Any party or parties who institute an action as a result of a peer review may be liable for court costs and reasonable attorney's fees, if the defendant substantially prevails and if the action, or the plaintiff's conduct during the litigation of the action, was frivolous, unreasonable, without foundation, or in bad faith.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 30-3C-4

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Peer review: means the procedure for evaluation by health care providers of the quality, delivery, and efficiency of services ordered or performed by other health care professionals, including practice analysis, inpatient hospital and extended care facility utilization review, medical audit, ambulatory care review, claims review and patient safety review, preparation for or simulation of audits or surveys of any kind, and all forms of quality assurance/performance improvement whether or not required by any statute, rule, or regulation applicable to a health care facility or health care provider. See West Virginia Code 30-3C-1