Pro Bono Barrister: Kings Inn of Court panel probes puzzling Medical Indemnity Fund
At their most recent Continuing Legal Education-accredited session, Kings County Inn of Court members learned about the New York State Medical Indemnity Fund.
What is this indemnity fund created by the legislature last year to help pay settlements in neuro-natal brain-injury cases — and thus reduce med-mal insurance premiums for doctors and hospitals? How will it be financed? Which infant injury cases will be covered? Which ones won’t?
To their credit, panel leaders Hon. Barry Kamins (administrative judge for criminal matters in Brooklyn) and Paul Weitz did not pretend to have definitive answers to many of these questions. They readily admitted — during a Q & A period — to colleagues Andy Fallek, Steve Finkelstein and others that the Indemnity Fund is new and subject to varying interpretations in various jurisdictions, even within the city’s five counties.