Abstract
The major court rulings delivered in 2017 include the ruling that separated the legal character of denture production agreement signed together with medical care agreement and found a subcontracting dimension in the former, and the ruling that overcame the limitations of the theory of entire appearance of a fetus as discussed in civil law by using the legal principle of insurance which suggests that unborn child insurance takes effect after the contract is signed and the first installment of the premium is paid in. As more court rulings find the medical specialists responsible for accidents and injuries from drugs, some argue that medication counseling by the druggist who makes and dispenses drugs should be upgraded. And with respect to a court ruling that denied the hospital's responsibility for an infection-involving accident even if there were no records on specific measures taken in infection management, some criticized the court for being too conservative in recognizing responsibilities. And with respect to infectious disease management, some criticized the court for its interpretation and application of the facts in the direction of denying the negligence. In addition, some claimed that it is necessary to establish institutional system for hospital infection control and its aid for victims, and to improve the system including the reversal of the burden of proof given the special nature of hospital infections. A number of rulings on the duty to disclose included the one which stated that the specific matter did not require a doctor's explanation as it was explained or the specific medical service would have been performed even if no explanation had been given. There was a greatly controversial ruling over the scope of indemnification, which accepted the occurrence of multiple scars and deformation as disorders while regarding breast as a thoracic organ. And a Supreme Court ruling over interpreting Medical Service Act was criticized as overstepping the boundary allowed in the law.
2017년 주요 판결 중에는, 진료계약과 함께 체결되는 틀니제작계약의 법적성질을 분리하여 후자의 경우 도급적 성질이 있다는 판결과 태아보험은 계약체결 후 1회 보험료를 받은 후부터 그 효력이 발생한다는 보험법리를 활용하여 민법에서 논의되는 전부노출설의 한계를 극복한 판결이 선고되었다. 약화사고와 관련하여 의료인의 책임을 인정하는 판결이 증가하면서 직접 약을 제조 교부하는 약사의 복약지도 등을 강화해야 한다는 의견이 있었고, 감염관리와 관련하여 법원이 과실을 부정하는 방향으로 사실관계를 해석하거나 적용한 데 대한 비판과 함께 병원감염사건의 특수성에 비추어 병원감염 관리 및 그 피해 구제를 위한 제도적 장치마련, 소송법상 증명책임 전환 등 제도의 개선이 필요하다는 의견이 있었다. 설명의무 관련 판결에서는 이미 설명이 되었던 부분이나 설명을 하지 않더라도 해당 진료행위를 수행하였을 것이기 때문에 설명의 대상이 되지 않는다는 판례 등 설명의무의 대상과 관련한 판결들이 다수 선고되었고, 손해배상의 범위와 관련하여 유방을 흉부 장기로 보아 다발성 반흔 구축 및 변형을 장해로 인정한 사건이 선고되어 많은 논의를 불러 일으켰다. 진단서와 관련한 의료법 해석에 대한 대법원 판결은 법률 규정이 가진 해석범위를 넘은 유추해석이라는 지적이 있었다.