Trending Terms to Know

Juries may hold employers accountable when employees are involved in auto accidents. The awards paid to plaintiffs may increase when an employer is found to not adhere to basic auto safety elements. These terms will aid in understanding the importance of auto safety at your practice.

Social Inflation

Social inflation is a term that refers to the rising litigation costs to defend a claim.2 While there are several contributing factors to social inflation, such as corporate distrust and juror sympathy towards plaintiff’s claims, one key element is the drastic increase in “nuclear verdicts” awarded.

Nuclear Verdict

A Nuclear Verdict is a jury award that surpasses $10 million. The period between 2010 to 2019 saw a 300% increase in verdicts of $20 million or more when compared to prior years.3 Causes for such large award amounts are attributed to elements like corporate mistrust, litigation funding, and negligent entrustment.

Negligent Entrustment

When a company entrusts an individual to operate vehicles for company purposes, it has a responsibility to ensure that the individual is a qualified and responsible driver. When a company fails to adequately discharge this responsibility and an incident occurs, the company may be found to have negligently entrusted the individual, thereby providing leverage for plaintiffs to demand higher damages.

Dr. John Theodore Hollister, a CVMA Life Member, passed away on March 29, 2022. Dr. Hollister graduated with a veterinary degree from UC Davis in 1955, after which he served in the U.S. Air Force. He established the Peninsula Animal Hospital in Pacific Grove, a small animal medicine practice where he worked until his retirement in 1995. Later, Dr. Hollister volunteered at a spay and neuter clinic in Greenfield. He served on the board of directors of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Monterey County.

Dr. David McClun, a CVMA Life Member, passed away on September 9, 2022. Dr. McClun received his DVM degree from Kansas State University in 1959. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, Dr. McClun spent almost 50 years of his career practicing small animal medicine at El Cerrito Pet Hospital in El Cerrito.

In memory of deceased members, the CVMA makes a donation to the California Veterinary Medical Foundation, whose mission statement reads: “Nurturing kindness, education, and well-being for all animals, people, and the environment.”

The FDA recently finalized GFI #256, regulatory guidance for compounded animal medications from bulk drug substances for use in non-food producing animals. This new guidance impacts both office stock in veterinary practices and individual animalpatient prescriptions. It’s important your daily practice operations are compliant!