title: Legal implications of epilepsy.
abstract: Physicians who care for patients with epilepsy may function as agents or targets of social control. As agents, they may assist in the identification and control of epileptic drivers, may provide information that enables fair and appropriate job placements for epileptic persons, and give testimony that helps the legal system resolve issues relating to the liability of epileptic persons for harm attributed to seizures or interictal behavioral disturbances. As targets, they may be charged with negligent failure to diagnose, treat, or inform about epilepsy or its associated problems, with failure to exercise due care in protecting persons harmed by their patients, or with failure to preserve confidentiality of medical information. Although legislation and judicial decisions have defined some of the physician's legal duties with reasonable clarity, areas of uncertainty remain, particularly regarding the issue of violating medical confidentiality for the benefit of persons other than the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY 11030.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Beresford
mesh_terms: D001334:Automobile Driving; D003219:Confidentiality; D004651:Employment; D004827:Epilepsy; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008318:Malpractice; D010819:Physician's Role; D011287:Prejudice; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D014754:Violence