Woman Infected With Herpes Can Sue Boyfriend’s Physician

A Connecticut women whose exclusive sexual partner infected her with herpes may sue a physician who told the partner he didn’t have any sexually transmitted diseases, the state’s top court says.

Whether a physician owes a duty to a nonpatient third party to accurately report the results of a patient’s STD test was a question of first impression in the state, the Connecticut Supreme Court said in an opinion to be released officially July 16.

Connecticut courts are generally averse to extending physicians’ duties to nonpatients, the court said. But the state has never adopted a rule categorically barring third ...