The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has announced it intends to hold off on considering controversial changes to the medical malpractice venue rules—that would abandon a 16-year-old rule requiring that cases be brought in a county where treatment had been provided—until after a legislative committee studies what impacts the proposal may have.
The Supreme Court’s announcement comes after members of the medical industry and defense bar pushed back against the proposed changes, which seeks to allow injured plaintiffs to sue in any venue where their health care provider regularly does business. As the rules stand, plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases are limited to suing in the venue where their injuries occurred.
