CHAPTER 2305: JURISDICTION; LIMITATION OF ACTIONS

Except as otherwise provided by this section or section 2305.03 of the Revised Code, the court of common pleas has original jurisdiction in all civil cases in which the sum or matter in dispute exceeds the exclusive original jurisdiction of county courts and appellate jurisdiction from the decisions of boards of county commissioners. The court of common pleas shall not have jurisdiction, in any tort action to which the amounts apply, to award punitive or exemplary damages that exceed the amounts set forth in section 2315.21 of the Revised Code. The court of common pleas shall not have jurisdiction in any tort action to which the limits apply to enter judgment on an award of compensatory damages for noneconomic loss in excess of the limits set forth in section 2315.18 of the Revised Code.

The court of common pleas may on its own motion transfer for trial any action in the court to any municipal court in the county having concurrent jurisdiction of the subject matter of, and the parties to, the action, if the amount sought by the plaintiff does not exceed one thousand dollars and if the judge or presiding judge of the municipal court concurs in the proposed transfer. Upon the issuance of an order of transfer, the clerk of courts shall remove to the designated municipal court the entire case file. Any untaxed portion of the common pleas deposit for court costs shall be remitted to the municipal court by the clerk of courts to be applied in accordance with section 1901.26 of the Revised Code, and the costs taxed by the municipal court shall be added to any costs taxed in the common pleas court.

The court of common pleas has jurisdiction in any action brought pursuant to division (I) of section 3733.11 of the Revised Code if the residential premises that are the subject of the action are located within the territorial jurisdiction of the court.

The courts of common pleas of Adams, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Clermont, Columbiana, Gallia, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Scioto, and Washington counties have jurisdiction beyond the north or northwest shore of the Ohio river extending to the opposite shore line, between the extended boundary lines of any adjacent counties or adjacent state. Each of those courts of common pleas has concurrent jurisdiction on the Ohio river with any adjacent court of common pleas that borders on that river and with any court of Kentucky or of West Virginia that borders on the Ohio river and that has jurisdiction on the Ohio river under the law of Kentucky or the law of West Virginia, whichever is applicable, or under federal law.

Effective Date: 07-06-2001; 04-07-2005

Effective Date: 07-06-2001

A court of common pleas has exclusive, original jurisdiction to hear and determine an action or proceeding that is commenced by an individual who satisfies divisions (A)(1) to (4) of section 2743.48 of the Revised Code and that seeks a determination by the court that the offense of which he was found guilty, including all lesser-included offenses, either was not committed by him or was not committed by any person. If the court enters the requested determination, it shall comply with division (B) of that section.

Effective Date: 03-17-1989

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section and unless a different limitation is prescribed by statute, a civil action may be commenced only within the period prescribed in sections 2305.04 to 2305.22 of the Revised Code. If interposed by proper plea by a party to an action mentioned in any of those sections, lapse of time shall be a bar to the action.

(B) No civil action that is based upon a cause of action that accrued in any other state, territory, district, or foreign jurisdiction may be commenced and maintained in this state if the period of limitation that applies to that action under the laws of that other state, territory, district, or foreign jurisdiction has expired or the period of limitation that applies to that action under the laws of this state has expired.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953; 04-07-2005

An action to recover the title to or possession of real property shall be brought within twenty-one years after the cause of action accrued, but if a person entitled to bring the action is, at the time the cause of action accrues, within the age of minority or of unsound mind, the person, after the expiration of twenty-one years from the time the cause of action accrues, may bring the action within ten years after the disability is removed.

Effective Date: 01-13-1991

With respect to a lease or license by which a right is granted to operate or to sink or drill wells on land in this state for natural gas or petroleum and that is recorded in accordance with section 5301.09 of the Revised Code, an action alleging breach of any express or implied provision of the lease or license concerning the calculation or payment of royalties shall be brought within the time period that is specified in section 1302.98 of the Revised Code. An action alleging a breach with respect to any other issue that the lease or license involves shall be brought within the time period specified in section 2305.06 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 04-06-2007

If a street or alley, or any part thereof, laid out and shown on the recorded plat of a municipal corporation, has not been opened to the public use and occupancy of the citizens thereof, or other persons, and has been enclosed with a fence by the owners of the inlots, lots, or outlots lying on, adjacent to, or along such street or alley, or part thereof, and has remained in the open, uninterrupted use, adverse possession, and occupancy of such owners for the period of twenty-one years, and if such street, alley, inlot, or outlot is a part of the tract of land so laid out by the original proprietors, the public easement therein shall be extinguished and the right of such municipal corporation, the citizens thereof, or other persons, and the legislative authority of such municipal corporation and the legal authorities thereof, to use, control, or occupy so much of such street or alley as has been fenced, used, possessed, and occupied, shall be barred, except to the owners of such inlots or outlots lying on, adjacent to, or along such streets or alleys who have occupied them in the manner mentioned in this section.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953

Except as provided in sections 126.301 and 1302.98 of the Revised Code, an action upon a specialty or an agreement, contract, or promise in writing shall be brought within fifteen years after the cause thereof accrued.

Effective Date: 07-01-1993

Except as provided in sections 126.301 and 1302.98 of the Revised Code, an action upon a contract not in writing, express or implied, or upon a liability created by statute other than a forfeiture or penalty, shall be brought within six years after the cause thereof accrued.

Effective Date: 07-01-1993

If payment has been made upon any demand founded on a contract, or a written acknowledgment thereof, or a promise to pay it has been made and signed by the party to be charged, an action may be brought thereon within the time limited by sections 2305.06 and 2305.07 of the Revised Code, after such payment, acknowledgment, or promise.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953

An action for any of the following causes shall be brought within four years after the cause thereof accrued:

(A) For trespassing upon real property;

(B) For the recovery of personal property, or for taking or detaining it;

(C) For relief on the ground of fraud;

(D) For an injury to the rights of the plaintiff not arising on contract nor enumerated in sections 1304.35, 2305.10 to 2305.12, and 2305.14 of the Revised Code;

(E) For relief on the grounds of a physical or regulatory taking of real property.

If the action is for trespassing under ground or injury to mines, or for the wrongful taking of personal property, the causes thereof shall not accrue until the wrongdoer is discovered; nor, if it is for fraud, until the fraud is discovered.

Effective Date: 03-02-2004

(A) An action to obtain a judgment for any of the following shall be brought by a board of education of any school district within four years after the cause of action accrues in accordance with division (B) of this section:

(1) The removal of asbestos or materials that contain asbestos from a building or other structure that is owned by the board of education;

(2) Measures to be taken to locate, correct, or ameliorate any problem associated with asbestos or materials that contain asbestos in a building or other structure that is owned by the board of education;

(3) The reimbursement of the costs and expenses associated with the removal of asbestos or materials that contain asbestos from a building or other structure that is owned by the board of education;

(4) The reimbursement of the costs and expenses associated with the location, correction, or amelioration of any problem associated with asbestos or materials that contain asbestos in a building or other structure that is owned by the board of education.

(B) A cause of action for any removal, measures, or reimbursement described in divisions (A)(1) to (4) of this section accrues upon the date that the board of education is informed by an official of a state, county, or local health department or of the United States environmental protection agency, the Ohio environmental protection agency, or the industrial commission who has conducted an inspection for asbestos or who has received test data concerning asbestos located in a building or other structure that is owned by the board of education, that asbestos or materials that contain asbestos in any building or other structure that is owned by the board of education should be removed from the building or other structure or be encapsulated or otherwise maintained because the asbestos poses a health hazard or risk to persons who use the building or other structure.

(C) This section applies to asbestos, and material that contains asbestos, that is or was installed in a building or other structure prior to, on, or after the effective date of this section.

Effective Date: 10-08-1992

(A) Except as provided in division (C) or (E) of this section, an action based on a product liability claim and an action for bodily injury or injuring personal property shall be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues. Except as provided in divisions (B)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of this section, a cause of action accrues under this division when the injury or loss to person or property occurs.

(B)(1) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury that is not described in division (B)(2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section and that is caused by exposure to hazardous or toxic chemicals, ethical drugs, or ethical medical devices accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.

(2) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury caused by exposure to chromium in any of its chemical forms accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.

(3) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury incurred by a veteran through exposure to chemical defoliants or herbicides or other causative agents, including agent orange, accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.

(4) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury caused by exposure to diethylstilbestrol or other nonsteroidal synthetic estrogens, including exposure before birth, accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.

(5) For purposes of division (A) of this section, a cause of action for bodily injury caused by exposure to asbestos accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.

(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) of this section or in section 2305.19 of the Revised Code, no cause of action based on a product liability claim shall accrue against the manufacturer or supplier of a product later than ten years from the date that the product was delivered to its first purchaser or first lessee who was not engaged in a business in which the product was used as a component in the production, construction, creation, assembly, or rebuilding of another product.

(2) Division (C)(1) of this section does not apply if the manufacturer or supplier of a product engaged in fraud in regard to information about the product and the fraud contributed to the harm that is alleged in a product liability claim involving that product.

(3) Division (C)(1) of this section does not bar an action based on a product liability claim against a manufacturer or supplier of a product who made an express, written warranty as to the safety of the product that was for a period longer than ten years and that, at the time of the accrual of the cause of action, has not expired in accordance with the terms of that warranty.

