8.01-581.19 - Civil immunity for physicians, psychologists, podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, nursing home administrators, and certified emergency services personnel while members of certain c
§ 8.01-581.19. Civil immunity for physicians, psychologists, podiatrists,optometrists, veterinarians, nursing home administrators, and certifiedemergency services personnel while members of certain committees.
A. Any physician, chiropractor, psychologist, podiatrist, veterinarian oroptometrist licensed to practice in this Commonwealth shall be immune fromcivil liability for any communication, finding, opinion or conclusion made inperformance of his duties while serving as a member of any committee, board,group, commission or other entity that is responsible for resolving questionsconcerning the admission of any physician, psychologist, podiatrist,veterinarian or optometrist to, or the taking of disciplinary action againstany member of, any medical society, academy or association affiliated withthe American Medical Association, the Virginia Academy of ClinicalPsychologists, the American Psychological Association, the Virginia AppliedPsychology Academy, the Virginia Academy of School Psychologists, theAmerican Podiatric Medical Association, the American Veterinary MedicalAssociation, the International Chiropractic Association, the AmericanChiropractic Association, the Virginia Chiropractic Association, or theAmerican Optometric Association; provided that such communication, finding,opinion or conclusion is not made in bad faith or with malicious intent.
B. Any nursing home administrator licensed under the laws of thisCommonwealth shall be immune from civil liability for any communication,finding, opinion, decision or conclusion made in performance of his dutieswhile serving as a member of any committee, board, group, commission or otherentity that is responsible for resolving questions concerning the admissionof any health care facility to, or the taking of disciplinary action againstany member of, the Virginia Health Care Association, provided that suchcommunication, finding, opinion, decision or conclusion is not made in badfaith or with malicious intent.
C. Any emergency medical services personnel certified under the laws of theCommonwealth shall be immune from civil liability for any communication,finding, opinion, decision, or conclusion made in performance of his dutieswhile serving as a member of any regional council, committee, board, group,commission or other entity that is responsible for resolving questionsconcerning the quality of care, including triage, interfacility transfer, andother components of emergency medical services care, unless suchcommunication, finding, opinion, decision or conclusion is made in bad faithor with malicious intent.
(1978, c. 541; 1987, c. 713; 1989, c. 729; 1993, c. 702; 1996, cc. 937, 980;2006, c. 412.)