August 27, 2026
On August 19, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an opinion in favor of Fairview Health Services’ argument that Minnesota statute requires a trustee to be appointed prior to that trustee being able to bring a wrongful death action.
In Hagfors v. Fairview Health Services, Keith Hagfors served a summons and complaint on Fairview Health Services, the University of Minnesota, and University of Minnesota Physicians alleging the wrongful death of his wife, Sara Hagfors, who died on April 9, 2021. The complaint was served within the statutory limitations period, but before Hagfors was appointed as trustee. Hagfors was appointed as trustee still within the statutory limitations period, but did not re-serve the complaint before the limitations period expired.
The district court dismissed the claim, and the court of appeals affirmed. The Minnesota Supreme Court also affirmed by finding that appointment as a trustee is a condition precedent to commencing a wrongful death action under Minnesota statute.
The MMA submitted an amicus brief, or friend of the court brief, in partnership with the AMA Litigation Center to support Fairview Health in their appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
October 8, 2026
On September 29, a Hennepin County jury issued an $84 million malpractice verdict against Fairview Health Services, in a case involving a patient who died of complications following an exercise-induced heart attack.
October 8, 2026
A group of fifth-grade students from Lincoln Elementary School in St. Cloud got a firsthand look at the world of medicine on October 5, during a special Mini Medical School Day hosted by the University of Minnesota Medical School CentraCare Regional Campus St. Cloud.
October 8, 2026
On October 7, the MMA released an updated version of its “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Resource Guide for Physicians.”