Legal Question in Medical Malpractice in California
medical malpractice
i wanted to know if the statute of limitation applies to a minor who was in foster care and had a back surgery and was partially paralyzed after the surgery. do you think that i still have time even if i had the surgery in 1999 and i just realized what is exactly wrong this year. i was 12 when i had the surgery. do you think i still have time.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: medical malpractice
The statute of limitations for an action against a healthcare provider based upon negligence is contained in Code of Civil Procedure 340.5. As to minors it states, "Actions by a minor shall be commenced within three
years from the date of the alleged wrongful act except that actions
by a minor under the full age of six years shall be commenced within
three years or prior to his eighth birthday whichever provides a
longer period. Such time limitation shall be tolled for minors for
any period during which parent or guardian and defendant's insurer or
health care provider have committed fraud or collusion in the
failure to bring an action on behalf of the injured minor for
professional negligence."
This means that absent fraud or collusion by your legal guardian and the health care provider or his or her insurer, you are out of luck, since it has been no about 8 years.