(4) If the cause of action relative to a product liability claim accrues during the ten-year period described in division (C)(1) of this section but less than two years prior to the expiration of that period, an action based on the product liability claim may be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues.

(5) If a cause of action relative to a product liability claim accrues during the ten-year period described in division (C)(1) of this section and the claimant cannot commence an action during that period due to a disability described in section 2305.16 of the Revised Code, an action based on the product liability claim may be commenced within two years after the disability is removed.

(6) Division (C)(1) of this section does not bar an action for bodily injury caused by exposure to asbestos if the cause of action that is the basis of the action accrues upon the date on which the plaintiff is informed by competent medical authority that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the plaintiff should have known that the plaintiff has an injury that is related to the exposure, whichever date occurs first.

(7)(a) Division (C)(1) of this section does not bar an action based on a product liability claim against a manufacturer or supplier of a product if all of the following apply:

(i) The action is for bodily injury.

(ii) The product involved is a substance or device described in division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section.

(iii) The bodily injury results from exposure to the product during the ten-year period described in division (C)(1) of this section.

(b) If division (C)(7)(a) of this section applies regarding an action, the cause of action accrues upon the date on which the claimant is informed by competent medical authority that the bodily injury was related to the exposure to the product, or upon the date on which by the exercise of reasonable diligence the claimant should have known that the bodily injury was related to the exposure to the product, whichever date occurs first. The action based on the product liability claim shall be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues and shall not be commenced more than two years after the cause of action accrues.

(D) This section does not create a new cause of action or substantive legal right against any person involving a product liability claim.

(E) An action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting any claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, as defined in section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, shall be brought as provided in division (C) of that section.

(F) As used in this section:

(1) “Agent orange,” “causative agent,” and “veteran” have the same meanings as in section 5903.21 of the Revised Code.

(2) “Ethical drug,” “ethical medical device,” “manufacturer,” “product,” “product liability claim,” and “supplier” have the same meanings as in section 2307.71 of the Revised Code.

(3) “Harm” means injury, death, or loss to person or property.

(G) This section shall be considered to be purely remedial in operation and shall be applied in a remedial manner in any civil action commenced on or after April 7, 2005, in which this section is relevant, regardless of when the cause of action accrued and notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code or prior rule of law of this state, but shall not be construed to apply to any civil action pending prior to April 7, 2005.

Effective Date: 07-06-2001; 04-07-2005; 08-03-2006

(A) Notwithstanding the limitations provided for in sections 2125.02 and 2305.10 of the Revised Code, a claimant who alleges bodily injury or wrongful death caused by the effects of the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device and who has filed a claim in the A.H. Robins bankruptcy reorganization in the United States bankruptcy court for the eastern district of Virginia, Richmond division, may bring an action in this state against the Dalkon Shield Claimants Trust for bodily injury or wrongful death caused by the effects of the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device, within one year from the date of the certification by the United States district court or the United States bankruptcy court for the eastern district of Virginia, Richmond division, of the right of that claimant to proceed to litigation or arbitration regarding that claim, or within six months from the effective date of this section, whichever is later.

(B) Division (A) of this section applies to all actions for bodily injury or wrongful death caused by the effects of the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device, including actions that may have been barred prior to the effective date of this section by dismissal pursuant to a court order or otherwise.

Effective Date: 08-16-1995

(A) An action for libel, slander, malicious prosecution, or false imprisonment, an action for malpractice other than an action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim, or an action upon a statute for a penalty or forfeiture shall be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued, provided that an action by an employee for the payment of unpaid minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated damages by reason of the nonpayment of minimum wages or overtime compensation shall be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued.

(B) A civil action for unlawful abortion pursuant to section 2919.12 of the Revised Code, a civil action authorized by division (H) of section 2317.56 of the Revised Code, a civil action pursuant to division (B)(1) or (2) of section 2307.51 of the Revised Code for performing a dilation and extraction procedure or attempting to perform a dilation and extraction procedure in violation of section 2919.15 of the Revised Code, and a civil action pursuant to division (B)(1) or (2) of section 2307.52 of the Revised Code for terminating or attempting to terminate a human pregnancy after viability in violation of division (A) or (B) of section 2919.17 of the Revised Code shall be commenced within one year after the performance or inducement of the abortion, within one year after the attempt to perform or induce the abortion in violation of division (A) or (B) of section 2919.17 of the Revised Code, within one year after the performance of the dilation and extraction procedure, or, in the case of a civil action pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 2307.51 of the Revised Code, within one year after the attempt to perform the dilation and extraction procedure.

(C) As used in this section, “medical claim,” “dental claim,” “optometric claim,” and “chiropractic claim” have the same meanings as in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 04-11-2003

(A) As used in this section:

(1) “Childhood sexual abuse” means any conduct that constitutes any of the violations identified in division (A)(1)(a) or (b) of this section and would constitute a criminal offense under the specified section or division of the Revised Code, if the victim of the violation is at the time of the violation a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age. The court need not find that any person has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to the offense under the specified section or division of the Revised Code in order for the conduct that is the violation constituting the offense to be childhood sexual abuse for purposes of this division. This division applies to any of the following violations committed in the following specified circumstances:

(a) A violation of section 2907.02 or of division (A)(1), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), or (12) of section 2907.03 of the Revised Code;

(b) A violation of section 2907.05 or 2907.06 of the Revised Code if, at the time of the violation, any of the following apply:

(i) The actor is the victim’s natural parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent or the guardian, custodian, or person in loco parentis of the victim.

(ii) The victim is in custody of law or a patient in a hospital or other institution, and the actor has supervisory or disciplinary authority over the victim.

(iii) The actor is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in a school for which the state board of education prescribes minimum standards pursuant to division (D) of section 3301.07 of the Revised Code, the victim is enrolled in or attends that school, and the actor is not enrolled in and does not attend that school.

(iv) The actor is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in an institution of higher education, and the victim is enrolled in or attends that institution.

(v) The actor is the victim’s athletic or other type of coach, is the victim’s instructor, is the leader of a scouting troop of which the victim is a member, or is a person with temporary or occasional disciplinary control over the victim.

(vi) The actor is a mental health professional, the victim is a mental health client or patient of the actor, and the actor induces the victim to submit by falsely representing to the victim that the sexual contact involved in the violation is necessary for mental health treatment purposes.

(vii) The victim is confined in a detention facility, and the actor is an employee of that detention facility.

(viii) The actor is a cleric, and the victim is a member of, or attends, the church or congregation served by the cleric.

(2) “Cleric” has the same meaning as in section 2317.02 of the Revised Code.

(3) “Mental health client or patient” has the same meaning as in section 2305.51 of the Revised Code.

(4) “Mental health professional” has the same meaning as in section 2305.115 of the Revised Code.

(5) “Sexual contact” has the same meaning as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code.

(6) “Victim” means, except as provided in division (B) of this section, a victim of childhood sexual abuse.

(B) Except as provided in section 2305.115 of the Revised Code and subject to division (C) of this section, an action for assault or battery shall be brought within one year after the cause of the action accrues. For purposes of this section, a cause of action for assault or battery accrues upon the later of the following:

(1) The date on which the alleged assault or battery occurred;

(2) If the plaintiff did not know the identity of the person who allegedly committed the assault or battery on the date on which it allegedly occurred, the earlier of the following dates:

(a) The date on which the plaintiff learns the identity of that person;

(b) The date on which, by the exercise of reasonable diligence, the plaintiff should have learned the identity of that person.

(C) An action for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse based on childhood sexual abuse, or an action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting any claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, shall be brought within twelve years after the cause of action accrues. For purposes of this section, a cause of action for assault or battery based on childhood sexual abuse, or a cause of action for a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse, accrues upon the date on which the victim reaches the age of majority. If the defendant in an action brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse asserting a claim resulting from childhood sexual abuse that occurs on or after the effective date of this act has fraudulently concealed from the plaintiff facts that form the basis of the claim, the running of the limitations period with regard to that claim is tolled until the time when the plaintiff discovers or in the exercise of due diligence should have discovered those facts.

Effective Date: 05-14-2002; 08-03-2006

Effective Date: 04-07-2005

(A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim shall be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued.

(B)(1) If prior to the expiration of the one-year period specified in division (A) of this section, a claimant who allegedly possesses a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim gives to the person who is the subject of that claim written notice that the claimant is considering bringing an action upon that claim, that action may be commenced against the person notified at any time within one hundred eighty days after the notice is so given.

(2) An insurance company shall not consider the existence or nonexistence of a written notice described in division (B)(1) of this section in setting the liability insurance premium rates that the company may charge the company’s insured person who is notified by that written notice.

(C) Except as to persons within the age of minority or of unsound mind as provided by section 2305.16 of the Revised Code, and except as provided in division (D) of this section, both of the following apply:

(1) No action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim shall be commenced more than four years after the occurrence of the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim.

(2) If an action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim is not commenced within four years after the occurrence of the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic claim, then, any action upon that claim is barred.

(D)(1) If a person making a medical claim, dental claim, optometric claim, or chiropractic claim, in the exercise of reasonable care and diligence, could not have discovered the injury resulting from the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the claim within three years after the occurrence of the act or omission, but, in the exercise of reasonable care and diligence, discovers the injury resulting from that act or omission before the expiration of the four-year period specified in division (C)(1) of this section, the person may commence an action upon the claim not later than one year after the person discovers the injury resulting from that act or omission.

