Bill Text: MI SB1118 | 2011-2012 | 96th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Torts; medical malpractice; statute of limitations; revise period of limitations for survival actions and disallow prejudgment interest on attorney fees and costs. Amends secs. 2912e, 5852 & 6013 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2912e et seq.).
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2012-12-31 - Assigned Pa 0609'12 [SB1118 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2011-SB1118-Enrolled.html
STATE OF MICHIGAN
96TH LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2012
Introduced by Senators Hune, Meekhof, Moolenaar and Smith
ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 1118
AN ACT to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled “An act to revise and consolidate the statutes relating to the organization and jurisdiction of the courts of this state; the powers and duties of the courts, and of the judges and other officers of the courts; the forms and attributes of civil claims and actions; the time within which civil actions and proceedings may be brought in the courts; pleading, evidence, practice, and procedure in civil and criminal actions and proceedings in the courts; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental officers and entities; to provide remedies and penalties for the violation of certain provisions of this act; to repeal all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with or contravening any of the provisions of this act; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” by amending sections 2912e, 5852, and 6013 (MCL 600.2912e, 600.5852, and 600.6013), section 2912e as amended by 1993 PA 78, section 5852 as amended by 1988 PA 221, and section 6013 as amended by 2002 PA 77.
The People of the State of Michigan enact:
Sec. 2912e. (1) In an action alleging medical malpractice, within 21 days after the plaintiff has filed an affidavit in compliance with section 2912d, the defendant shall file an answer to the complaint. Subject to subsection (2), the defendant or, if the defendant is represented by an attorney, the defendant’s attorney shall file, not later than 91 days after the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney serves the affidavit required under section 2912d, an affidavit of meritorious defense signed by a health professional who the defendant’s attorney reasonably believes meets the requirements for an expert witness under section 2169. The affidavit of meritorious defense shall certify that the health professional has reviewed the complaint and all medical records supplied to him or her by the defendant’s attorney concerning the allegations contained in the complaint and shall contain a statement of each of the following:
(a) The factual basis for each defense to the claims made against the defendant in the complaint.
(b) The standard of practice or care that the health professional or health facility named as a defendant in the complaint claims to be applicable to the action and that the health professional or health facility complied with that standard.
(c) The manner in which it is claimed by the health professional or health facility named as a defendant in the complaint that there was compliance with the applicable standard of practice or care.
(d) The manner in which the health professional or health facility named as a defendant in the complaint contends that the alleged injury or alleged damage to the plaintiff is not related to the care and treatment rendered.
(2) If the plaintiff in an action alleging medical malpractice fails to allow access to medical records as required under section 2912b(5), the affidavit required under subsection (1) may be filed within 91 days after filing an answer to the complaint.
Sec. 5852. (1) If a person dies before the period of limitations has run or within 30 days after the period of limitations has run, an action that survives by law may be commenced by the personal representative of the deceased person at any time within 2 years after letters of authority are issued although the period of limitations has run.
(2) If the action that survives by law is an action alleging medical malpractice, the 2-year period under subsection (1) runs from the date letters of authority are issued to the first personal representative of an estate. Except as provided in subsection (3), the issuance of subsequent letters of authority does not enlarge the time within which the action may be commenced.
(3) If a personal representative dies or is adjudged by a court to be legally incapacitated within 2 years after his or her letters are issued, the successor personal representative may commence an action alleging medical malpractice that survives by law within 1 year after the personal representative died or was adjudged by a court to be legally incapacitated.
(4) Notwithstanding subsections (1) to (3), an action shall not be commenced under this section later than 3 years after the period of limitations has run.
Sec. 6013. (1) Interest is allowed on a money judgment recovered in a civil action, as provided in this section. However, for complaints filed on or after October 1, 1986, interest is not allowed on future damages from the date of filing the complaint to the date of entry of the judgment. As used in this subsection, “future damages” means that term as defined in section 6301.
(2) For complaints filed before June 1, 1980, in an action involving other than a written instrument having a rate of interest exceeding 6% per year, the interest on the judgment is calculated from the date of filing the complaint to June 1, 1980, at the rate of 6% per year and on and after June 1, 1980, to the date of satisfaction of the judgment at the rate of 12% per year compounded annually.
(3) For a complaint filed before June 1, 1980, in an action involving a written instrument having a rate of interest exceeding 6% per year, the interest on the judgment is calculated from the date of filing the complaint to the date of satisfaction of the judgment at the rate specified in the instrument if the rate was legal at the time the instrument was executed. However, the rate after the date judgment is entered shall not exceed either of the following:
(a) Seven percent per year compounded annually for a period of time between the date judgment is entered and the date of satisfaction of the judgment that elapses before June 1, 1980.
(b) Thirteen percent per year compounded annually for a period of time between the date judgment is entered and the date of satisfaction of the judgment that elapses after May 31, 1980.
