Bill

Bill > A4199


NJ A4199

NJ A4199
Requires New Jersey licensure of physicians, dentists, and other health professionals serving as expert witnesses in malpractice cases; requires dentists serving as expert witnesses to comply with certain requirements for expert testimony.


summary

Introduced
05/02/2024
In Committee
05/02/2024
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026

Introduced Session

2024-2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Current law, set out in N.J.S.A.2A:53A-41, requires that all persons testifying as expert witnesses in medical malpractice actions must be licensed in the United States as physicians or other health care professionals and meet certain criteria concerning their medical specialties and experience. These requirements also apply to all persons providing an affidavit on the appropriate standard of care in medical malpractice cases. This affidavit is known informally as a "certificate of merit." Pursuant to N.J.S.A.2A:53A-26 et seq., any plaintiff bringing a suit for medical malpractice case must file a certificate of merit, signed by an appropriate physician or other health care professional, within a certain time frame. This bill provides that: (1) physicians and other health care professionals who testify as expert witnesses in medical malpractice actions and provide certificates of merit must be licensed in New Jersey; and (2) in dental malpractice actions, dentists who testify as expert witnesses would also be required to be licensed in New Jersey, and to comply with statutory criteria concerning their specialties and experience.

AI Summary

This bill requires that physicians, dentists, and other health professionals serving as expert witnesses in medical or dental malpractice cases must be licensed in the State of New Jersey, and dentists must also comply with certain requirements regarding their medical specialties and experience. The bill amends existing law to specify that the expert witness requirements apply to both medical and dental malpractice cases, and it also expands the criteria for expert witnesses to include recognition by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards, in addition to the American Board of Medical Specialties and the American Osteopathic Association. The bill will take effect 90 days after enactment and apply to all actions filed on or after the effective date.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee (on 05/02/2024)

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