(1) Upon the completion of presuit investigation pursuant to s. 766.203, which investigation has resulted in the mailing of a notice of intent to initiate litigation in accordance with s. 766.106, corroborated by medical expert opinion that there exist reasonable grounds for a claim of negligent injury, each party shall provide to the other party reasonable access to information within its possession or control in order to facilitate evaluation of the claim.
(2) Such access shall be provided without formal discovery, pursuant to s. 766.106, and failure to so provide shall be grounds for dismissal of any applicable claim or defense ultimately asserted.
(3) Failure of any party to comply with this section shall constitute evidence of failure of that party to comply with good faith discovery requirements and shall waive the requirement of written medical corroboration by the party seeking production.
(4) No statement, discussion, written document, report, or other work product generated solely by the presuit investigation process is discoverable or admissible in any civil action for any purpose by the opposing party. All participants, including, but not limited to, hospitals and other medical facilities, and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and agents thereof, physicians, investigators, witnesses, and employees or associates of the defendant, are immune from civil liability arising from participation in the presuit investigation process. Such immunity from civil liability includes immunity for any acts by a medical facility in connection with providing medical records pursuant to s. 766.204(1) regardless of whether the medical facility is or is not a defendant.
History.—s. 52, ch. 88-1; s. 28, ch. 88-277; s. 34, ch. 91-110.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 766 - Medical Malpractice and Related Matters
766.101 - Medical Review Committee, Immunity From Liability.
766.1016 - Patient Safety Data Privilege.
766.102 - Medical Negligence; Standards of Recovery; Expert Witness.
766.103 - Florida Medical Consent Law.
766.104 - Medical Negligence Cases; Reasonable Investigation Required Before Filing.
766.105 - Florida Patient’s Compensation Fund.
766.1065 - Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information.
766.108 - Mandatory Mediation and Mandatory Settlement Conference in Medical Negligence Actions.
766.110 - Liability of Health Care Facilities.
766.111 - Engaging in Unnecessary Diagnostic Testing; Penalties.
766.1115 - Health Care Providers; Creation of Agency Relationship With Governmental Contractors.
766.118 - Determination of Noneconomic Damages.
766.201 - Legislative Findings and Intent.
766.202 - Definitions; Ss. 766.201-766.212.
766.203 - Presuit Investigation of Medical Negligence Claims and Defenses by Prospective Parties.
766.205 - Presuit Discovery of Medical Negligence Claims and Defenses.
766.206 - Presuit Investigation of Medical Negligence Claims and Defenses by Court.
766.207 - Voluntary Binding Arbitration of Medical Negligence Claims.
766.208 - Arbitration to Allocate Responsibility Among Multiple Defendants.
766.209 - Effects of Failure to Offer or Accept Voluntary Binding Arbitration.
766.211 - Payment of Arbitration Award; Interest.
766.212 - Appeal of Arbitration Awards and Allocations of Financial Responsibility.
766.301 - Legislative Findings and Intent.
766.302 - Definitions; Ss. 766.301-766.316.
766.303 - Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan; Exclusiveness of Remedy.
766.304 - Administrative Law Judge to Determine Claims.
766.305 - Filing of Claims and Responses; Medical Disciplinary Review.
766.306 - Tolling of Statute of Limitations.
766.307 - Hearing; Parties; Discovery.
766.31 - Administrative Law Judge Awards for Birth-Related Neurological Injuries; Notice of Award.
766.311 - Conclusiveness of Determination or Award; Appeal.
766.312 - Enforcement of Awards.
766.313 - Limitation on Claim.
766.314 - Assessments; Plan of Operation.
766.316 - Notice to Obstetrical Patients of Participation in the Plan.