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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64597</law_id><section_number>16.1-88.2</section_number><catch_line>Evidence of medical reports, statements, or records; testimony of health care provider or custodian of records</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="16.1">Courts Not of Record</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Venue, Jurisdiction and Procedure in Civil Matters</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Procedure in Civil Cases</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>In a civil suit tried in a general district <span class="dictionary">court</span> or appealed to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> to recover <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for personal injuries or to resolve any dispute with an insurance company or health care provider, either <span class="dictionary">party</span> may present <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> as to the extent, nature, and treatment of the injury, the examination of the person so injured, and the costs of such treatment and examination by the following:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A report or statement from the treating or examining health care provider as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/8.01-581.1/">8.01-581.1</a> or a health care provider licensed outside of the Commonwealth for his treatment of the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> outside of the Commonwealth. Such report or statement shall be admitted if the <span class="dictionary">party</span> intending to present such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> gives the opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> or parties a copy of such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and written notice of such intention 10 days in advance of <span class="dictionary">trial</span> and if attached to or contained in such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is a sworn declaration of (i) the treating or examining health care provider that (a) the person named therein was treated or examined by such health care provider, (b) the information contained in the report or statement is true and accurate and fully descriptive as to the nature and extent of the injury, and (c) any statement of costs contained in the report or statement is true and accurate or (ii) the custodian of such report or statement that the same is a true and accurate copy of the report or statement; or <a id="paragraph-235139" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-88.2/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The bills as defined in subsection A of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Authenticity and reasonableness of medical bills; presumption" href="/8.01-413.01/">8.01-413.01</a> or records of a treating or examining health care provider as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/8.01-581.1/">8.01-581.1</a> or a health care provider licensed outside of the Commonwealth for its treatment of the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> outside of the Commonwealth. Such provider&#x2019;s records or bills shall be admitted if (i) the <span class="dictionary">party</span> intending to present <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> by the use of records or bills gives the opposing <span class="dictionary">party</span> or parties a copy of the records or bills and written notice of such intention 10 days in advance of <span class="dictionary">trial</span> and (ii) attached to the records or bills is a sworn declaration of the custodian thereof that the same is a true and accurate copy of the records or bills of such provider.
			If, thereafter, the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> or <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> <span class="dictionary">summons</span> the health care provider or custodian making such statement to testify in proper person or by <span class="dictionary">deposition</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall determine which <span class="dictionary">party</span> shall pay the fee and costs for such <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> or <span class="dictionary">depositions</span>, or may apportion the same among the parties in such proportions as the ends of justice may require. If such health care provider or custodian is not subject to <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span> for cross-examination in <span class="dictionary">court</span> or by a <span class="dictionary">deposition</span>, then the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall allow a reasonable opportunity for the <span class="dictionary">party</span> seeking the <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span> for such health care provider or custodian to obtain his <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> as the ends of justice may require. The <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> may only present <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> pursuant to this section in <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> if he has not requested an amount in excess of the ad damnum in the <span class="dictionary">motion for judgment</span> filed in the general district <span class="dictionary">court</span>. <a id="paragraph-235140" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/16.1-88.2/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1978, c. 490; 1983, c. 616; 1985, c. 379; 1989, c. 563; 1990, c. 279; 1996, c. 749; 2005, c. 811; 2007, cc. 425, 869; 2013, cc. 78, 145; 2014, cc. 25, 85, 446; 2022, cc. 469, 470.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
