podiatrist,pharmacist,
29chiropractor,professionalphysicaltherapist,psychologist,physician-in-training,andany
30otherpersonorentitythatprovideshealthcareservicesundertheauthorityofalicenseor
31certificate;
32 (7)"Healthcareservices",anyservicesthatahealthcareproviderrenderstoapatient
33intheordinarycourseofthehealthcareprovider'sprofessionor,ifthehealthcareprovideris
34aninstitution,intheordinarycourseoffurtheringthepurposesforwhichtheinstitutionis
35organized.Professionalservicesshallinclude,butarenotlimitedto,transfertoapatientof
36goodsorservicesincidentalorpursuanttothepracticeofthehealthcareprovider'sprofession
37orinfurtheranceofthepurposesforwhichaninstitutionalhealthcareproviderisorganized;
38 (8)"Medicaldamages",damagesarisingfromreasonableexpensesfornecessary
39drugs,therapy,andmedical,surgical,nursing,x-ray,dental,custodialandotherhealthand
40rehabilitativeservices;
41 (9)"Noneconomicdamages",damagesarisingfromnonpecuniaryharmincluding,
42withoutlimitation,pain,suffering,mentalanguish,inconvenience,physicalimpairment,
43disfigurement,lossofcapacitytoenjoylife,andlossofconsortiumbutshallnotinclude
44punitivedamages;
45 (10)"Pastdamages",damagesthathaveaccruedwhenthedamagesfindingsare
46made;
47 (11)"Punitivedamages",damagesintendedtopunishordetermaliciousmisconduct
48orconductthatintentionallycauseddamagetotheplaintiff,includingexemplarydamages
49anddamagesforaggravatingcircumstances;
50 (12)"Self-insurance",aformalorinformalplanofself-insuranceornoinsuranceof
51anykind.
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