(2) If the alleged basis of a medical claim, dental claim, optometric claim, or chiropractic claim is the occurrence of an act or omission that involves a foreign object that is left in the body of the person making the claim, the person may commence an action upon the claim not later than one year after the person discovered the foreign object or not later than one year after the person, with reasonable care and diligence, should have discovered the foreign object.

(3) A person who commences an action upon a medical claim, dental claim, optometric claim, or chiropractic claim under the circumstances described in division (D)(1) or (2) of this section has the affirmative burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that the person, with reasonable care and diligence, could not have discovered the injury resulting from the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the claim within the three-year period described in division (D)(1) of this section or within the one-year period described in division (D)(2) of this section, whichever is applicable.

(E) As used in this section:

(1) “Hospital” includes any person, corporation, association, board, or authority that is responsible for the operation of any hospital licensed or registered in the state, including, but not limited to, those that are owned or operated by the state, political subdivisions, any person, any corporation, or any combination of the state, political subdivisions, persons, and corporations. “Hospital” also includes any person, corporation, association, board, entity, or authority that is responsible for the operation of any clinic that employs a full-time staff of physicians practicing in more than one recognized medical specialty and rendering advice, diagnosis, care, and treatment to individuals. “Hospital” does not include any hospital operated by the government of the United States or any of its branches.

(2) “Physician” means a person who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery by the state medical board or a person who otherwise is authorized to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state.

(3) “Medical claim” means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against a physician, podiatrist, hospital, home, or residential facility, against any employee or agent of a physician, podiatrist, hospital, home, or residential facility, or against a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, advanced practice nurse, physical therapist, physician assistant, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic, and that arises out of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. “Medical claim” includes the following:

(a) Derivative claims for relief that arise from the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person;

(b) Claims that arise out of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person and to which either of the following applies:

(i) The claim results from acts or omissions in providing medical care.

(ii) The claim results from the hiring, training, supervision, retention, or termination of caregivers providing medical diagnosis, care, or treatment.

(c) Claims that arise out of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person and that are brought under section 3721.17 of the Revised Code.

(4) “Podiatrist” means any person who is licensed to practice podiatric medicine and surgery by the state medical board.

(5) “Dentist” means any person who is licensed to practice dentistry by the state dental board.

(6) “Dental claim” means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against a dentist, or against any employee or agent of a dentist, and that arises out of a dental operation or the dental diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. “Dental claim” includes derivative claims for relief that arise from a dental operation or the dental diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person.

(7) “Derivative claims for relief” include, but are not limited to, claims of a parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse of an individual who was the subject of any medical diagnosis, care, or treatment, dental diagnosis, care, or treatment, dental operation, optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment, or chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment, that arise from that diagnosis, care, treatment, or operation, and that seek the recovery of damages for any of the following:

(a) Loss of society, consortium, companionship, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, training, or education, or any other intangible loss that was sustained by the parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse;

(b) Expenditures of the parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse for medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic care or treatment, for rehabilitation services, or for other care, treatment, services, products, or accommodations provided to the individual who was the subject of the medical diagnosis, care, or treatment, the dental diagnosis, care, or treatment, the dental operation, the optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment, or the chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment.

(8) “Registered nurse” means any person who is licensed to practice nursing as a registered nurse by the board of nursing.

(9) “Chiropractic claim” means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against a chiropractor, or against any employee or agent of a chiropractor, and that arises out of the chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. “Chiropractic claim” includes derivative claims for relief that arise from the chiropractic diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person.

(10) “Chiropractor” means any person who is licensed to practice chiropractic by the state chiropractic board.

(11) “Optometric claim” means any claim that is asserted in any civil action against an optometrist, or against any employee or agent of an optometrist, and that arises out of the optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment of any person. “Optometric claim” includes derivative claims for relief that arise from the optometric diagnosis, care, or treatment of a person.

(12) “Optometrist” means any person licensed to practice optometry by the state board of optometry.

(13) “Physical therapist” means any person who is licensed to practice physical therapy under Chapter 4755. of the Revised Code.

(14) “Home” has the same meaning as in section 3721.10 of the Revised Code.

(15) “Residential facility” means a facility licensed under section 5123.19 of the Revised Code.

(16) “Advanced practice nurse” means any certified nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, or certified nurse-midwife who holds a certificate of authority issued by the board of nursing under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.

(17) “Licensed practical nurse” means any person who is licensed to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse by the board of nursing pursuant to Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.

(18) “Physician assistant” means any person who holds a valid certificate to practice issued pursuant to Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code.

(19) “Emergency medical technician-basic,” “emergency medical technician-intermediate,” and “emergency medical technician-paramedic” means any person who is certified under Chapter 4765. of the Revised Code as an emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, or emergency medical technician-paramedic, whichever is applicable.

Effective Date: 04-11-2003; 04-07-2005; 05-17-2006

A civil action pursuant to section 2307.53 of the Revised Code for partial birth feticide shall be commenced within one year after the commission of that offense.

Effective Date: 08-18-2000

(A) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, an action for assault or battery shall be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues, except as provided in division (B) of this section, if all of the following apply regarding the action, the cause of the action, and the parties to the action:

(1) The action is brought against a mental health professional.

(2) The assault or battery claim asserted in the action is that, while the plaintiff was a mental health client or patient of the mental health professional, the mental health professional engaged in sexual conduct with, had sexual contact with, or caused one or more other persons to have sexual contact with the plaintiff.

(3) At the time of the sexual conduct or sexual contact described in division (A)(2) of this section, the plaintiff was not the spouse of the mental health professional.

(B) If the mental health service relationship between the plaintiff in an action for assault or battery that is described in division (A) of this section and the mental health professional continues after the date on which the cause of action accrues, the two-year period specified in division (A) of this section does not begin to run until the date on which that mental health service relationship is terminated by either or both of the parties.

(C) An action for assault or battery brought by a victim of childhood sexual abuse that is based on childhood sexual abuse, as defined in section 2305.111 of the Revised Code, shall be brought as provided in division (C) of that section. In all other cases, unless division (A) or (B) of this section applies, an action for assault or battery shall be brought as provided in division (B) of section 2305.111 of the Revised Code.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) “Mental health client or patient” and “mental health service” have the same meanings as in section 2305.51 of the Revised Code.

(2) “Mental health professional” has the same meaning as in section 2305.51 of the Revised Code and also includes an individual who is not licensed, certified, or registered under the Revised Code, or otherwise authorized in this state, but who regularly provides or purports to provide mental health services for compensation or remuneration at an established place of business.

(3) “Mental health service relationship” means the relationship between a mental health professional and a mental health client or patient of the mental health professional that exists for purposes of the mental health professional’s provision of mental health services to the mental health client or patient.

(4) “Sexual conduct” and “sexual contact” have the same meanings as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 05-14-2002; 08-03-2006

(A) No person has a civil action or may receive an award of damages in a civil action, and no other person shall be liable in a civil action, upon a medical claim that because of an act or omission by the other person the person was not aborted.

(B) No person has a civil action or may receive an award of damages in a civil action, and no other person shall be liable in a civil action, upon a medical claim that because of an act or omission by the other person a child was not aborted.

(C) Nothing in this section shall preclude a person from bringing a civil action or from receiving an award of damages in a medical claim based upon an intentional or willful misrepresentation or omission of information related to medical diagnosis, care, or treatment.

(D) As used in this section, “medical claim” has the same meaning as in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 08-17-2006

An action on the official bond, or undertaking of an officer, assignee, trustee, executor, administrator, or guardian, or on a bond or undertaking given in pursuance of statute, shall be brought within ten years after the cause thereof accrued.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953

This section amended and renumbered 5806.04 effective 01-01-2007

(A) Any of the following actions pertaining to a revocable trust that is made irrevocable by the death of the grantor of the trust shall be commenced within two years after the date of the death of the grantor of the trust:

(1) An action to contest the validity of the trust;

(2) An action to contest the validity of any amendment to the trust that was made during the lifetime of the grantor of the trust;

(3) An action to contest the revocation of the trust during the lifetime of the grantor of the trust;

(4) An action to contest the validity of any transfer made to the trust during the lifetime of the grantor of the trust.

(B) Upon the death of the grantor of a revocable trust that was made irrevocable by the death of the grantor, the trustee, without liability, may proceed to distribute the trust property in accordance with the terms of the trust unless either of the following applies:

(1) The trustee has actual knowledge of a pending action to contest the validity of the trust, any amendment to the trust, the revocation of the trust, or any transfer made to the trust during the lifetime of the grantor of the trust.

(2) The trustee receives written notification from a potential contestant of a potential action to contest the validity of the trust, any amendment to the trust, the revocation of the trust, or any transfer made to the trust during the lifetime of the grantor of the trust, and the action is actually filed within ninety days after the written notification was given to the trustee.

(C) If a distribution of trust property is made pursuant to division (B) of this section, a beneficiary of the trust shall return any distribution to the extent that it exceeds the distribution to which the beneficiary is entitled if the trust, an amendment to the trust, or a transfer made to the trust later is determined to be invalid.

(D) This section applies only to revocable trusts that are made irrevocable by the death of the grantor of the trust if the grantor dies on or after the effective date of this section.

Effective Date: 07-23-2002

All actions by carriers for recovery of their charges or part thereof, arising out of the intrastate transportation of persons or property in this state, and all actions against carriers, upon recovery of overcharges, collected by such carriers, for the intrastate transportation of persons or property in this state, shall be begun within three years of the time the cause of action accrues.

