It is easy enough to misunderstand some parts of the law —
even for lawyers.
For doctors, the misunderstandings sometimes appear to be tied
in with a sense of legal vulnerability or even of unfairness.
Examples of vulnerability might include concerns about the legal
implications of apologies, or the sense of exposure when providing
'good Samaritan' emergency care.
In both examples, civil liability law reforms have sought to
reassure doctors.
As for unfairness, still mentioned on occasion is the perception
that lawyers have various immunities: in other words, special legal
protections from negligence claims and the compensation process
that are not equally available to doctors and the rest of
society.
