Medical Professionals May Be on Hook for Patient-Caused Injuries

Doctors and a pharmacy that prescribed and filled prescriptions for highly addictive drugs can be sued for the wrongful death of a woman killed by a patient while driving under their influence, Oregon’s top court said.

Medical professionals may be held liable for physical harm to a third party if their treatment of a patient unreasonably created a foreseeable risk of harm to nonpatients, the Oregon Supreme Court said Thursday. A medical professional’s liability isn’t limited to people with whom they have a professional relationship, it said.

States differ on when medical professionals can be held liable for patient-caused physical ...