The cause of action in respect to a shipment of property shall, for the purposes of this section, accrue upon the delivery, or tender of delivery thereof, by the carrier.

“Overcharge” as used in this section means charges for transportation services in excess of those applicable thereto under the tariffs lawfully on file with the public utilities commission.

Effective Date: 07-11-1963

(A)(1) Notwithstanding an otherwise applicable period of limitations specified in this chapter or in section 2125.02 of the Revised Code and except as otherwise provided in divisions (A)(2), (A)(3), (C), and (D) of this section, no cause of action to recover damages for bodily injury, an injury to real or personal property, or wrongful death that arises out of a defective and unsafe condition of an improvement to real property and no cause of action for contribution or indemnity for damages sustained as a result of bodily injury, an injury to real or personal property, or wrongful death that arises out of a defective and unsafe condition of an improvement to real property shall accrue against a person who performed services for the improvement to real property or a person who furnished the design, planning, supervision of construction, or construction of the improvement to real property later than ten years from the date of substantial completion of such improvement.

(2) Notwithstanding an otherwise applicable period of limitations specified in this chapter or in section 2125.02 of the Revised Code, a claimant who discovers a defective and unsafe condition of an improvement to real property during the ten-year period specified in division (A)(1) of this section but less than two years prior to the expiration of that period may commence a civil action to recover damages as described in that division within two years from the date of the discovery of that defective and unsafe condition.

(3) Notwithstanding an otherwise applicable period of limitations specified in this chapter or in section 2125.02 of the Revised Code, if a cause of action that arises out of a defective and unsafe condition of an improvement to real property accrues during the ten-year period specified in division (A)(1) of this section and the plaintiff cannot commence an action during that period due to a disability described in section 2305.16 of the Revised Code, the plaintiff may commence a civil action to recover damages as described in that division within two years from the removal of that disability.

(B) Division (A) of this section does not apply to a civil action commenced against a person who is an owner of, tenant of, landlord of, or other person in possession and control of an improvement to real property and who is in actual possession and control of the improvement to real property at the time that the defective and unsafe condition of the improvement to real property constitutes the proximate cause of the bodily injury, injury to real or personal property, or wrongful death that is the subject matter of the civil action.

(C) Division (A)(1) of this section is not available as an affirmative defense to a defendant in a civil action described in that division if the defendant engages in fraud in regard to furnishing the design, planning, supervision of construction, or construction of an improvement to real property or in regard to any relevant fact or other information that pertains to the act or omission constituting the alleged basis of the bodily injury, injury to real or personal property, or wrongful death or to the defective and unsafe condition of the improvement to real property.

(D) Division (A)(1) of this section does not prohibit the commencement of a civil action for damages against a person who has expressly warranted or guaranteed an improvement to real property for a period longer than the period described in division (A)(1) of this section and whose warranty or guarantee has not expired as of the time of the alleged bodily injury, injury to real or personal property, or wrongful death in accordance with the terms of that warranty or guarantee.

(E) This section does not create a new cause of action or substantive legal right against any person resulting from the design, planning, supervision of construction, or construction of an improvement to real property.

(F) This section shall be considered to be purely remedial in operation and shall be applied in a remedial manner in any civil action commenced on or after the effective date of this section, in which this section is relevant, regardless of when the cause of action accrued and notwithstanding any other section of the Revised Code or prior rule of law of this state, but shall not be construed to apply to any civil action pending prior to the effective date of this section.

(G) As used in this section, “substantial completion” means the date the improvement to real property is first used by the owner or tenant of the real property or when the real property is first available for use after having the improvement completed in accordance with the contract or agreement covering the improvement, including any agreed changes to the contract or agreement, whichever occurs first.

Effective Date: 04-07-2005

An action for relief not provided for in sections 2305.04 to 2305.131 and section 1304.35 of the Revised Code shall be brought within ten years after the cause thereof accrued. This section does not apply to an action on a judgment rendered in another state or territory.

Effective Date: 08-19-1994

(A) When a cause of action accrues against a person, if the person is out of the state, has absconded, or conceals self, the period of limitation for the commencement of the action as provided in sections 2305.04 to 2305.14, 1302.98, and 1304.35 of the Revised Code does not begin to run until the person comes into the state or while the person is so absconded or concealed. After the cause of action accrues if the person departs from the state, absconds, or conceals self, the time of the person’s absence or concealment shall not be computed as any part of a period within which the action must be brought.

(B) When a person is imprisoned for the commission of any offense, the time of the person’s imprisonment shall not be computed as any part of any period of limitation, as provided in section 2305.09, 2305.10, 2305.11, 2305.113, or 2305.14 of the Revised Code, within which any person must bring any action against the imprisoned person.

Effective Date: 04-11-2003

Unless otherwise provided in sections 1302.98, 1304.35, and 2305.04 to 2305.14 of the Revised Code, if a person entitled to bring any action mentioned in those sections, unless for penalty or forfeiture, is, at the time the cause of action accrues, within the age of minority or of unsound mind, the person may bring it within the respective times limited by those sections, after the disability is removed. When the interests of two or more parties are joint and inseparable, the disability of one shall inure to the benefit of all.

After the cause of action accrues, if the person entitled to bring the action becomes of unsound mind and is adjudicated as such by a court of competent jurisdiction or is confined in an institution or hospital under a diagnosed condition or disease which renders the person of unsound mind, the time during which the person is of unsound mind and so adjudicated or so confined shall not be computed as any part of the period within which the action must be brought.

Effective Date: 07-06-2001

An action is commenced within the meaning of sections 2305.03 to 2305.22 and sections 1302.98 and 1304.35 of the Revised Code by filing a petition in the office of the clerk of the proper court together with a praecipe demanding that summons issue or an affidavit for service by publication, if service is obtained within one year.

Effective Date: 08-19-1994

If a defendant is a corporation, either foreign or domestic, and whether its charter prescribes the manner and place of service, or either, and before the expiration of the sixty days referred to in section 2305.17 of the Revised Code it passes into the hands of a receiver, then, following such attempt to commence an action, within such sixty days [,] service may be made upon such receiver, or his cashier, treasurer, secretary, clerk, or managing agent, or if none of these can be found, by a copy of the summons left at the office or usual place of business of such agents or officers of such receiver, with the person in charge thereof. If such corporation is a railroad company, summons may be served upon any regular ticket or freight agent of the receiver, or, if there is no such agent, then on any conductor of such receiver, in any county in the state in which the company’s railroad is located. The summons shall be returned as if served upon the defendant.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953

(A) In any action that is commenced or attempted to be commenced, if in due time a judgment for the plaintiff is reversed or if the plaintiff fails otherwise than upon the merits, the plaintiff or, if the plaintiff dies and the cause of action survives, the plaintiff’s representative may commence a new action within one year after the date of the reversal of the judgment or the plaintiff’s failure otherwise than upon the merits or within the period of the original applicable statute of limitations, whichever occurs later. This division applies to any claim asserted in any pleading by a defendant.

(B) If the defendant in an action described in division (A) of this section is a foreign or domestic corporation, and whether its charter prescribes the manner or place of service of process on the defendant, and if it passes into the hands of a receiver before the expiration of the one year period or the period of the original applicable statute of limitations, whichever is applicable, as described in that division, then service to be made within one year following the original service or attempt to begin the action may be made upon that receiver or the receiver’s cashier, treasurer, secretary, clerk, or managing agent, or if none of these officers can be found, by a copy left at the office or the usual place of business of any of those agents or officers of the receiver with the person having charge of the office or place of business. If that corporation is a railroad company, summons may be served on any regular ticket or freight agent of the receiver, and if there is no regular ticket or freight agent of the receiver, then upon any conductor of the receiver, in any county in the state in which the railroad is located. The summons shall be returned as if served on that defendant corporation.

Effective Date: 03-02-2004

Effective Date: 11-05-1965

In addition to the causes of action which survive at common law, causes of action for mesne profits, or injuries to the person or property, or for deceit or fraud, also shall survive; and such actions may be brought notwithstanding the death of the person entitled or liable thereto.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953

Sections 2305.03 to 2305.21, 1302.98, and 1304.35 of the Revised Code, respecting lapse of time as a bar to suit, do not apply in the case of an action by a vendee of real property, in possession thereof, to obtain a conveyance of the real property.

Effective Date: 08-19-1994; 01-01-2007

No person shall be liable in civil damages for administering emergency care or treatment at the scene of an emergency outside of a hospital, doctor’s office, or other place having proper medical equipment, for acts performed at the scene of such emergency, unless such acts constitute willful or wanton misconduct.

Nothing in this section applies to the administering of such care or treatment where the same is rendered for remuneration, or with the expectation of remuneration, from the recipient of such care or treatment or someone on his behalf. The administering of such care or treatment by one as a part of his duties as a paid member of any organization of law enforcement officers or fire fighters does not cause such to be a rendering for remuneration or expectation of remuneration.

Effective Date: 08-18-1977

(A) As used in this section:

(1) “Dentist” means a person who is licensed under Chapter 4715. of the Revised Code to practice dentistry.

(2) “Physician” means a person who holds a certificate issued by the state medical board to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery.

(3) “Registered nurse” means a nurse who is licensed as a registered nurse under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code.

