Thapar v. Zezulka

The primary issue in this case is whether a mental-health professional can be liable in negligence for failing to warn the appropriate third parties when a patient makes specific threats of harm toward a readily identifiable person. In reversing the trial court’s summary judgment, the court of appeals recognized such a cause of action. 1 Because the Legislature has established a policy against such a common-law cause of action, we refrain from imposing on mental-health professionals a duty to warn third parties of a patient’s threats. Accordingly, we reverse the court of appeals’ judgment and…