英文摘要 |
Medical malpractice law in Germany ascribe medical liability to doctors and hospitals respectively. The doctor's liability is further categorized as obligation under the special provisions of the treatment contract in the German Civil Code and tort liability under the German Civil Code. Contractual liability differs according to the patients' status (private patients, health insurance patients and welfare recipients), treatment errors and incorrect medical advices. With respect to hospitalization, there are options of private hospitals, non-profit hospitals and public hospitals. A hospital contract must be closed prior to hospitalization. The contract is a civil law contract of labor by nature. Hospital contracts are categorized as follows: the complete hospital contracts, the complete hospital contracts with additional physician contracts, and the separate contracts. Contractual liability is assumed by hospitals and/or doctor, and the same with tort liability. The hospital is also liable for their assistants and institutions. Contractual and tort liability is assumed by hospitals and physicians respectively in public hospitals as well. Before an action is brought, the arbitration board may be called for medical liability issues. A patient who submits a liability claim has the responsibility to provide proof of treatment errors, violation of rights, the damages and the causal link between medical malpractice and health damage. The attending physician has to prove that he had explained the medical process to the patient properly. Gross errors in treatment may cause a shift in the burden of proof, and as a result, the physician might run the risk of evidence. |