(B) No physician who volunteers the physician’s services as a team physician or team podiatrist to a school’s athletics program, no dentist who volunteers the dentist’s services as a team dentist to a school’s athletics program, and no registered nurse who volunteers the registered nurse’s services as a team nurse to a school’s athletics program is liable in damages in a civil action for administering emergency medical care, emergency dental care, other emergency professional care, or first aid treatment to a participant in an athletic event involving the school, at the scene of the event or while the participant is being transported to a hospital, physician’s or dentist’s office, or other medical or dental facility, or for acts performed in administering the care or treatment, unless the acts of the physician, dentist, or registered nurse constitute willful or wanton misconduct.

(C) This section does not apply if the administration of emergency medical care, emergency dental care, other emergency professional care, or first aid treatment is rendered for remuneration, or with the expectation of remuneration, from the recipient of the care or treatment or from someone on the recipient’s behalf.

Effective Date: 09-01-1998

(A) No person who gives aid or advice in an emergency situation relating to the prevention of an imminent release of hazardous material, to the clean-up or disposal of hazardous material that has been released, or to the related mitigation of the effects of a release of hazardous material, nor the public or private employer of such a person, is liable in civil damages as a result of the aid or advice if all of the following apply:

(1) The aid or advice was given at the request of:

(a) A sheriff, the chief of police or other chief officer of the law enforcement agency of a municipal corporation, the chief of police of a township police district, the chief of a fire department, the state fire marshal, the director of environmental protection, the chairperson of the public utilities commission, the superintendent of the state highway patrol, the executive director of the emergency management agency, the chief executive of a municipal corporation, or the authorized representative of any such official, or the legislative authority of a township or county; or

(b) The owner or manufacturer of the hazardous material, an association of manufacturers of the hazardous material, or a hazardous material mutual aid group.

(2) The person giving the aid or advice acted without anticipating remuneration for self or the person’s employer from the governmental official, authority, or agency that requested the aid or advice;

(3) The person giving the aid or advice was specially qualified by training or experience to give the aid or advice;

(4) Neither the person giving the aid or advice nor the public or private employer of the person giving the aid or advice was responsible for causing the release or threat of release nor would otherwise be liable for damages caused by the release;

(5) The person giving the aid or advice did not engage in willful, wanton, or reckless misconduct or grossly negligent conduct in giving the aid or advice;

(6) The person giving the aid or advice notified the emergency response section of the environmental protection agency prior to giving the aid or advice.

(B) The immunity conferred by this section does not limit the liability of any person whose action caused or contributed to the release of hazardous material. That person is liable for any enhancement of damages caused by the person giving aid or advice under this section unless the enhancement of damages was caused by the willful, wanton, or reckless misconduct or grossly negligent conduct of the person giving aid or advice.

(C) This section does not apply to any person rendering care, assistance, or advice in response to a discharge of oil when that person’s immunity from liability is subject to determination under section 2305.39 of the Revised Code.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) “Hazardous material” means any material designated as such under the “Hazardous Materials Transportation Act,” 88 Stat. 2156 (1975), 49 U.S.C.A. 1803, as amended.

(2) “Mutual aid group” means any group formed at the federal, state, regional, or local level whose members agree to respond to incidents involving hazardous material whether or not they shipped, transported, manufactured, or were at all connected with the hazardous material involved in a particular incident.

(3) “Discharge” and “oil” have the same meanings as in section 2305.39 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 09-29-1999

(A) No officer or employee as defined in section 109.36 of the Revised Code, or employee as defined in section 2744.01 of the Revised Code, rendering fire protection assistance pursuant to a reciprocal fire protection agreement shall be liable in civil damages to any person allegedly harmed by the negligent provision of that assistance.

(B) As used in this section, “reciprocal fire protection agreement” includes any mutual aid agreement for the provision of fire protection entered into pursuant to the “Act of May 23, 1955,” 69 Stat. 67, 42 U.S.C.A. 1856-1856d, or any intergovernmental fire-fighting agreement entered into under section 9.60 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 09-29-1994

(A) As used in this section:

(1) “Chiropractic claim,” “medical claim,” and “optometric claim” have the same meanings as in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code.

(2) “Dental claim” has the same meaning as in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code, except that it does not include any claim arising out of a dental operation or any derivative claim for relief that arises out of a dental operation.

(3) “Governmental health care program” has the same meaning as in section 4731.65 of the Revised Code.

(4) “Health care facility or location” means a hospital, clinic, ambulatory surgical facility, office of a health care professional or associated group of health care professionals, training institution for health care professionals, or any other place where medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment is provided to a person.

(5) “Health care professional” means any of the following who provide medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment:

(a) Physicians authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery;

(b) Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses licensed under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code and individuals who hold a certificate of authority issued under that chapter that authorizes the practice of nursing as a certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner;

(c) Physician assistants authorized to practice under Chapter 4730. of the Revised Code;

(d) Dentists and dental hygienists licensed under Chapter 4715. of the Revised Code;

(e) Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, and occupational therapy assistants licensed under Chapter 4755. of the Revised Code;

(f) Chiropractors licensed under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code;

(g) Optometrists licensed under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code;

(h) Podiatrists authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code to practice podiatry;

(i) Dietitians licensed under Chapter 4759. of the Revised Code;

(j) Pharmacists licensed under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code;

(k) Emergency medical technicians-basic, emergency medical technicians-intermediate, and emergency medical technicians-paramedic, certified under Chapter 4765. of the Revised Code;

(l) Respiratory care professionals licensed under Chapter 4761. of the Revised Code;

(m) Speech-language pathologists and audiologists licensed under Chapter 4753. of the Revised Code.

(6) “Health care worker” means a person other than a health care professional who provides medical, dental, or other health-related care or treatment under the direction of a health care professional with the authority to direct that individual’s activities, including medical technicians, medical assistants, dental assistants, orderlies, aides, and individuals acting in similar capacities.

(7) “Indigent and uninsured person” means a person who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) The person’s income is not greater than two hundred per cent of the current poverty line as defined by the United States office of management and budget and revised in accordance with section 673(2) of the “Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981,” 95 Stat. 511, 42 U.S.C. 9902, as amended.

(b) The person is not eligible to receive medical assistance under Chapter 5111., disability medical assistance under Chapter 5115. of the Revised Code, or assistance under any other governmental health care program.

(c) Either of the following applies:

(i) The person is not a policyholder, certificate holder, insured, contract holder, subscriber, enrollee, member, beneficiary, or other covered individual under a health insurance or health care policy, contract, or plan.

(ii) The person is a policyholder, certificate holder, insured, contract holder, subscriber, enrollee, member, beneficiary, or other covered individual under a health insurance or health care policy, contract, or plan, but the insurer, policy, contract, or plan denies coverage or is the subject of insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings in any jurisdiction.

(8) “Nonprofit health care referral organization” means an entity that is not operated for profit and refers patients to, or arranges for the provision of, health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment by a health care professional or health care worker.

(9) “Operation” means any procedure that involves cutting or otherwise infiltrating human tissue by mechanical means, including surgery, laser surgery, ionizing radiation, therapeutic ultrasound, or the removal of intraocular foreign bodies. “Operation” does not include the administration of medication by injection, unless the injection is administered in conjunction with a procedure infiltrating human tissue by mechanical means other than the administration of medicine by injection. “Operation” does not include routine dental restorative procedures, the scaling of teeth, or extractions of teeth that are not impacted.

(10) “Tort action” means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property other than a civil action for damages for a breach of contract or another agreement between persons or government entities.

(11) “Volunteer” means an individual who provides any medical, dental, or other health-care related diagnosis, care, or treatment without the expectation of receiving and without receipt of any compensation or other form of remuneration from an indigent and uninsured person, another person on behalf of an indigent and uninsured person, any health care facility or location, any nonprofit health care referral organization, or any other person or government entity.

(12) “Community control sanction” has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(13) “Deep sedation” means a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which a patient cannot be easily aroused but responds purposefully following repeated or painful stimulation, a patient’s ability to independently maintain ventilatory function may be impaired, a patient may require assistance in maintaining a patent airway and spontaneous ventilation may be inadequate, and cardiovascular function is usually maintained.

(14) “General anesthesia” means a drug-induced loss of consciousness during which a patient is not arousable, even by painful stimulation, the ability to independently maintain ventilatory function is often impaired, a patient often requires assistance in maintaining a patent airway, positive pressure ventilation may be required because of depressed spontaneous ventilation or drug-induced depression of neuromuscular function, and cardiovascular function may be impaired.

(B)(1) Subject to divisions (F) and (G)(3) of this section, a health care professional who is a volunteer and complies with division (B)(2) of this section is not liable in damages to any person or government entity in a tort or other civil action, including an action on a medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other health-related claim, for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an action or omission of the volunteer in the provision to an indigent and uninsured person of medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment, including the provision of samples of medicine and other medical products, unless the action or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

(2) To qualify for the immunity described in division (B)(1) of this section, a health care professional shall do all of the following prior to providing diagnosis, care, or treatment:

(a) Determine, in good faith, that the indigent and uninsured person is mentally capable of giving informed consent to the provision of the diagnosis, care, or treatment and is not subject to duress or under undue influence;

(b) Inform the person of the provisions of this section, including notifying the person that, by giving informed consent to the provision of the diagnosis, care, or treatment, the person cannot hold the health care professional liable for damages in a tort or other civil action, including an action on a medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other health-related claim, unless the action or omission of the health care professional constitutes willful or wanton misconduct;

(c) Obtain the informed consent of the person and a written waiver, signed by the person or by another individual on behalf of and in the presence of the person, that states that the person is mentally competent to give informed consent and, without being subject to duress or under undue influence, gives informed consent to the provision of the diagnosis, care, or treatment subject to the provisions of this section. A written waiver under division (B)(2)(c) of this section shall state clearly and in conspicuous type that the person or other individual who signs the waiver is signing it with full knowledge that, by giving informed consent to the provision of the diagnosis, care, or treatment, the person cannot bring a tort or other civil action, including an action on a medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other health-related claim, against the health care professional unless the action or omission of the health care professional constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

(3) A physician or podiatrist who is not covered by medical malpractice insurance, but complies with division (B)(2) of this section, is not required to comply with division (A) of section 4731.143 of the Revised Code.

