CURRENT PROBLEMS IN THE JUDICIAL PROTECTION OF PATIENTS' RIGHTS IN LITHUANIA

This article examines the transformation of patient rights and compensation for health damage in Lithuania, focusing on the transition from a civil liability model to a no-fault model. In 1996, Lithuania adopted a pioneering law to regulate patient rights, initially opting for a no-fault model that was only fully implemented in 2020. The transition period witnessed challenges in clarifying the conditions of civil liability, legal valuation when healthcare services spanned both models, and the eligibility of individuals for compensation. The author, Ms. Ieva Pilecke, provides insights into the challenges and complexities faced during this transition, including the need to clarify conditions for proving liability and the legal valuation of health services spanning both models. The article also touches upon the limited circle of individuals entitled to compensation and the difficulty in finding objective medical experts. In conclusion, this article underscores the positive aspects of the nofault model, which empower patients to assert their rights and highlights the evolving collaboration between law and medicine in the pursuit of just outcomes.