{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/8.01-581.18_1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/8.01-581.18_1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/8.01-581.18_1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/8.01-581.18_1.html"}],"law_id":57097,"edition_id":1,"section_id":57097,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.18:1","catch_line":"Immunity of physicians for laboratory results and examinations","history":"2006, c. 684.","full_text":"A\n\nNo physician shall be liable for the failure to review or act on the results of laboratory tests or examinations of the physical or mental condition of any patient, which tests or examinations the physician neither requested nor authorized, unless (i) the report of such results is provided directly to the physician by the patient so examined or tested with a request for consultation; (ii) the physician assumes responsibility to review or act on the results; or (iii) the physician has reason to know that in order to manage the specific mental or physical condition of the patient, review of or action on the pending results is needed. However, no physician shall be immune under this section unless the physician establishes that (a) no physician-patient relationship existed when the results were received or accessed; or (b) the physician received or accessed the results without a request for consultation and without responsibility for management of the specific mental or physical condition of the patient relating to the results or (c) the physician consulted on a specific mental or physical condition, the results were not part of that physician’s management of the patient and the physician had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient of the results or refer the patient to another physician; or (d) the physician received or accessed results, the interpretation of which would exceed the physician’s scope of practice and the physician had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient of the results or refer the patient to another physician.B\n\nAs used in this section, “physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine, chiropractic, or osteopathy in the Commonwealth pursuant to Chapter 29 (§ 54.1-2900 et. seq.) of Title 54.1.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":209093,"text":"No physician shall be liable for the failure to review or act on the results of laboratory tests or examinations of the physical or mental condition of any patient, which tests or examinations the physician neither requested nor authorized, unless (i) the report of such results is provided directly to the physician by the patient so examined or tested with a request for consultation; (ii) the physician assumes responsibility to review or act on the results; or (iii) the physician has reason to know that in order to manage the specific mental or physical condition of the patient, review of or action on the pending results is needed. However, no physician shall be immune under this section unless the physician establishes that (a) no physician-patient relationship existed when the results were received or accessed; or (b) the physician received or accessed the results without a request for consultation and without responsibility for management of the specific mental or physical condition of the patient relating to the results or (c) the physician consulted on a specific mental or physical condition, the results were not part of that physician’s management of the patient and the physician had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient of the results or refer the patient to another physician; or (d) the physician received or accessed results, the interpretation of which would exceed the physician’s scope of practice and the physician had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient of the results or refer the patient to another physician.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":209094,"text":"As used in this section, “physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine, chiropractic, or osteopathy in the Commonwealth pursuant to Chapter 29 (§ 54.1-2900 et. seq.) of Title 54.1.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14388,"edition_id":1,"name":"Miscellaneous Provisions","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14387,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:58","permalink":{"id":278979,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14388,"identifier":"2","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2","url":"\/8.01\/21.1\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14387,"edition_id":1,"name":"Medical Malpractice","identifier":"21.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12747,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:58","permalink":{"id":278895,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14387,"identifier":"21.1","token":"8.01\/21.1","url":"\/8.01\/21.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12747,"edition_id":1,"name":"Civil Remedies and Procedure","identifier":"8.01","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":277029,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12747,"identifier":"8.01","token":"8.01","url":"\/8.01\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":59392,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.13","catch_line":"Civil immunity for certain health professionals and health profession students serving as members of certain entities","url":"\/8.01-581.13\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.13","metadata":false},{"id":60855,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.14","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/8.01-581.14\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.14","metadata":false},{"id":66555,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.15","catch_line":"Limitation on recovery in certain medical malpractice actions","url":"\/8.01-581.15\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.15","metadata":false},{"id":55726,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.16","catch_line":"Civil immunity for members of or consultants to certain boards or committees","url":"\/8.01-581.16\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.16","metadata":false},{"id":75226,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.17","catch_line":"Privileged communications of certain committees and entities","url":"\/8.01-581.17\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.17","metadata":false},{"id":57108,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.18","catch_line":"Delivery of results of laboratory tests and other examinations not authorized by physician","url":"\/8.01-581.18\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.18","metadata":false},{"id":57097,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.18:1","catch_line":"Immunity of physicians for laboratory results and examinations","url":"\/8.01-581.18_1\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.18_1","metadata":false},{"id":71346,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.19","catch_line":"Civil