(C) Subject to divisions (F) and (G)(3) of this section, health care workers who are volunteers are not liable in damages to any person or government entity in a tort or other civil action, including an action upon a medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other health-related claim, for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an action or omission of the health care worker in the provision to an indigent and uninsured person of medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment, unless the action or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

(D) Subject to divisions (F) and (G)(3) of this section, a nonprofit health care referral organization is not liable in damages to any person or government entity in a tort or other civil action, including an action on a medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other health-related claim, for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an action or omission of the nonprofit health care referral organization in referring indigent and uninsured persons to, or arranging for the provision of, medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment by a health care professional described in division (B)(1) of this section or a health care worker described in division (C) of this section, unless the action or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

(E) Subject to divisions (F) and (G)(3) of this section and to the extent that the registration requirements of section 3701.071 of the Revised Code apply, a health care facility or location associated with a health care professional described in division (B)(1) of this section, a health care worker described in division (C) of this section, or a nonprofit health care referral organization described in division (D) of this section is not liable in damages to any person or government entity in a tort or other civil action, including an action on a medical, dental, chiropractic, optometric, or other health-related claim, for injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly arises from an action or omission of the health care professional or worker or nonprofit health care referral organization relative to the medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment provided to an indigent and uninsured person on behalf of or at the health care facility or location, unless the action or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

(F)(1) Except as provided in division (F)(2) of this section, the immunities provided by divisions (B), (C), (D), and (E) of this section are not available to a health care professional, health care worker, nonprofit health care referral organization, or health care facility or location if, at the time of an alleged injury, death, or loss to person or property, the health care professionals or health care workers involved are providing one of the following:

(a) Any medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment pursuant to a community service work order entered by a court under division (B) of section 2951.02 of the Revised Code or imposed by a court as a community control sanction;

(b) Performance of an operation to which any one of the following applies:

(i) The operation requires the administration of deep sedation or general anesthesia.

(ii) The operation is a procedure that is not typically performed in an office.

(iii) The individual involved is a health care professional, and the operation is beyond the scope of practice or the education, training, and competence, as applicable, of the health care professional.

(c) Delivery of a baby or any other purposeful termination of a human pregnancy.

(2) Division (F)(1) of this section does not apply when a health care professional or health care worker provides medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment that is necessary to preserve the life of a person in a medical emergency.

(G)(1) This section does not create a new cause of action or substantive legal right against a health care professional, health care worker, nonprofit health care referral organization, or health care facility or location.

(2) This section does not affect any immunities from civil liability or defenses established by another section of the Revised Code or available at common law to which a health care professional, health care worker, nonprofit health care referral organization, or health care facility or location may be entitled in connection with the provision of emergency or other medical, dental, or other health-related diagnosis, care, or treatment.

(3) This section does not grant an immunity from tort or other civil liability to a health care professional, health care worker, nonprofit health care referral organization, or health care facility or location for actions that are outside the scope of authority of health care professionals or health care workers.

(4) This section does not affect any legal responsibility of a health care professional, health care worker, or nonprofit health care referral organization to comply with any applicable law of this state or rule of an agency of this state.

(5) This section does not affect any legal responsibility of a health care facility or location to comply with any applicable law of this state, rule of an agency of this state, or local code, ordinance, or regulation that pertains to or regulates building, housing, air pollution, water pollution, sanitation, health, fire, zoning, or safety.

Effective Date: 04-13-2004; 04-07-2005

(A) As used in this section:

(1) “Automated external defibrillation” means the process of applying a specialized defibrillator to a person in cardiac arrest, allowing the defibrillator to interpret the cardiac rhythm, and, if appropriate, delivering an electrical shock to the heart to allow it to resume effective electrical activity.

(2) “Physician” has the same meaning as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) Except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct, no physician shall be held liable in civil damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property for providing a prescription for an automated external defibrillator approved for use as a medical device by the United States food and drug administration or consulting with a person regarding the use and maintenance of a defibrillator.

(C) Except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct, no person shall be held liable in civil damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property for providing training in automated external defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

(D) Except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct or when there is no good faith attempt to activate an emergency medical services system in accordance with section 3701.85 of the Revised Code, no person shall be held liable in civil damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property, or held criminally liable, for performing automated external defibrillation in good faith, regardless of whether the person has obtained appropriate training on how to perform automated external defibrillation or successfully completed a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Effective Date: 12-17-1998

As used in sections 2305.236 to 2305.239 of the Revised Code:

(A) “Conduct” means actions or omissions.

(B) “Domestic violence,” “shelter,” and “shelter for victims of domestic violence” have the same meanings as in section 3113.33 of the Revised Code.

(C) “Perpetrator” means a person who allegedly has committed domestic violence and who bears one of the relationships specified in division (B) of section 3113.33 of the Revised Code to a victim of domestic violence who is a shelter client.

(D) “Harm” means injury, death, or loss to person or property.

(E) “Political subdivision” has the same meaning as in section 2744.01 of the Revised Code.

(F) “Tort action” means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property other than a civil action for damages for a breach of contract or another agreement between persons.

(G) “Volunteer” means an individual who provides any service at a shelter for victims of domestic violence without the expectation of receiving and without receiving any compensation or other form of remuneration, either directly or indirectly, for the provision of the service.

(H) “Shelter client” means a person who is a victim of domestic violence and who is seeking to use or is using the services or facilities of a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

(I) “Victim advocate” means a person from a crime victim service organization who provides support and assistance for a victim of a crime during court proceedings and recovery efforts related to the crime.

(J) “Crime victim service organization” means any organization that is not organized for profit and that is organized and operated to provide, or to contribute to the support of organizations or institutions organized and operated to provide, services and assistance for victims of crime.

Effective Date: 08-14-2002

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section and subject to section 2305.239 of the Revised Code, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter are not liable in damages in a tort action for harm that a shelter client or other person who is on the shelter’s premises allegedly sustains as a result of tortious conduct of a perpetrator that is committed on the shelter’s premises if the perpetrator is not a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter and if any of the following situations applies:

(1) The perpetrator illegally entered and illegally remained on the premises at the time the perpetrator’s tortious conduct allegedly caused the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the premises.

(2) The perpetrator legally entered the premises; a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter instructed the perpetrator to leave the premises, and took reasonable steps under the circumstances to cause the perpetrator to leave the premises, before the perpetrator allegedly caused the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the premises; and, despite those reasonable steps, the perpetrator remained on the premises and committed the tortious conduct that allegedly caused the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the premises.

(3) The perpetrator legally entered the premises; a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter granted the perpetrator permission to remain on the premises after taking either of the following precautionary steps; and, despite taking either of those steps, the perpetrator committed the tortious conduct that allegedly caused the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the premises:

(a) The director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter asks a person entering the premises whether the person is related by consanguinity or affinity to or has resided with a shelter client; the person responds that the person is not so related and has not so resided; and the director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer, in exercising the reasonable judgment and discretion of a prudent person under similar circumstances, believes that the person is not so related and has not so resided.

(b) The director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter asks a person entering the premises whether the person is related by consanguinity or affinity to or has resided with a shelter client; the person responds that the person is so related or has so resided; and the director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer, in exercising the reasonable judgment and discretion of a prudent person under similar circumstances, determines that granting the person permission to remain on the premises does not appear to pose a threat of harm to a shelter client or other person who is on the premises.

(B) The immunity from tort liability conferred by division (A) of this section is not available to a shelter for victims of domestic violence or a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter if the plaintiff in a tort action establishes, by clear and convincing evidence, that a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter contributed to the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the shelter’s premises, by an action or omission that involved malicious purpose, bad faith, or wanton or reckless conduct. For purposes of this division, “reckless conduct” includes the release of confidential information that pertains to a shelter client.

Effective Date: 08-14-2002

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section and subject to section 2305.239 of the Revised Code, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter are not liable in damages in a tort action for harm that a shelter client or other person who is on the premises allegedly sustains as a result of tortious conduct of a perpetrator that is committed on premises other than the shelter’s premises if the perpetrator is not a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter and if both of the following apply when the harm is caused:

(1) A director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter is providing assistance to a shelter client, including, but not limited to, accompanying the client to a health care practitioner’s or attorney’s office.

(2) The director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter is engaged in the course of that director’s, owner’s, trustee’s, officer’s, employee’s, victim advocate’s, or volunteer’s employment, official responsibilities, or authorized services for the shelter.

