Medical Negligence and Judicial Overreach

Author/Editor :

Dr. Shri Gopal Kabra, Dr. Vivekanshu Verma

Pages :

448

Specialty :

Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

Book Type :

Academic & Professional

Dr. S.G. Kabra’s book, Medical Negligence and Judicial Overreach, is a ground breaking exploration of the intersection between medical malpractice laws, judicial intervention, and the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in legal and healthcare systems. The book critically examines how courts handle medical negligence cases, often leading to accusations of judicial overreach, while also proposing AI as a potential tool for fairer, data-driven decision-making.

Key Themes Discussed:
1. Medical Negligence Laws in India – The book delves into the legal frame work governing medical negligence, referencing landmark judgments such as Jacob Mathew v. State of Punjab (2005), which set guidelines for prosecuting doctors. Dr. Kabra highlights the fine line between genuine medical errors and criminal negligence.

2. Judicial Overreach in Healthcare – A major concern addressed is whether excessive judicial interference demoralizes doctors, leading to defensive medicine. Courts sometimes misinterpret medical complexities, resulting in unfair rulings against healthcare professionals.

3. Role of AI in Reducing Bias – The most innovative aspect of the book is its discussion on AI’s potential to analyze medical negligence cases objectively. AI can assist in:
• Reviewing medical records for errors.
• Predicting negligence patterns using data analytics.
• Reducing human bias in judicial decisions.

4. Ethical and Legal Challenges – While AI offers solutions, Dr. Kabra also warns about accountability issues—can an algorithm replace human judgment in complex medical-legal disputes?

USP:
This book is a must-read for doctors, lawyers, and policymakers, offering a balanced view on medical negligence while advocating for AI-assisted reforms in judicial processes. Dr. Kabra’s work bridges law, medicine, and technology, making a compelling case for a more evidence-based approach to medical litigation.


Dr. Tapas Kumar Koley
MBBS, MD Internal Medicine, Author of Oxford’s textbook of Medical Negligence
and the Law in India: Duties, Reponsibilities, Rights.
Consultant in charge, Department of Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Dwarka.

Preface                                     v
Foreword                                  vii
About the Book                          ix
Acknowledgement xi
1. Standards of Practice in Codified Medicine                    1
2. Qualified Medico-Legal Experts Need Recognition to Help Practice Legal Medicine                    12
3. Adjudicating Medical Negligence under the Codified and the Uncodified Law: Inherent Conflict           21
4. Medical Negligence: Offence and Liability                                               32
5. Need to Develop Medical Defense Councils                                           38
6. Demonizing Doctors through Ill-informed Medical Negligence CPA Decisions                          47
7. Legal Overreach for Patient Autonomy Corrodes Professional Autonomy                                60
8. Criminalizing Medical Practice after Professing to Decriminalize it                                           71
9. Consent and Medical Negligence                                                                                              81
10. Case Laws on Good Faith Exemption from Medical Negligence                                             88
11. Good Faith Exemption from Criminal Liabilty                                                                           97
12. Adjudicating Medical Negligence Cases for Civil and Criminal Liability                                   117
13. Health care is not included in CPA 2019 130
14. Sonography for Fetal Well-being: Risk and Liability 139
15. Mortality Audit: Principles and Practice 151
16. Adjudicating in an Orphan Disease for Medical Negligence 164
17. Terminal Cancer: Ethico-Legal Dilemma: A Case Study 176
18. Ethico-legal Issues in Abortion 193
19. An Open Case of Tuberculosis with Closed Options 216
20. Relevance of Legal & Valid Consent in Healthcare 226
21. In Medical Practice, Ethics are Laws: Pose Challenge in Realtime Situations 247
22. Tested HIV Positive: Ethico-Legal Obligations and Risks 265
23. Unjust Legal Rulings Poison Medical Practice 284
24. Surrogacy Contract as an Alternative for Parents Forced to opt for MTP    297
25. Will to Die with Dignity                                                                              311
26. Two Major Woes that Plague Doctors in India                                          319
27. Plight of a Lady after Artificial Insemination: Ethico-Legal Dilemma          325
28. Vent-Dependent Kids, Unpaid Bills: Ethical Dilemma                                 332
29. Triage for Admission to the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit: AI Debate           339
30. A Critical Analysis of Criminal Liability for Medical Practitioners                  345
31. Statutory Stipulations that Protect from Medical Negligence Liability           352
32. Balancing the Scales: Medical Autonomy and Legal Accountability under BNS Sec 25, 26, and 30           365
33. Relevance of Life-threatening and Life-limiting Spectrums of Diseases in Medical Negligence Jurisprudence     383
Index          398

Dr. Shri Gopal Kabra, A graduate in Medicine and Law, and post graduate in Anatomy, Surgery and Journalism, has been a medical science researcher, a surgeon, a medico-legal expert, a freelance medical science journalist, a writer and an activist. After a 30 years teaching career in medical colleges, post retirement, he taught, practiced and popularized Medical Audit and Laws Related to Health Care. He is winner of several research and literary awards. 
At 88 he is still active and working as Director Legal Affairs and Medical Audit at SDM Hospital, Jaipur, and as Director Clinical Services and Welfare Projects at Bhagwan Mahavir Cancer Hospital, Jaipur, where he has initiated projects for free treatment of cancers.

Dr. Vivekanshu Verma, MBBS, DFM is a distinguished medical professional currently serving as an Associate Consultant in the Emergency Department at Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram, a premier multi-specialty hospital. His expertise extends to medical toxicology, and clinical forensic medicine, underscored by his role as an Honorary Toxicology Expert for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and his membership in Hospital Organ Transplant Committee and Hospital Patient safety Committee, reflecting his commitment to ethical healthcare practices. He has played pivotal role in drafting Hospitalbased SOPs in 2024 for bestclinical practices in different fields of Medicine and surgery to prevent medical negligence and malpractice, SOPs for equipment safety in Emergency, SOPs for medicolegal issues in managing sexual assault and polytrauma in multispecialty Trauma Centre, preventing Hospital violence against Healthcare Providers (2025).
A prolific academic contributor, Dr. Verma has authored pivotal medical texts, including Critical Care Toxicology for Nurses and Emergency Practical Manual for Managing Trauma & Toxicology (Red flower Publishers), which serve as essential resources for healthcare professionals managing complex emergencies and toxicological cases. His scholarly work bridges clinical practice with education, enhancing patient care standards.He recently decoded of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) sections for easy recall: Even Numbers & Non-Bailable Offences, published by Indian Medical Association (IMA) on their website. Dr. Verma's accolades highlight his exceptional contributions. Since 2009, he has provided medicolegal opinion regularly, as a medical jurist in the different criminal courts of Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan in various medicolegal cases.  In 2019, He was awarded Fellowship by Indian Society of Toxicology (F.I.S.T.) and received the Award of Excellence in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology from the Indian Association of Forensic Medicine (IAFM), cementing his reputation as a leader in the field. In 2023, he was awarded as the Best Medicolegal Expert Among Doctors by Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, in collaboration with the Legal Desire Institute of Law, New Delhi. On Amazon KDP, he has published 180 Toxic Riddles in rhymes, Medicolegal Riddles and Toxic Riddles for Toxic Detectives on various topics.

TABLE OF CONTENTS AND LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS


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BIBLIOGRAPHY


ISBN 978-81-958102-8-4
Publisher Red Flower Publications
Publication Date 2025-07-10
Edition 1/e


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