Some legal decisions significant for ophthalmology

The court decisions included in this article reflect judicial attitudes towards medicolegal cases in most states. The courts have defined and amplified issues of informed consent, the physician's duty to warn patients and protect third parties, the limitations of the "Good Samaritan" statute, the responsibility of the physician to prepare insurance reports, and the denial of coverage by third party payers. Several cases regarding these issues are reviewed and their implications for ophthalmologists are discussed.