(B) The immunity from tort liability conferred by division (A) of this section is not available to a shelter for victims of domestic violence or a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter if the plaintiff in a tort action establishes, by clear and convincing evidence, that a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter contributed to the harm sustained by a shelter client or other person who is on the premises, by an action or omission that involved malicious purpose, bad faith, or wanton or reckless conduct. For purposes of this division, “reckless conduct” includes the release of confidential information that pertains to a shelter client.

Effective Date: 08-14-2002

(A) Sections 2305.237 and 2305.238 of the Revised Code do not create a new cause of action or substantive legal right against a shelter for victims of domestic violence or a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter.

(B) Sections 2305.237 and 2305.238 of the Revised Code do not affect any immunities from civil liability or defenses established under section 2305.234 , 2744.02, or 2744.03 or another section of the Revised Code or available at common law to which a shelter for victims of domestic violence, a director, owner, trustee, officer, employee, victim advocate, or volunteer of the shelter, or a political subdivision associated with the shelter may be entitled in connection with alleged tort liability of third parties or in connection with circumstances not covered by section 2305.237 or 2305.238 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 08-14-2002

(A) The medical liability insurance reimbursement program is hereby established. Free clinics and federally qualified health center look-alikes, including the clinics’ and centers’ staff and volunteer health care professionals and volunteer health care workers, may participate in the medical liability insurance reimbursement program established by this section. The coverage provided under the program shall be limited to claims that arise out of the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients of free clinics and centers, as defined in division (D) of this section.

(B) A free clinic or federally qualified health center look-alike is eligible to receive reimbursement under the medical liability insurance reimbursement program for the premiums that the clinic or center pays for medical liability insurance coverage for the clinic or center, its staff, and volunteer health care professionals and health care workers. Free clinics and federally qualified health center look-alikes shall register with the department of health by the thirty-first day of January of each year in order to participate in and to obtain reimbursement under the program. Clinics that register with the department in accordance with this division shall receive priority over centers that register for reimbursement.

Free clinics and federally qualified health center look-alikes shall provide all of the following to the department of health at the time of registration:

(1) A statement of the number of volunteer and paid health care professionals and health care workers providing health care services at the free clinic or federally qualified health center look-alike at that time;

(2) A statement of the number of health care services rendered by the free clinic or federally qualified health center look-alike during the previous fiscal year;

(3) A signed form acknowledging that the free clinic or federally qualified health center look-alike agrees to follow its medical liability insurer’s risk management and loss prevention policies;

(4) A copy of the medical liability insurance policy purchased by the free clinic or federally qualified health center look-alike, or the policy’s declaration page, and documentation of the premiums paid by the clinic or center.

(C) The department of health shall reimburse free clinics and federally qualified health center look-alikes participating in the professional liability insurance reimbursement program for up to eighty per cent of the premiums that the clinic or center pays for medical liability insurance coverage up to twenty thousand dollars. Appropriations to the department of health may be made from the general fund of the state for this purpose.

(D) As used in this section:

(1) “Federally qualified health center look-alike” means a public or not-for-profit health center that meets the eligibility requirements to receive a federal public health services grant under the “Public Health Services Act,” 117 Stat. 2020, 42 U.S.C. 254b, as amended, but does not receive grant funding.

(2) “Free clinic” means a nonprofit organization exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the “Internal Revenue Code of 1986,” as amended, or a program component of a nonprofit organization, whose primary mission is to provide health care services for free or for a minimal administrative fee to individuals with limited resources. A free clinic facilitates the delivery of health care services through the use of volunteer health care professionals and voluntary care networks. For this purpose, a free clinic shall comply with all of the following:

(a) If a free clinic does request a minimal administrative fee, a free clinic shall not deny an individual access to its health care services based on an individual’s ability to pay the fee.

(b) A free clinic shall not bill a patient for health care services rendered.

(c) Free clinics shall not perform operations, as defined by divisions (A)(9) and (F)(1)(b) of section 2305.234 of the Revised Code.

A clinic is not a free clinic if the clinic bills medicaid, medicare, or other third-party payers for health care services rendered at the clinic, and receives twenty-five per cent or more of the clinic’s annual revenue from the third-party payments.

(3) “Health care professional” and “health care worker” have the same meanings as in section 2305.234 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 09-29-2005; 03-30-2006; 2007 HB119 06-30-2007

Any information, data, reports, or records made available to a quality assurance committee or utilization committee of a hospital or long-term care facility or of any not-for-profit health care corporation that is a member of the hospital or long-term care facility or of which the hospital or long-term care facility is a member are confidential and shall be used by the committee and the committee members only in the exercise of the proper functions of the committee. Any information, data, reports, or records made available to a utilization committee of a state or local medical society composed of doctors of medicine or doctors of osteopathic medicine are confidential and shall be used by the committee and the committee members only in the exercise of the proper functions of the committee. A right of action similar to that a patient may have against an attending physician for misuse of information, data, reports, or records arising out of the physician-patient relationship shall accrue against a member of a quality assurance committee or utilization committee for misuse of any information, data, reports, or records furnished to the committee by an attending physician. No physician, institution, hospital, or long-term care facility furnishing information, data, reports, or records to a committee with respect to any patient examined or treated by the physician or confined in the institution, hospital, or long-term care facility shall, by reason of the furnishing, be deemed liable in damages to any person, or be held to answer for betrayal of a professional confidence within the meaning and intent of section 4731.22 of the Revised Code. Information, data, or reports furnished to a utilization committee of a state or local medical society shall contain no name of any person involved therein.

Any information, data, reports, or records made available to a quality assurance committee of the bureau of workers’ compensation responsible for reviewing the professional qualifications and the performance of providers conducting medical examinations or file reviews for the bureau are confidential and shall be used by the committee and the committee members only in the exercise of the proper functions of the committee.

As used in this section, “utilization committee” is the committee established to administer a utilization review plan of a hospital, of a not-for-profit health care corporation which is a member of the hospital or of which the hospital is a member, or of a skilled nursing facility as provided in the “Health Insurance for the Aged Act,” 79 Stat. 313 (1965), 42 U.S.C. 1395x(k).

Effective Date: 08-01-2003

As used in this section and sections 2305.251 to 2305.253 of the Revised Code:

(A)(1) “Health care entity” means an entity, whether acting on its own behalf or on behalf of or in affiliation with other health care entities, that conducts as part of its regular business activities professional credentialing or quality review activities involving the competence of, professional conduct of, or quality of care provided by health care providers, including both individuals who provide health care and entities that provide health care.

(2) “Health care entity” includes any entity described in division (A)(1) of this section, regardless of whether it is a government entity; for-profit or nonprofit corporation; limited liability company; partnership; professional corporation; state or local society composed of physicians, dentists, optometrists, psychologists, or pharmacists; or other health care organization.

(B) “Health insuring corporation” means an entity that holds a certificate of authority under Chapter 1751. of the Revised Code. “Health insuring corporation” includes wholly owned subsidiaries of a health insuring corporation.

(C) “Hospital” means either of the following:

(1) An institution that has been registered or licensed by the department of health as a hospital;

(2) An entity, other than an insurance company authorized to do business in this state, that owns, controls, or is affiliated with an institution that has been registered or licensed by the department of health as a hospital.

(D) “Incident report or risk management report” means a report of an incident involving injury or potential injury to a patient as a result of patient care provided by health care providers, including both individuals who provide health care and entities that provide health care, that is prepared by or for the use of a peer review committee of a health care entity and is within the scope of the functions of that committee.

(E)(1) “Peer review committee” means a utilization review committee, quality assessment committee, performance improvement committee, tissue committee, credentialing committee, or other committee that does either of the following:

(a) Conducts professional credentialing or quality review activities involving the competence of, professional conduct of, or quality of care provided by health care providers, including both individuals who provide health care and entities that provide health care;

(b) Conducts any other attendant hearing process initiated as a result of a peer review committee’s recommendations or actions.

(2) “Peer review committee” includes all of the following:

(a) A peer review committee of a hospital or long-term care facility or a peer review committee of a nonprofit health care corporation that is a member of the hospital or long-term care facility or of which the hospital or facility is a member;

(b) A peer review committee of a community mental health center;

(c) A board or committee of a hospital, a long-term care facility, or other health care entity when reviewing professional qualifications or activities of health care providers, including both individuals who provide health care and entities that provide health care;

(d) A peer review committee, professional standards review committee, or arbitration committee of a state or local society composed of members who are in active practice as physicians, dentists, optometrists, psychologists, or pharmacists;

(e) A peer review committee of a health insuring corporation that has at least a two-thirds majority of member physicians in active practice and that conducts professional credentialing and quality review activities involving the competence or professional conduct of health care providers that adversely affects or could adversely affect the health or welfare of any patient;

(f) A peer review committee of a health insuring corporation that has at least a two-thirds majority of member physicians in active practice and that conducts professional credentialing and quality review activities involving the competence or professional conduct of a health care facility that has contracted with the health insuring corporation to provide health care services to enrollees, which conduct adversely affects, or could adversely affect, the health or welfare of any patient;

(g) A peer review committee of a sickness and accident insurer that has at least a two-thirds majority of physicians in active practice and that conducts professional credentialing and quality review activities involving the competence or professional conduct of health care providers that adversely affects or could adversely affect the health or welfare of any patient;

(h) A peer review committee of a sickness and accident insurer that has at least a two-thirds majority of physicians in active practice and that conducts professional credentialing and quality review activities involving the competence or professional conduct of a health care facility that has contracted with the insurer to provide health care services to insureds, which conduct adversely affects, or could adversely affect, the health or welfare of any patient;

(i) A peer review committee of any insurer authorized under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code to do the business of medical professional liability insurance in this state that conducts professional quality review activities involving the competence or professional conduct of health care providers that adversely affects or could affect the health or welfare of any patient;

(j) A peer review committee of the bureau of workers’ compensation responsible for reviewing the professional qualifications and the performance of providers conducting medical examinations or file reviews for the bureau;

(k) Any other peer review committee of a health care entity.

