Sen. John J. Cullerton

Filed: 2/17/2005

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 280

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 280 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by
5 adding Section 2-1105.01 as follows:
 
6     (735 ILCS 5/2-1105.01 new)
7     Sec. 2-1105.01. Physician Personal Assets Protected.
8     (a) In a medical malpractice action as defined in Section
9 2-1704, a physician's personal assets may not be used to
10 satisfy a judgment against the physician if:
11         (1) the physician has a policy of liability insurance
12     of at least $1,000,000 of coverage available to satisfy the
13     judgment against him or her in the case;
14         (2) before trial, the physician signs and provides a
15     sworn affidavit to the plaintiff and the physician's
16     insurer stating the following:
17             (A) the plaintiff has made a demand to settle the
18         case against the physician within the physician's
19         insurance policy limits (and the written demand is
20         attached to the affidavit);
21             (B) the physician has made a written demand to the
22         physician's insurer that the insurer settle the case
23         within the physician's insurance policy limits (and
24         the written demand is attached to the affidavit);

 

 

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1             (C) the insurer for the physician has not settled
2         the case within the physician's insurance policy
3         limits pursuant to the written demand of the physician;
4         and
5             (D) the physician agrees to assign to the
6         plaintiff, after verdict, any and all causes of action
7         the physician may have against the physician's insurer
8         to prosecute a cause of action against that insurer for
9         acting in bad faith or vexatiously and without
10         reasonable cause by failing to settle the case within
11         the physician's insurance policy limits; and
12         (3) after a verdict in excess of the physician's
13     insurance policy limits, the physician has not withdrawn
14     the demand to settle in subdivision (2)(B) and assigns to
15     the plaintiff, pursuant to subdivision (2)(D), any and all
16     causes of action the physician has against the physician's
17     insurer for acting in bad faith or vexatiously and without
18     reasonable cause by failing to settle the case within the
19     physician's insurance policy limits.
20     (b) In a medical malpractice action as defined in Section
21 2-1704, if a physician does not make a written demand to settle
22 in accordance with subdivision (2)(B) of subsection (a), the
23 physician's personal assets may not be used to satisfy a
24 judgment against the physician if:
25         (1) the physician meets the insurance requirements of
26     paragraph (1) of subsection (a); and
27         (2) after the verdict, the court determines that the
28     physician's decision not to make the written demand was
29     reasonable. Such a determination may be made only in
30     accordance with the following procedure:
31             (A) The physician must file a motion, within 10
32         days after the verdict, for the exemption of the
33         physician's assets.
34             (B) The parties shall have 60 days after the motion

 

 

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1         is filed to conduct discovery as to whether the
2         physician's decision not to make the written demand was
3         reasonable.
4             (C) Upon completion of the discovery period and any
5         additional time granted to the parties by the court for
6         submissions in support of or opposition to the the
7         motion, the court shall hold an evidentiary hearing, if
8         necessary, and determine whether the physician's
9         decision not to make the written demand was reasonable.
10     During the pendency of a motion filed by a physician under
11 this subsection (b) for the exemption of the physician's
12 assets, the enforcement of the judgment against the physician
13 shall be stayed, but the physician shall be prohibited from
14 transferring, concealing, or dissipating his or her assets. The
15 physician shall not be required to post a bond or other form of
16 security during the pendency of the motion.
17     The granting of a motion under this subsection (b) shall be
18 conditioned upon the physician's assignment to the plaintiff,
19 pursuant to subdivision (2)(D) of subsection (a), of any and
20 all causes of action the physician has against the physician's
21 insurer for acting in bad faith or vexatiously and without
22 reasonable cause by failing to settle the case within the
23 physician's insurance policy limits.
24     If the court denies a motion filed by a physician under
25 this subsection (b) and determines that the physician's
26 decision not to make a written demand was not reasonable, the
27 physician may appeal the denial of the motion after a final
28 judgment is entered in the case. Any appeal shall be the rules
29 that apply to civil appeals, including Supreme Court Rule 305
30 regarding stays of enforcement of money judgments.
31     (c) This Section applies only to an individual physician
32 who satisfies the requirements of subsection (a) or (b) and
33 does not apply to any actual or alleged principal, apparent
34 principal, employer, master, or partner of the physician, or

 

 

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1 any other party in the case.
2     (d) This Section does not restrict, impair, or otherwise
3 affect the amount of damages which may be awarded to the
4 plaintiff or the amount of any judgment in favor of the
5 plaintiff.
6     (e) This Section does not restrict, impair, or otherwise
7 affect the statutory and common law causes of action a
8 physician or his or her assignee has against the physician's
9 insurer for the insurer's acting in bad faith or vexatiously
10 and without reasonable cause by failing to settle a case
11 against the physician within the physician's insurance policy
12 limits.
 
13     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14 becoming law.".