A plaintiff in a medical negligence case must present his claim first to a medical review panel of physicians of the same specialty as the defendant physician and licensed to practice in Louisiana. Physicians from other states or from different specialties can not be appointed to a medical review panel. The panel evaluates the evidence submitted and renders a non-binding opinion. The opinion of the panel has been admitted into evidence in this case. The jury may consider it along with all of the other evidence in the case on this issue, but its findings are not binding on the parties or on the jury. Like any other evidence, it may be evaluated for bias when you determine the weight you may give, if any, to the opinion. La. R.S. 40:1299.47(C) & (H); and Derouen v. Kolb, 397 So.2d 791, 794 (La. 1981).
Updated: