MEDICAL MALPRACTICE "OCCURRENCE" DEFINITION

HB 374 amends the definition of "occurrence" in New Mexico's Medical Malpractice Act. Currently, the law defines "occurrence" as all claims for damages from harm to a single patient, regardless of how many health care providers or errors contributed to the harm. This bill changes that definition, which would affect how malpractice claims are grouped and processed in court. The change directly impacts patients filing claims, health care providers (including hospitals and outpatient facilities), and insurers handling these cases.