(4) For a complaint filed on or after June 1, 1980, but before January 1, 1987, interest is calculated from the date of filing the complaint to the date of satisfaction of the judgment at the rate of 12% per year compounded annually unless the judgment is rendered on a written instrument having a higher rate of interest. In that case, interest is calculated at the rate specified in the instrument if the rate was legal at the time the instrument was executed. The rate under this subsection shall not exceed 13% per year compounded annually after the date judgment is entered.
(5) Except as provided in subsection (6), for a complaint filed on or after January 1, 1987, but before July 1, 2002, if a judgment is rendered on a written instrument, interest is calculated from the date of filing the complaint to the date of satisfaction of the judgment at the rate of 12% per year compounded annually, unless the instrument has a higher rate of interest. In that case, interest shall be calculated at the rate specified in the instrument if the rate was legal at the time the instrument was executed. The rate under this subsection shall not exceed 13% per year compounded annually after the date judgment is entered.
(6) For a complaint filed on or after January 1, 1987, but before July 1, 2002, if the civil action has not resulted in a final, nonappealable judgment as of July 1, 2002, and if a judgment is or has been rendered on a written instrument that does not evidence indebtedness with a specified interest rate, interest is calculated as provided in subsection (8).
(7) For a complaint filed on or after July 1, 2002, if a judgment is rendered on a written instrument evidencing indebtedness with a specified interest rate, interest is calculated from the date of filing the complaint to the date of satisfaction of the judgment at the rate specified in the instrument if the rate was legal at the time the instrument was executed. If the rate in the written instrument is a variable rate, interest shall be fixed at the rate in effect under the instrument at the time the complaint is filed. The rate under this subsection shall not exceed 13% per year compounded annually.
(8) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (5) and (7) and subject to subsection (13), for complaints filed on or after January 1, 1987, interest on a money judgment recovered in a civil action is calculated at 6-month intervals from the date of filing the complaint at a rate of interest equal to 1% plus the average interest rate paid at auctions of 5-year United States treasury notes during the 6 months immediately preceding July 1 and January 1, as certified by the state treasurer, and compounded annually, according to this section. Interest under this subsection is calculated on the entire amount of the money judgment, including attorney fees and other costs. In an action for medical malpractice, interest under this subsection on costs or attorney fees awarded under a statute or court rule is not calculated for any period before the entry of the judgment. The amount of interest attributable to that part of the money judgment from which attorney fees are paid is retained by the plaintiff, and not paid to the plaintiff’s attorney.
(9) If a bona fide, reasonable written offer of settlement in a civil action based on tort is made by the party against whom the judgment is subsequently rendered and is rejected by the plaintiff, the court shall order that interest is not allowed beyond the date the bona fide, reasonable written offer of settlement is filed with the court.
(10) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1) and subject to subsections (11) and (12), if a bona fide, reasonable written offer of settlement in a civil action based on tort is not made by the party against whom the judgment is subsequently rendered, or is made and is not filed with the court, the court shall order that interest be calculated from the date of filing the complaint to the date of satisfaction of the judgment.
(11) If a civil action is based on medical malpractice and the defendant in the medical malpractice action failed to allow access to medical records as required under section 2912b(5), the court shall order that interest be calculated from the date notice was given in compliance with section 2912b to the date of satisfaction of the judgment.
(12) If a civil action is based on medical malpractice and the plaintiff in the medical malpractice action failed to allow access to medical records as required under section 2912b(5), the court shall order that interest be calculated from 182 days after the date the complaint was filed to the date of satisfaction of the judgment.
(13) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1), if a bona fide, reasonable written offer of settlement in a civil action based on tort is made by a plaintiff for whom the judgment is subsequently rendered and that offer is rejected and the offer is filed with the court, the court shall order that interest be calculated from the date of the rejection of the offer to the date of satisfaction of the judgment at a rate of interest equal to 2% plus the rate of interest calculated under subsection (8).
(14) A bona fide, reasonable written offer of settlement made according to this section that is not accepted within 21 days after the offer is made is rejected. A rejection under this subsection or otherwise does not preclude a later offer by either party.
(15) As used in this section:
(a) “Bona fide, reasonable written offer of settlement” means either of the following:
(i) With respect to an offer of settlement made by a defendant against whom judgment is subsequently rendered, a written offer of settlement that is not less than 90% of the amount actually received by the plaintiff in the action through judgment.
(ii) With respect to an offer of settlement made by a plaintiff, a written offer of settlement that is not more than 110% of the amount actually received by the plaintiff in the action through judgment.
(b) “Defendant” means a defendant, a counter-defendant, or a cross-defendant.
(c) “Party” means a plaintiff or a defendant.
(d) “Plaintiff” means a plaintiff, a counter-plaintiff, or a cross-plaintiff.
Enacting section 1. Sections 2912e, 5852, and 6013 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.2912e, 600.5852, and 600.6013, as amended by this amendatory act apply only to actions in which the cause of action arose on or after the effective date of this amendatory act.
Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House of Representatives
Approved
Governor
