Legal Definitions - last-treatment rule

The last-treatment rule is a legal principle that determines when the statute of limitations begins for a medical malpractice claim. It states that the clock starts ticking when the treatment ends or the physician-patient relationship is terminated.

For example, if a patient undergoes surgery and experiences complications, the statute of limitations for a malpractice claim would begin when the treatment ends, which could be when the patient is discharged from the hospital or when the surgeon's follow-up care ends.

Another example would be if a patient sees a doctor for ongoing treatment of a chronic condition. If the patient decides to switch doctors or stop treatment, the statute of limitations would begin at that point.

The last-treatment rule is important because it sets a time limit for patients to file a medical malpractice claim. If the claim is not filed within the statute of limitations, the patient may lose the right to seek compensation for any harm caused by the medical provider's negligence.