immunity for physicians, psychologists, podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, nursing home administrators, and certified emergency medical services providers while members of certain committees","url":"\/8.01-581.19\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.19","metadata":false},{"id":59744,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.19:1","catch_line":"Civil immunity for persons providing information to certain committees","url":"\/8.01-581.19_1\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.19_1","metadata":false},{"id":75087,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.20","catch_line":"Standard of care in proceeding before medical malpractice review panel; expert testimony; determination of standard in action for damages","url":"\/8.01-581.20\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.20","metadata":false},{"id":57136,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.20:1","catch_line":"Admissibility of expressions of sympathy","url":"\/8.01-581.20_1\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.20_1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":57108,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.18","catch_line":"Delivery of results of laboratory tests and other examinations not authorized by physician","url":"\/8.01-581.18\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.18","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71346,"structure_id":14388,"section_number":"8.01-581.19","catch_line":"Civil immunity for physicians, psychologists, podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, nursing home administrators, and certified emergency medical services providers while members of certain committees","url":"\/8.01-581.19\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.19","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/8.01-581.18:1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2006. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 684<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":[{"id":57108,"section_number":"8.01-581.18","catch_line":"Delivery of results of laboratory tests and other examinations not authorized by physician","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-581.18\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":63078,"section_number":"54.1-2900","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2900\/"}],"permalink":{"id":279005,"object_type":"law","relational_id":57097,"identifier":"8.01-581.18:1","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.18_1","url":"\/8.01-581.18_1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/8.01-581.18_1\/","token":"8.01\/21.1\/2\/8.01-581.18_1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Immunity of physicians for laboratory results and examinations","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 8.01-581.18:1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> No physician<\/span> shall be liable for the failure to review or act on the results of laboratory tests or examinations of the physical or mental condition of any patient<\/span>, which tests or examinations the physician<\/span> neither requested nor authorized, unless (i) the report of such results is provided directly to the physician<\/span> by the patient<\/span> so examined or tested with a request for consultation; (ii) the physician<\/span> assumes responsibility to review or act on the results; or (iii) the physician<\/span> has reason to know that in order<\/span> to manage the specific mental or physical condition of the patient<\/span>, review of or action<\/span> on the pending results is needed. However, no physician<\/span> shall be immune under this section unless the physician<\/span> establishes that (a) no physician<\/span>-patient<\/span> relationship existed when the results were received or accessed; or (b) the physician<\/span> received or accessed the results without a request for consultation and without responsibility for management of the specific mental or physical condition of the patient<\/span> relating to the results or (c) the physician<\/span> consulted on a specific mental or physical condition, the results were not part of that physician<\/span>’s management of the patient<\/span> and the physician<\/span> had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient<\/span> of the results or refer the patient<\/span> to another physician<\/span>; or (d) the physician<\/span> received or accessed results, the interpretation of which would exceed the physician<\/span>’s scope of practice and the physician<\/span> had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient<\/span> of the results or refer the patient<\/span> to another physician<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> As used in this section, “physician<\/span>” means a person<\/span> licensed to practice medicine, chiropractic, or osteopathy in the Commonwealth pursuant to Chapter 29 (§ 54.1-2900<\/a> et. seq.) of Title 54.1. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nIMMUNITY OF PHYSICIANS FOR LABORATORY RESULTS AND EXAMINATIONS (\u00a7\n8.01-581.18:1)\n\nA. No physician shall be liable for the failure to review or act on the results\nof laboratory tests or examinations of the physical or mental condition of any\npatient, which tests or examinations the physician neither requested nor\nauthorized, unless (i) the report of such results is provided directly to the\nphysician by the patient so examined or tested with a request for consultation;\n(ii) the physician assumes responsibility to review or act on the results; or\n(iii) the physician has reason to know that in order to manage the specific\nmental or physical condition of the patient, review of or action on the pending\nresults is needed. However, no physician shall be immune under this section\nunless the physician establishes that (a) no physician-patient relationship\nexisted when the results were received or accessed; or (b) the physician\nreceived or accessed the results without a request for consultation and without\nresponsibility for management of the specific mental or physical condition of\nthe patient relating to the results or (c) the physician consulted on a specific\nmental or physical condition, the results were not part of that\nphysician’s management of the patient and the physician had no reason to\nknow that he was to inform the patient of the results or refer the patient to\nanother physician; or (d) the physician received or accessed results, the\ninterpretation of which would exceed the physician’s scope of practice and\nthe physician had no reason to know that he was to inform the patient of the\nresults or refer the patient to another physician.\n\nB. As used in this section, “physician” means a person licensed to\npractice medicine, chiropractic, or osteopathy in the Commonwealth pursuant to\nChapter 29 (§ 54.1-2900 et. seq.) of Title 54.1.\n\nHISTORY: 2006, c. 684.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}