(F) “Physician” means an individual authorized to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery.

(G) “Sickness and accident insurer” means an entity authorized under Title XXXIX of the Revised Code to do the business of sickness and accident insurance in this state.

(H) “Tort action” means a civil action for damages for injury, death, or loss to a patient of a health care entity. “Tort action” includes a product liability claim, as defined in section 2307.71 of the Revised Code, and an asbestos claim, as defined in section 2307.91 of the Revised Code, but does not include a civil action for a breach of contract or another agreement between persons.

Effective Date: 08-01-2003; 04-07-2005

(A) No health care entity shall be liable in damages to any person for any acts, omissions, decisions, or other conduct within the scope of the functions of a peer review committee of the health care entity. No individual who is a member of or works for or on behalf of a peer review committee of a health care entity shall be liable in damages to any person for any acts, omissions, decisions, or other conduct within the scope of the functions of the peer review committee.

(B)(1) A hospital shall be presumed to not be negligent in the credentialing of an individual who has, or has applied for, staff membership or professional privileges at the hospital pursuant to section 3701.351 of the Revised Code, and a health insuring corporation or sickness and accident insurer shall be presumed to not be negligent in the credentialing of an individual who is, or has applied to be, a participating provider with the health insuring corporation or sickness and accident insurer, if the hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer proves by a preponderance of the evidence that, at the time of the alleged negligent credentialing of the individual, the hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer was accredited by one of the following:

(a) The joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations;

(b) The American osteopathic association;

(c) The national committee for quality assurance;

(d) The utilization review accreditation commission.

(2) The presumption that a hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer is not negligent as provided in division (B)(1) of this section may be rebutted only by proof, by a preponderance of the evidence, of any of the following:

(a) The credentialing and review requirements of the accrediting organization did not apply to the hospital, health insuring corporation, sickness and accident insurer, the individual, or the type of professional care that is the basis of the claim against the hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer.

(b) The hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer failed to comply with all material credentialing and review requirements of the accrediting organization that applied to the individual.

(c) The hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer, through its medical staff executive committee or its governing body and sufficiently in advance to take appropriate action, knew that a previously competent individual had developed a pattern of incompetence or otherwise inappropriate behavior, either of which indicated that the individual’s staff membership, professional privileges, or participation as a provider should have been limited or terminated prior to the individual’s provision of professional care to the plaintiff.

(d) The hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer, through its medical staff executive committee or its governing body and sufficiently in advance to take appropriate action, knew that a previously competent individual would provide fraudulent medical treatment but failed to limit or terminate the individual’s staff membership, professional privileges, or participation as a provider prior to the individual’s provision of professional care to the plaintiff.

(3) If the plaintiff fails to rebut the presumption provided in division (B)(1) of this section, upon the motion of the hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer, the court shall enter judgment in favor of the hospital, health insuring corporation, or sickness and accident insurer on the claim of negligent credentialing.

(C) Nothing in this section otherwise shall relieve any individual or health care entity from liability arising from treatment of an individual. Nothing in this section shall be construed as creating an exception to section 2305.252 of the Revised Code.

(D) No person who provides information under this section without malice and in the reasonable belief that the information is warranted by the facts known to the person shall be subject to suit for civil damages as a result of providing the information.

Effective Date: 04-09-2003

Proceedings and records within the scope of a peer review committee of a health care entity shall be held in confidence and shall not be subject to discovery or introduction in evidence in any civil action against a health care entity or health care provider, including both individuals who provide health care and entities that provide health care, arising out of matters that are the subject of evaluation and review by the peer review committee. No individual who attends a meeting of a peer review committee, serves as a member of a peer review committee, works for or on behalf of a peer review committee, or provides information to a peer review committee shall be permitted or required to testify in any civil action as to any evidence or other matters produced or presented during the proceedings of the peer review committee or as to any finding, recommendation, evaluation, opinion, or other action of the committee or a member thereof. Information, documents, or records otherwise available from original sources are not to be construed as being unavailable for discovery or for use in any civil action merely because they were produced or presented during proceedings of a peer review committee, but the information, documents, or records are available only from the original sources and cannot be obtained from the peer review committee’s proceedings or records. An individual who testifies before a peer review committee, serves as a representative of a peer review committee, serves as a member of a peer review committee, works for or on behalf of a peer review committee, or provides information to a peer review committee shall not be prevented from testifying as to matters within the individual’s knowledge, but the individual cannot be asked about the individual’s testimony before the peer review committee, information the individual provided to the peer review committee, or any opinion the individual formed as a result of the peer review committee’s activities. An order by a court to produce for discovery or for use at trial the proceedings or records described in this section is a final order.

Effective Date: 04-09-2003

(A) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of section 149.43, 1751.21, 2305.24, 2305.25, 2305.251, 2305.252, or 2305.28 of the Revised Code, an incident report or risk management report and the contents of an incident report or risk management report are not subject to discovery in, and are not admissible in evidence in the trial of, a tort action. An individual who prepares or has knowledge of the contents of an incident report or risk management report shall not testify and shall not be required to testify in a tort action as to the contents of the report.

(B)(1) Except as specified in division (A) of this section, this section does not affect any provision of section 149.43, 1751.21, 2305.24, 2305.25, 2305.251, 2305.252, or 2305.28 of the Revised Code that describes, imposes, or confers any of the following:

(a) An immunity from tort or other civil liability;

(b) A forfeiture of an immunity from tort or other civil liability;

(c) A requirement of confidentiality;

(d) A limitation on the use of information, data, reports, or records;

(e) Tort or other civil liability;

(f) A limitation on discovery of matter, introduction into evidence of matter, or testimony pertaining to matter in a tort or other civil action.

(2) Divisions (A) and (B)(1) of this section do not prohibit or limit the discovery or admissibility of testimony or evidence relating to patient care that is within an individual’s personal knowledge.

(3) Divisions (A) and (B)(1) and (2) of this section do not affect a privileged communication between an attorney and the attorney’s client as described in section 2317.02 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 04-09-2003

(A) An action by the state or an agency or political subdivision of the state to enforce a lien upon real or personal property created under and by virtue of section 1901.21, 2505.13, 2937.25, 4123.76, 4123.78, 4141.23, 4509.60, or 5719.04 of the Revised Code shall be brought within fifteen years from the date when the lien or notice of continuation of the lien has been filed in the office of the county recorder. The fifteen-year limitation period applies to liens and notices of continuation of liens filed before, on, or after the effective date of the amendment of this section by H.B. 699 of the 126th general assembly.

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, beginning February 1, 2007, a notice of continuation of lien may be filed in the office of the county recorder within six months prior to the expiration of the fifteen-year period following the original filing of the lien or the filing of the notice of continuation of the lien as specified in division (A) of this section. The notice must identify the original notice of lien and state that the original lien is still effective. Upon timely filing of a notice of continuation of lien, the effectiveness of the original lien is continued for fifteen years after the last date on which the lien was effective, whereupon it lapses, unless another notice of continuation of lien is filed prior to the lapse. Succeeding notices of continuation of lien may be filed in the same manner to continue the effectiveness of the original lien.

(2) As used in division (B)(2) of this section, “interim period” means the period beginning September 26, 2003, and ending September 27, 2006.

Division (B)(2) of this section applies only to liens enforceable by an action subject to the limitation of division (A) of this section on September 25, 2003, as this section existed on that date, and notice of continuation of which would have had to have been filed under division (B) of this section, as this section existed on that date, during the interim period if this section had been in effect during the interim period.

Notice of continuation of such a lien may be filed as otherwise provided in division (B)(1) of this section, except the notice shall be filed within six months prior to the expiration of fifteen years following the expiration of the six-year period within which such notice was required to have been filed under this section as this section existed on September 25, 2003.

(C) The recorder shall mark each notice of continuation of lien with a consecutive file number and with the date of filing and shall hold the notice open for public inspection. In addition, the recorder shall index the notices according to the names of the person against whom they are effective, and shall note in the index the file numbers of the notices. Except in cases of liens arising under section 5719.04 of the Revised Code, the recorder shall mark the record of the original lien “continued” and note thereon the date on which the notice of continuation of lien was filed. The recorder may remove a lapsed lien or lapsed notice of continuation of lien from the file and destroy it.

(D) A notice of continuation of lien must be signed and filed by the clerk of the court or the magistrate in cases of liens arising under sections 1901.21, 2505.13, and 2937.25 of the Revised Code, by the industrial commission in cases of liens arising under sections 4123.76 and 4123.78 of the Revised Code, by the director of job and family services in cases of liens arising under section 4141.23 of the Revised Code, by the registrar of motor vehicles in cases of liens arising under section 4509.60 of the Revised Code, and by the county auditor in cases of liens arising under section 5719.04 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 09-28-2006; 2006 HB699 03-29-2007

Effective Date: 04-11-2003